CHALLENGE

 

This is a twenty-day challenge designed to help you build better mind-body patterns. It’s been said that it takes three weeks to develop any new habit. In my experience, it can take much longer. But this will at least get you going in the right direction of maintaining a mind fitness routine as part of your daily regimen. However, what you do on day twenty-one and afterward is up to you.

 

To complete the challenge, you must perform each of the following for at least twenty minutes a day, twenty days in a row. Break up the activities however you like. For example, you can meditate for ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the evening to get in your twenty minutes daily. Additional time on any activity is also acceptable.

 

• Breathwork. Suggested exercises can be found here. Experiment with different ones to find out what works best for you. 

• Meditation. There are many guided meditation apps out there. If you don’t have one, try Waking Up or Headspace.

• Journaling. It does not need to be pretty. Just write down whatever comes to mind and realize you don’t have to identify with any of it.

• Reading. During the challenge, complete any book about consciousness, philosophy, how we think, or another similar topic.

• Problem-Solving. Puzzles, crosswords, Sudoku, etc. Ideally, do something non-digital. ThinkFun has fantastic games you can try.

• Skill Development. It must involve your body: archery, a musical instrument, juggling, card tricks, woodworking, etc.

• Physical Exercise. Just move your body. Even a walk is acceptable. Two workouts a week must be yoga or Qi Gong. Take a class or download an app.

• Getting Outside. Preferably early in the morning. Watch the sunrise (don’t look directly at the sun), even in the rain, without sunglasses. This can be combined with any previous activities, e.g., meditating outside.

 

In addition, while this isn’t a nutrition or physical challenge, maintaining our bodies (including our brain) is critical to overall mind fitness. So do your best to follow these additional guidelines:

 

• Eight hours of sleep a night. In bed with no distractions. Turn off your WIFI and put your phone in another room in airplane mode.

• Eat and drink well. The more you restrict or eliminate alcohol, caffeine, sugar, etc., the better. The bottom line is just don’t ingest a bunch of crap.

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Click below to download a copy of the challenge instructions, sample schedule, and daily checklist!