Starting NOW, you can play along by completing these seven UNDER 15 MINUTE and COMPLETELY FREE self-renewal challenges (if you missed a day or two–just play catch up!).
Snap a pic of each daily challenge and post it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with the hashtag: #PEAKParentChallenge and tag me (Facebook-@Sarah MacLaughlin, LSW, Twitter-@sarahmaclaugh, or Instagram-@sarahmaclaughlin). Then your friends can join in the fun!
Join me all week–which happens to be the week between Mother’s Day and the the day (7 years ago) that I became a mother–and let’s practice making a small effort to renew ourselves every single day.
1.—->>>Monday: Give yourself the gift of REFRESHMENT–Make yourself a cup of tea, glug some juice and seltzer over ice and toss in a sprig of fresh mint, or pour yourself some lemonade. Whatever it is, make it with care, as you would for someone you love, and then sit and drink it.
2.—->>>Tuesday: Give yourself the gift of TIME–Set your alarm for 15 minutes earlier than anyone in your house is likely to wake. Do anything you desire with this little bubble of goodness: drink your coffee in the early morning sun, take an extra long shower, or meditate. Post a pic of how early it is, or of what you’re doing.
3.—->>>Wednesday: Give yourself the gift of CONNECTION–Grab a family member, friend, or co-worker, and have a short conversation about whatever’s on your mind. Share a joy OR a burden. (Use the phone to connect if you must–bonus points for figuring out how to take a selfie of yourself on the phone!)
4.—->>>Thursday: Give yourself the gift of PERSPECTIVE–Find some old photos of your babies (and/or yourself!) and post them where you can see them (bathroom mirror is my favorite). Remember that we all arrive fresh, wise and bursting with that new-baby smell!
5. —->>>Friday: Give yourself the gift of SPACE–Get out of the house and take a walk! (And be careful posting selfies of this–pics of your sneakers all laced up will do.) Even if it’s only around the block, or around your house or apartment–get out there and take some space away from it all.
6.—->>>Saturday: Give yourself the gift of REFLECTION–Grab your journal or a plain old notebook and set a timer for a 10 minute free-write on the prompts–“What is the most fun part of parenting for you?” and “What is your biggest challenge as a parent?”
7.—>>>Sunday: Give yourself the gift of MOVEMENT–Crank up the tunes and grab whoever’s close–preferably The Whole Fam Damily, as my dad used to say–and dance yourselves silly. We continue to love What Does the Fox Say, anything by Taylor Swift, and the latest ear-worm: Fight Song, which lends itself to some impressive karate-inspired moves!
All who complete the 7 day challenge will be entered into a drawing to win an hour-long phone coaching session focused on YOU and your family’s well-being. Reminders will go out on Facebook, Twitter, and I will be doing the challenge myself on Instragram. I can’t wait to see all your beautiful faces–HAVE FUN!
Love,
Sarah
