FROM THE CEO RANCHELLE IN THE RAW

So, I did this thing starting in the first week of May. I decided to join something called 75 Hard. Andy Frisella, author and podcast host wrote the book 75 Hard, and when you go to his website this is what you will see:

THIS IS NOT A FITNESS PROGRAM 75 HARD IS A TRANSFORMATIVE MENTAL TOUGHNESS PROGRAM

I saw those words and I got scared. I mean, shake-in-my-boots, how-can-I-do-this-fear. I have learned when I feel afraid to ask myself a few questions. Here they are:

Is this fear you are feeling or another emotion like excitement, anticipation, anxiousness, uncertainty, trepidation?

If it’s a lower density type of energy like fear, anxiousness, etc, I ask myself:

What else is possible? What is the TRUTH in this?

You see, very rarely do I ask myself WHY? I believe that “why” is a strange question. Our brains are wired to answer questions, and so when I ask myself why, I come up with all the reasons why I suck, not all the reasons why I can do something. As I started to unpack what I was feeling and what my beliefs were, I decided that I needed to do this challenge. Let me share the challenge with you.

Here are the rules of 75 HARD:

1. 2 x 45 minute workouts a day, every day. One MUST be outside and they can’t be done at the same time. 2. No alcohol. 3. No sugar. 4. Some sort of program where you are aware of what you are eating. Andy suggests counting macros. 5. Read 10 pages of non-fiction daily. 6. One progress picture taken daily. 7. One gallon of water each day.

8. If you don’t do the steps, you FAILED and you start the next day, from the beginning.

I recognized that voice inside of me right away.

That voice is the smaller version of me. That voice is my “reasoning” and”logical” voice. That is the voice of limitations. That is the voice that wants me to stop. That’s the voice that wants me to remain small.

That’s the voice that wants to ensure that I don’t speak my truth. The truth is that she is always there with me.

However, so is the stronger version of me. And her voice is louder now.

The voice that says: Of course you can do this. No thing and nothing can stand in the way once you commit. The voice that says, “a belief is just a decision”. The voice that says, “you have overcome so much in your life, this can happen”. The voice that says, “don’t try it, DO IT”. The voice that says, ‘failure is part of success”. Don’t avoid failure, embrace it.

The voice of TRUTH.

So, I made the decision to start the challenge before the Sharp Women Event. I figured, if I could do this leading up to the event, I could do anything.

I spent a few days prepping for it. I listened to Andy’s podcast, I joined the Facebook Group, and I made a grocery list. I also told Rob what I was doing so that I could have his support (he loves surprising me with my favourite foods). I also bought a huge water bottle, decided what supplements I would need, and then pulled the trigger.

And here is what happened days before the Sharp Women Event...

Part of the rules is to take a progress picture. Something so small, right? How hard is it to take a picture? The app even sends you a reminder.

Guess what!? I FORGOT TO TAKE A PICTURE!

I was on Day 10 and I forgot the picture! I couldn’t believe it. I cried, but not for the reasons you may think. On the app, when you don’t follow one of the rules, you have to hit the button that says “I FAILED”. This is when I cried. I cried because I didn’t want to hit the button. I cried because I was resistant to being honest with myself. I cried because how many times have I said I was going to do something, and something ‘came up’ and I made some sorry excuse and didn’t do it. I cried because I realized how I allowed my limiting beliefs to stop me from what I want. Then, I cried ugly/happy tears because I realized that I am progressing in my spiritual practice. That I am ready to fail, ready to try new things that scare me, ready to be all that I want, ready to have it all. Ready! So, I took a deep breath and made a new plan to start again. On May 17th. I started my 75 Hard challenge again. I added some new strategies because I discovered that it is the little things that make all of the difference. That each little thing adds up to a big thing.

Already this challenge has brought to me what was promised on Frisella’s website: 75 HARD IS A TRANSFORMATIVE MENTAL TOUGHNESS PROGRAM and I was reminded that how I do one thing, is how I do everything.

At the time of this writing I am on round 2, day 4. Each day I have to talk myself into keeping my commitments. Each day I remind myself of why I want to do this and what the benefits are for me. The most important step that I have noticed is that each day, I RECOMMIT! I have my ah-ha moment; for me committing is making the decision daily. Who do I need to BE in order to live the life that I desire?

Stay in the raw ladies, because this is where it gets real.

Ranchelle Ranchelle@SharpWomen.ca

*Be BIG *Be BOLD *Be BEAUTIFUL.