Day 1 of 30 Day Challenges
The blog series in which I am completing my challenge from 30dayblogchallenge.com!
As well as a self-made challenge inspired by Abraham Hicks in which I self-soothe myself through negative emotion.
At the end of this 30 day journey I intend to be more fully on my life’s path, “all systems go.”
Introductions
Hi. That is a start. An introduction. My first blog post and the start of a new chapter in my life.
This is also the first day of my 30 Day Blog Challenge, which I am doing through 30dayblogchallenge.com with the help of Matt. This challenge is meant to guide me through a process of starting my blog and making it successful.
At the same time, I was inspired recently to do another 30 day challenge of a sort. So I thought I would combine the two and get the process rolling all at once. My smart girlfriend suggested I write my experience for my blog! She’s so clever.
So what’s the second 30 day challenge? Well, it’s sort of my own design, but was inspired by something I heard recently. I have been listening to a lot of Abraham Hicks on YouTube. There are countless ones out there, and for those of you who are familiar, you know what I mean.
In one of my current favorites, Abraham suggests a sort of self-soothing concept. It goes a bit like this: if you have a toddler learning how to walk, you don’t scold them into better behavior. You understand that they are in the process of learning and that they need support, encouragement, guidance, and comfort.
In the same way, Abraham suggests we take this approach to ourselves. Instead of beating ourselves up over our shortcomings or failings, or perceived failings, that we be more kind to ourselves. That we see challenges as lessons for growth and soothe ourselves, soothe our way through them.
Inspire Me, Abraham
Abraham does not exactly suggest a challenge, but does suggest taking 30 days to self-soothe and see at the other end of the process how much your life changes for the better. Because as you soothe your way through life, life presents more soothing situations. I mean, if you’d rather attract more challenge, keep on yelling at the world. That is your choice, too.
So it made me think. I will take Abraham up on this suggestion and do a 30 Day Self-Soothe Challenge for my own highest good.
The intention goes like this: any time I find myself frustrated, angry, hard of myself, or otherwise down and not in a good feeling place, I will self-soothe myself. I actually picture it very much like the example she gave of the toddler. Only the toddler is me, my inner child. I think of my own two young children and how I would talk to them if they were upset.
So starting today and for the next 30 days, whenever I feel frustrated or upset I will think to myself soothing things. For example I will say in my mind, “It’s OK, Matthew. Don’t worry. Everything is OK. It will all work out. Be calm. Be easy. Feel better. It’s OK.”
Shaky Start, to be expected
So how was my progress this first day? Well, to be honest, a bit shaky. I actually found myself frustrated a handful of times, more than an average day.
Like the drive to work this morning in which I was running late and got stuck at every light and behind all the slow cars. Yea, I cursed for a few minutes. Then I self-soothed and felt better.
I work in massage and found myself tired and achy at times, feeling a bit low about my work. It can be exhausting in so many ways. So I self-soothed through the down moments and continued working.
This evening was to be my big start at blogging. Yet I had some technical difficulties in setting up the blog and starting the challenge.
Something about technology and computers can get me so flustered and frustrated, even though I have extensive years using computers. After all my dad is a computer programmer and my two brothers got me involved in the internet before people knew what the internet was.
Well I had my tantrum, shouting at the website not working. Then I self-soothed, calmed down and chatted Bluehost for help. That solved my problem.
And here I am now. Beginning my blog.
Day 1 of my two 30 day challenges.
I hope this finds interested readers who wish to follow my journey in these challenges. I know the page is new and no one knows of it, so maybe the ethers alone will follow me for now. But I hope the energy I put into this will begin the momentum I need to take this next step in my life. To pursue my dreams of writing and creativity and healing and spirituality. I have so much to offer and so many words. So I begin now.
Wish me luck as I do this 30 Day Blog Challenge and 30 Day Self-Soothe Challenge.
Hope to see you in a better place at the other end of these 30 days.
Blessings to you all.
Matthew