21 Kick-Start To Loving Yourself

Jennifer Tracy Amber Jones

Daily Actions to Learn How To Love Yourself

To Loving Yourself WORKBOOK

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORS

WELCOME, MY BEAUTIFUL FRIEND.

What is self-love? We can think of it as a desire to give our own well-being a level of importance and respect. If you love yourself, you have regard for yourself. It’s about treating yourself as well as you would treat anyone you love. But most of us have been conditioned to believe that we should put ourselves last. We do this under the guise of caring about others or modesty. However, this is very self-defeating. You can’t do as much for others when you don’t make yourself a priority, too.

You are human, you'll never be perfect You probably already know this but society and that mean inner voice likes to remind us often of this

As you work through these nuggets and to-do’s for the next 21 days, remember that this is just the beginning

We'd like to start by taking a moment to share something with you Together, we have asked thousands of individuals this question, "where do you think you get your value or worth from?" Everyone answers that question differently As we go through this challenge together remember we all come from different walks of life, hence the reason we all have different answers

We hope these questions, thoughts, and teachings help you further along in your journey toward loving the woman that you are becoming

With Hope, Love, and Happiness,

Jennifer

Jennifer Tracy

PRINTABLE CHECKLIST

INSTRUCTIONS: Use this checklist to keep tracking over the next 21 days

READ INTRODUCTION

SET YOUR INTENTIONS FOR THE NEXT 21 DAYS

BECOME AWARE

ACCEPT ALL COMPLIMENTS THAT COME YOUR WAY

CREATE AND USE AFFIRMATIONS

DO SOMETHING YOU'VE WANTED TO DO

ADMIRE YOUR BODY

EAT NUTRITIOUSLY

SEND YOURSELF AN ENCOURAGING LETTER

REMOVE THE NEED FOR PERFECTION

CLEAN UP YOUR SCHEDULE

DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR STRESS

PRINTABLE CHECKLIST

Personal Growth is a marathon, not a sprint!!

CREATE A GRATITUDE LIST

EXERCISE

MAKE PLANS FOR YOUR FUTURE

FORGIVE YOURSELF

STOP SEEKING APPROVAL

SIT BY YOURSELF

SLEEP

SET AND MAINTAIN BOUNDARIES

HAVE A GLASS OF WINE

DO ONE THING YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO DO

STEP 1: COMMIT TO YOUR JOURNEY

Welcome to your personal 21-Day Journal, beautifully designed to make the most of your 21 Day Kick-Start To Learning To Love Yourself I know that life can be hectic at times, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be meaningful as well Use this journal every day for the next few weeks, allowing you the space to set whole hearted intentions This can be a place to express your deepest emotions Feel free to print these pages out, put them in your favorite binder and then answer the first few questions as they arise. From our hearts to yours.

Jennifer & Amber xo

HOW DO YOU FEEL IN YOUR BODY RIGHT NOW?

HOW DO YOU WISH YOU COULD FEEL INSTEAD?

HOW EXCITED ARE YOU TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?

HOW I FEEL IN MY MIND:

HOW I WANT TO FEEL IN MY MIND:

HOW I FEEL IN MY BODY:

HOW I WANT TO FEEL IN MY BODY:

HOW I FEEL IN MY SPIRIT:

HOW I WANT TO FEEL IN MY SPIRIT:

DAY ONE

It’s much easier to accomplish something when you have an intention. Your vegetable garden didn’t get planted last summer by accident. You had the intention of planting it. The same concept applies here.

Avoid wasting the next 21 days. Decide that you ’ re going to work on your self-love and self-esteem. Be determined to give the next 3 weeks your best effort. It’s challenging to change your daily routine, and improving yourself isn't always fun or easy--but it is worth it.

Your intention and determination are paramount to your success. So just decide to go for it. Before you lay down to sleep tonight, make an agreement with yourself that you are committed to this process.

Bonus Tip:

Find someone who is close to you and who is willing to cheer you on as you tackle this course! Tell them that you would like to share your new discoveries, wins, and struggles with them. We are each more likely to succeed when we fight our battles with others along our side.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Learning to love yourself requires striking a perfect balance of loving yourself yet still being committed to the daily work of becoming a better 'you' today than you were yesterday.

Today we want to stop 'All or Nothing" statements and thoughts.

We've included two worksheets. The first one has some examples of thoughts that we have had to intercept and chan

MORNING JOURNALING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

INSTRUCTIONS: THINK OF FOUR THOUGHTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO STOP AND CHANGE? Here are a few of mine

NEGATIVE THOUGHT: POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:

I'm Disabled & Have PTSD

I can positively manage my symptoms of PTSD

NEGATIVE THOUGHT: POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:

I'm Fat

I have fat on my body but I am not defined by it.

NEGATIVE THOUGHT: POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:

I'm a Failure

I have failed at many things but I choose to learn from those failures.

NEGATIVE THOUGHT: POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:

I'm Needy

I have needs and it's okay for me to find ways to meet those needs

INSTRUCTIONS: THINK OF FOUR THOUGHTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO STOP AND CHANGE AND WRITE THEM OUT

NEGATIVE THOUGHT: POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:

NEGATIVE THOUGHT: POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:

NEGATIVE THOUGHT: POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:

NEGATIVE THOUGHT: POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:

DAY TWO

It’s difficult to make progress without understanding where you are currently. Spend some time today reflecting on your starting line. Begin noticing the way you treat yourself. Then, contrast that with how you treat your friends and family.

Most of us are more patient, understanding and tolerant of others than we are of ourselves. In fact, some of us treat complete strangers better than we treat ourselves!

Most people know the Golden Rule 'Love Your Neighbor As Yourself.' But sadly, because people struggle to love themselves, they don't know how to love others well either. One way to get out of this rut is to think about an analogy that I (Jennifer) learned from the flight attendants years ago about the oxygen mask on an airplane. When you put the mask on yourself first you are alive to help those next to you.

Notice your tendencies regarding how you treat yourself. Pay particular attention to these areas:

How is your Self-Talk?

What types of phrases do you say to yourself in your head or out loud? How do you feel when you make a mistake versus how do you feel when someone else makes a mistake?

Does the way you treat yourself to encourage you to be your best? Do you treat yourself as if you ’ re important and worthy of respect?

Add a little bit of body text

Are the ways you think and act toward yourself habitual or done with thought and intention?

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Pay attention to your instinctual responses throughout today. Are you quick to anger with yourself? Are you patient? Is your self talk kind, or loving?

Take note of anything you see yourself doing.

Spend the next 21 days with a greater level of awareness regarding your attitude and behavior toward yourself. Every morning see what the concept or task for the day is and recognize how working to add it as a daily habit will benefit you. Set your intention for accomplishing each day and the new task that will be ahead of you. 2

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY THREE

When you ’ re short on self-love, it’s not easy to accept compliments.

Do you feel uncomfortable when someone singles you out in a positive way? While modesty is generally a good policy to follow, it’s okay to feel happy about receiving a compliment.

Starting today, accept all the compliments that others give you. A quick smile and a thank you is enough. Tell yourself that you deserve it. Avoid giving in to any temptation to deflect.

Being able to receive compliments is easier when you already believe THAT YOU ARE AWESOME, WORTHY, LOVABLE, and BEAUTIFUL...

On the flip side, it is difficult when you struggle to think of yourself in a positive light.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE: 3

Today we want you to go up to someone you admire, think highly of, or think is beautiful and we want you to pay them a compliment. The challenge here is to pay attention to how they respond and in turn notice how that makes you feel.

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY FOUR

Use these strategies daily to enable affirmations to reprogram your subconscious for greater self-love:

1.

Carry your affirmations with you. You can have a copy on your phone, in a small notebook, or on an index card. Whatever you’ll consistently carry with you is fine.

2. Read your affirmations several times each day. Whenever you have a spare moment, pull out your affirmations and read them. Try reading them to yourself and aloud when appropriate. Begin and end your day by reading your affirmations.

3. Set an alarm on your phone to go off 3x a day for the next couple of weeks, reminding you to read your affirmations aloud.

I know that you may be thinking ‘Seriously?...’ But, just trust me and do this. It will help build the habit and will truly reinforce the muscle to help you remember this far beyond these 21 days.

Create 10 affirmations that address self-love. Remember that from day one you ’ ve been increasing your awareness of your behavior and attitude toward yourself. Create affirmations that take this new information into account.

Affirmations should be positive and direct.

“I love myself completely” is an example of an affirmation.

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY FIVE

DO SOMETHING YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO

For some reason when I became a mother of twins at the young age of 20, I made the choice that I would live in the "play it safe zone." This meant, no skydiving, motorcycle rides, or jumping off 50-foot cliffs to dive into the water. Honestly, it wasn't hard to stay away from those things. I'm not an adrenaline junkie and I was truly busy being a mother of three beautiful girls. When my husband and daughter died in 2004, the whole play-it-safe concept became even more important to me.

Can I tell you what I have always wanted to do? Something that scared me--really scared me--like "push fear aside and do it anyway" kind of scared. So that's how I ended up doing the riskiest thing I have ever done in my life. It was about 4 years ago, my youngest daughter would have been 17, and I was 40. I didn't want to die that day, I just decided that I wanted to push through my fears and do something that scared me. So, I jumped 50 feet off the edge of a cliff in Glendo, Wyoming. I didn't like it. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. But, instead of just saying I didn't like it and checking it off my list. I remember thinking "do it again, push through the fear again". So, I did. And then again. Three times in a row, and you know what I've concluded? Cliff diving isn't for me. I truly found no enjoyment in it. But that day I accomplished something huge for me, which was to 'Do something that scared me.'

Now it's your turn to do something you have always wanted. Maybe yours will be something odd like mine or maybe something simple. Whatever the case may be, make it happen!

Maybe you need to splurge on yourself today If you ’ ve always wanted a hot stone massage, to try Vietnamese food, or learn to ride a motorcycle Spend a little time and think about it Then, go out and make it happen (If you need to wait for the weekend, make concrete plans for your activity and stick to them.)

Deciding to add fun to your life may seem silly or unnecessary, but it is a great reminder of your worth. What you like matters. What you enjoy matters. Since you matter, be willing to add more of what brings you joy into your life!

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY SIX

You might be lacking a six-pack, have added a few wrinkles over the years, or wear bifocals, but those are small details compared to what your body can still do. Even if your health is quite poor, you can still do some amazing things.

Consider the things many of us take for granted:

The ability to see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. Consider how much pleasure these senses provide. The ability to walk and talk. How many amazing things can you experience just by having these two abilities? Maybe you ’ ve created children.

You might think that your body isn’t much to look at anymore, but that’s a small issue. When you consider how much that body can still do, the other stuff is irrelevant.

You are a strong, powerful, mighty warrior just because you woke up this morning. Be immensely proud of yourself today just for that!

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

You might think this is crazy, but once you go and try it, you'll see that it is harder to do than you think and so incredibly powerful once you learn to do and practice it.

Stand naked challenge.

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY SEVEN

Prove to yourself that you love your body by treating it like a queen for a day. Instead of giving in to your regular habits and impulses, eat nutritiously for the whole day.

Challenge yourself to continue for the remainder of the month. (Or even the rest of your life.) It is pretty impressive what can occur when you make a commitment. Then once you have seen results, and your hard work, persistence, patience, and priorities begin to pay off... then it becomes fun to eat well!

Try staying committed to this long enough to give your body a chance to reset and really show you how much it appreciates you giving it what it needs.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Spend some time thinking about the foods you consume, and the way they make you feel, and then list some areas where you can take just 1 step towards loving your body.

Remember that making actual change by taking small steps is better than trying to make 10 new habits at once and not succeeding at any of them. Just

MORNING JOURNALING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY EIGHT

Imagine how a wonderful friend or your partner feels about you. Write yourself a letter as though it came from that person. Be loving and encouraging. You can write it on paper, send yourself an email, or even leave a voicemail. It’s up to you.

You might even consider turning this into a daily or weekly habit. Whether you do this consistently or just do it once, the most important aspect is to remind yourself that you are valuable. Include at least a few of the thousands of reasons why in your letter!

I would love to see you get to a place where seeing your value isn't a stretch at all. Will you still fail and mess up? Oh yeah. Because you're a human. But in the midst of all of that, are you still 100% worthy? Work on this until you can think of yourself as someone who is always worthy with complete confidence.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Decide how you are going to write to yourself Once you have, pick the time and place. This can be as interactive or creative as you want it to be. If you love crafts, as we do, go for it. If simple is more you're style, do that. Maybe grab a glass of red wine or sip your favorite kind of latte while you do.

Remember: You are inherently valuable You are so special, worthy, loved... and you are adored by your Creator.

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY NINE

Those lacking in self-love don’t like to be bothersome to others. But, asking for help isn’t bothersome. You’d help someone else, so it’s only reasonable to assume that others would be happy to help you, too. You’re important and deserve help when you need it.

Think of something that you could use some help with and ask an appropriate person for their help. Start small and build your comfort level.

As you build your comfort level, you will build this muscle until you get to a place where you are completely comfortable asking for help when you need it.

We are not meant to do life alone. One of my favorite things to say is 'Life is better together!' And man, do I really believe that.

Find something applicable to you and be courageous enough to ask for help. Another thing I love to say is 'Do something that scares you.' This reminder pops up 2x a day on my phone. I don't mean scary, like going down dark alleys or even sky-diving... but like asking for help when it's hard. So, join me in this challenge and do something that scares you today! Here are a few examples of what you might do today that scares you!

Hand off the grocery list for this week and let someone else go for you

Teach your kids the important life skill of sorting colors, and doing laundry

.Email your friends asking for some job leads.

Ask your neighbor to take in your mail while you ’ re away

Ask your spouse to pick up the dry cleaning.

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY TEN

Whether you require perfection from yourself, others, or both, you can bet you ’ re consistently miserable. Perfection doesn’t truly exist. It’s a theoretical idea that can never be attained.

You might believe you ’ ve met the perfect man or woman. But you haven’t. You just haven’t experienced the imperfections yet.

When you demand perfection from yourself, you can never be happy. This is a perfect way to always be disgruntled and resent yourself.

Setting impossible expectations can never lead to satisfaction. Be kind to yourself and realize that your best effort is enough. Spend today relieving yourself of the need to be perfect. You are innately worthy and do not need to strive for an unrealistic ideal.

Add this concept to your daily affirmations. Remind your self “I do not need to strive for perfection. Instead, I will choose to "strive for excellence."

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Today... You have to decide which challenge is for you.

If you struggle more with feeling the need to be perfect... accept challenge one!

If you struggle more with feeling the need for others to be perfect.... accept challenge two!

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY ELEVEN

How much time do you spend doing things you don’t want to do? Okay, we all have to do things we don’t want to do, but there are things you don’t want to do that you don’t actually have to do. It might be serving on the Parent-Teacher Organization or playing on the company softball team.

Take a look at your average month and list the activities that you don’t enjoy. Yes, you still have to pay your bills, but there are at least a few things on that list that you don’t have to do. So, don’t do them. Let the appropriate people know, and then use that time for something that you do enjoy. Your happiness and time are important.

Keep in mind that you get to make these decisions in every season of your life. Maybe something that used to bring you joy, doesn’t anymore. Or maybe something that is not a good fit right now will come back around to being good again. Whatever the case, give yourself the grace to make the best choices for you today for the season that you are in.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Be courageous and give yourself the grace to say no to the things you no longer want to do or that no longer bring you joy. Then replace that activity and time with something you do love.

Maybe you love reading, but never make time for it. Or maybe it's baking or cooking, or just sitting on the porch watching the sunset... Whatever it is that you love, today is the day to make time

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY TWELVE

Many of the chronic challenges in life are a result of dealing with stress poorly. Whether it’s irresponsible spending, overeating, passing on great opportunities, or something worse, it’s often due to handling stress poorly.

Developing an effective, and healthy, method of dealing with stress can provide amazing benefits in your life

Here are a few healthy options for dealing with stress effectively:

1. Meditate. Meditation has been around for thousands of years and has never been more popular than it is right now.

2. Pray and/or worship God. Make it a priority to find a way to connect that feels authentic for you.

3 Exercise Going for a short jog or doing a few push-ups can make you feel a lot better. It’s also good for you.

4. Call a friend. Reach out to someone who cares. Most of us have someone in our life that can always make us feel better.

4. Let it go. With practice, you can drop your stress just like you can drop a heavy suitcase

5. Find a solution. If the cause of your stress can be managed, manage it instead of worrying about it.

In order to initiate the level of courage I needed to endure and keep moving, I had to tap into the power of my choice AND partner with a loving God that can bring purpose from the deepest pain."

—Jennifer Tracy

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Notice when you ’ re feeling stressed and try one of these strategies. If none of these seem to be the right fit for you, or even if you know exactly the trick that helps you deal with stress, be proactive and intentional about implementing that. Whatever it is that works for you, do yourself a favor, and don’t fight stress alone. You know who the best person is, be it a close friend or maybe someone in your family who can help keep you accountable or support you through this journey.

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today.

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today.

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY THIRTEEN

Even if you ’ re friendless and living on a park bench, there are still things in your life you can be grateful for. If you aren’t sleeping in the rain, you have at least 1 thing to be grateful for.

Our culture focuses on the negative more than the positive. Those that travel extensively often notice that people from North America spend a lot of time talking about what they don’t like. But, people from other cultures often spend their time talking about what they do like.

You get to choose what culture you want to be a part of. You can choose today to focus on what’s right in your life.

Sometimes when I am going through a tough season, I will remind myself "I have been through far worse..." and that helps me accept and process what I am going through. This is sort of a backward perspective from a gratitude list, but it gets me to the same place. It helps me to acknowledge that what I am facing is difficult, but that I am a survivor of tougher battles and therefore I can get back up and keep fighting this one.

So, your task for today, and the remainder of the 21 days, is to make a list of everything you are grateful for in your life. List everything over the next month. Include your comfy couch, air conditioning, coffee, friends, and anything else you value. Consider making this a daily or weekly habit for life. Many people find this to be a daily activity that keeps them centered, grounded and able to keep an appropriate perspective

Remember: Nothing is too silly or too small (or even too big) Just set pen to paper (or on your phone) and let whatever comes to mind flow for you If you think of something you wrote the day before, that’s okay it’s a good thing to be grateful for the important things every day

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY FOURTEEN

Exercise is good for you, and therefore, shows that you love yourself when you do it regularly. It is beneficial for your stress levels, heart and lungs, muscles, and metabolism. It’s also good for your self-esteem, and you’ll look better, too.

Think of ways you can get some exercise in and enjoy it. You might set up a regular walking date with a friend, take boxing lessons, or play golf.

The key to exercising consistently and making a habit of it is by scheduling time for it and enjoying it. When you enjoy doing something, it’s easier to do it regularly.

How can you enjoy exercising? Think about it and make it happen.

If you think of an activity that involves needing another or a group, that’s great! You can stay accountable by regularly including someone else as you build this habit!

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Today... think outside of the box:

Could you take up dancing lessons? (Hip-hop, line-dancing, swing dancing)

What about joining an adult sports league?

Think outside of the box and find a community to become a part of h h l k f l h l k "have

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY FIFTEEN

It’s not enough to just survive. That’s what animals do.

You’re a human being with choices. Sit down with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and plan your future. You deserve to have the life you desire.

Let your imagination run wild and create a compelling future. Put your plan on paper.

Most importantly, make a plan and do at least one thing each day to make it a reality.

That means taking the first step today!

There is a lot of power in writing out your dreams, but even more in vocalizing them. Share your dream life with people close to you and speak them out loud to yourself too. Say ‘I will travel to Europe,’ 'I will drive a Jeep,’ or ‘I will have a healthy and thriving family’ out loud to yourself and to others. Give your dreams power and weight by making them real. Spend time visualizing your dreams and then take one action each day to get you closer to them.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

DO NOT overthink this.

Grab a napkin or a scratch piece of paper. It is proven that when you write things down, you are more likely to obtain them and are more willing to work for them.

Toda

future

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY SIXTEEN

You have done plenty of things wrong. Some of them were even intentional. Take comfort in the fact that everyone you know has done the same. You’ve lived and learned. It’s time to let it go and to let yourself off the hook.

You’re probably pretty compassionate with most of the people in your life. Be at least as compassionate with yourself. Forgive yourself and move on. The weight of forgiveness when it comes to other people is that it frees you, whether or not it frees them (which is their choice!) Remember this when you are struggling with forgiving yourself. Holding onto something is only weighing you down, hindering you, and making your life harder. Offer yourself forgiveness, offer yourself grace. If you are having a really hard time working past something for a choice you made, consider allowing someone else into the process. This could be a counselor or a trusted friend!

When we are courageous enough to not do life alone, beautiful things can happen. One of those is that you are reminded how alike we all are in our battle with failures. Even if they aren't struggling with the same exact thing as you, you know they have struggled just as you have.

Sit down and write a list of every heavy thing that weighs you down. Write down your own failures, the choices or words of others that have hurt you, losses you've endured, and anything heavy that comes to mind. Get it all out there and then spend some time sitting with that list. When you are ready, write down one more sentence and then agree to emotionally and mentally free yourself from the chains of anything on your list.

Write down "I am forgiven. I forgive myself. I am free from the chains that have been holding me down."

Write it down, read it aloud and say it to yourself over and over until you truly believe it and feel the freedom in your body.

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY SEVENTEEN

When you do things to make others view you in a certain way, you ’ re sending a message to yourself that the truth is insufficient. You can be kind, but don’t be kind just so others will view you as kind. Just be kind.

There’s a significant difference between being a good person and being a person that wants to be seen as good. It’s okay if you ’ re a little impatient, messy, or don’t like the local NFL team. It's okay if you're a total clean-freak, you go crazy for sports and you hate pizza. Be honest about who you are. Everyone that loves you will still be around. Anyone you lose doesn’t belong in your life anyway. Prove to yourself that you are good enough just the way you are. It’s a much less exhausting way to live. Agree that your worth is not tied to anything about you and that as you are, you are enough. Add that statement to your daily affirmations:

“Just as I am, I am enough.”

AmberJones

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

One of the greatest ways to help yourself stop seeking approval is to become aware of how often you are doing it. Pay special attention today to the moments and conversations where you feel the need to adjust your truth to either fit in or please those around you.

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

Some people, and you might be one of them, can’t stand to be in their own company. They always have to be stimulated by something else.

Whether it’s the TV, the internet, the radio in the car, or a book, they can’t just sit by themselves.

Have you ever wondered why you need those things in your life? The best way to find out why is to take a break from them.

The next time you ’ re driving alone, turn off your phone and avoid listening to the radio. Notice what happens. With practice, you can be great company for yourself.

Instead of avoiding this time, lean into this discovery. Sit with yourself for at least 10 minutes each day and see what you uncover.

Add your discovery to your gratitude list either that you are grateful for a change in perspective or just that you have identified an area to grow in your life. Share this discovery with someone who loves you!

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Today there are a few things you can do to stretch yourself.

Be 'alone' in your car, sit by yourself for the 10 minutes... but if you really want to grow, try something that might seem a little odd: Strike up a conversation with someone about how they view 'sitting by yourself'.

Tell them you're in this challenge and want to know how they feel ab

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY NINETEEN

Few things will do more for your health, attitude, and happiness than getting at least seven hours of sleep each night. Even if you think you only need 4-6 hours, try giving yourself a full seven for a week and note the changes in how you feel and function.

Take a nap. Sleep in. Go to bed earlier.

There are times when the best thing you can do to love yourself is to go to bed. We all have a handful of excuses ready to go as to why we can’t get enough sleep. It may be catching a rerun of Rocky or The Notebook, cleaning the house, taking care of kiddos, or maybe dealing with difficult, important life transitions. Whatever may be on your list, put the excuses away and give yourself a chance to feel the difference.

Make a plan today to get those seven hours of sleep in each night for at least a week.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Most people fall into 1 of 2 categories: You either tend to get good sleep or you struggle to sleep well.

If you sleep well, be thankful that rest is not something you struggle with, If you do struggle with sleep, make a commitment today to do something about it.

It is difficult to track what you don't record. Have a set journal or note on

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY TWENTY

When you don’t love yourself, you put up with a lot of mistreatment.

You might be worried that others will be upset or won’t like you if you start saying “ no ” to certain things. Regardless of how hard you try to make everyone happy, you will still fail at it. You can’t please everyone, but you can please yourself. When you tolerate things you don’t like, you feel resentful and drained. The solution is to learn to say “ no ” and be assertive. Let the world know what you need. You’ll gain the respect of others and feel better about yourself.

A simple fact is that we don’t get to control others, but we do get to control ourselves.

Preserve your mental health by placing your needs before the needs of others. We do have to sacrifice sometimes for our family, but be cautious about spreading yourself too thin for everyone.

Remember that anyone you lose due to setting boundaries is not worth keeping in your life.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE:

Boundaries can be tough to talk about because we all hold such different points of view. What goes on the list of what is acceptable and comfortable for me may not go on your list at all.

Today, think of 5 of your closest relationships. Write down their name and process whether or not you think you have health b d i i h h l

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

DAY TWENTY ONE

Avoid procrastinating on important things. Whether it’s filing your taxes, going to the dentist, or making a tough phone call, just do it. You lose self-respect and self-esteem when you willingly fail to manage your responsibilities.

One of those things for me that I knew I needed to be doing was drinking water. I know. How hard can that be? But it was a serious struggle of mine for many years. I knew I needed to be drinking water for my physical and emotional health, but I struggled to make it a habit. Then one day I finally decided I had had enough and made a commitment to myself. I went and bought a huge, bright blue water bottle, and promised to keep it with me all the time.

Now I don't struggle with drinking water and that bottle goes everywhere with me. I just had to do something intentional to help me build the habit and I also invited others in to help me stay accountable. (Yes, I definitely recruited friends to check in on my water consumption during the beginning.)

Today, make a list of the things you ’ ve been avoiding and get at least one of them done. Then, focus on how good it felt to get that task completed. Imagine how great you would feel in general if you regularly did whatever needed to be done.

Begin making a habit of listing the things you need to do and then doing them. Focus here on that great feeling of accomplishment that you get rather than on the activities or just having a list in general.

TODAY'S CHALLENGE: 21

MORNING JOURNALLING

Choose how you want to feel: How do you want to feel today?

Set your intentions: What are 1-3 things I can do to feel that way?

Journal your thoughts: Define your thoughts, emotions & plans for today

EVENING JOURNALLING

Reflect on how you felt: How did you feel today?

Honour your intentions: Did I complete the three things I wanted to do?

Journal your thoughts: Describe your thoughts, emotions & experiences from today

WHAT MADE ME GROW

WHAT MADE ME GRATEFUL

WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER?

ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?

JenniferTracyhassharedhermessageofHOPEwithcountless thousandssheisahighlysought-afterauthor,transformational speaker,lifecoach,andmentalhealthadvocateJenniferbegan hercareerasaninspirationalspeakerfiveyearsafterthedeathof herhusbandanddaughterin2004

Inherbook,FromtheDeepestDarknesstotheLightofHope, Jenniferletsdownherguardinheruniquelybraveandbeautiful way,toallowthosewhoaresufferinginsidehermindasherstory lightsthewaytowhatispossible,despitetheimpactofmultiple traumaticlifeexperiences

Readtherestofherstoryatwwwjennifertracy-inspirecom/about

Jennifer Tracy, Founder and CEO of SPARK of Inspiration Academy™, Host of Fueled by Courage Podcast and Author of From The Deepest Darkness To The Light of Hope.