I’m in Denver (gorgeous, friendly), about to rock my first day of 4 days speaking (of of my top 3 favorite things to do on the planet) at the Creative Freelancer Conference and inHOWse Conference and HOW. Check out my flickr set to get a visual on what’s what.

What are you up to in the world?

Where do you gather with like minded folks, share ideas, push your boundaries?

Please speak up in the comments. Thanks.

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Chris Guillebeau and Pam Slim kick some serious butt. If you don’t know them already, you are missing out. Chris is the king of circumnavigation (with the miles to prove it) and non-conformity. Pam is your get out of cubicle jail free card. I’m doing their $100 Business Forum this month. The basic idea is to take 28 days, 150 cool people and a c-note and get expert help start a business, launch a product or just get your head in the (small biz) game. And if you are the type to do it at home without 150 witnesses, then you gotsta check out Danielle LaPorte’s new sizzlefest:





Alrighty, I’m on the $100BF the first two days, buzzing around pollinating and getting the lay of the land. It’s really energizing connecting with cool people, being nosy, and most of all, giving this time and focus to MY BUSINESS!! Yes, as much as I preach about it, this is rare for me and I’m NOT proud of this. I’m committed to doing more of this and sticking to it, dangit!

Okay, enough intro–here’s the good story. I’m connecting with this cool cat from Australia who is talking about all of the great work he’s doing. He has several projects, interests and directions he COULD pursue. While I am reading his introduction, I get a ZING! from one project he listed. BTW: I’m being vague because I didn’t get his permission to chat up HIS bid-ness, okay? So, I write to him and ask which idea is the most passionate for him; he names the Zinger. I start to get all butterfly-y and excited. THEN, he ups the game and says that not only is that the one he feels the most heat for, but it is scary and challenging, too. I start to prance in place a little. Here comes the money shot. He says, “it’s also financially the most likely to give a clear transition away from the day job.” We have a WINNER!! It’s the triple-threat of what’s possible:
PASSION+PUSH=PROFIT
It’s juicy because it’s true.

What comes to mind when you read the following ideas?

• PASSION: something that drives you, wants doing, really rings YOUR bell (and yes, if it bugs other people, but still makes you giddy, then you are on the right topic)
• PUSH: there’s an edge to it, maybe it’s a recurring dream or a project that moves from back burner to front and back again, but never really leaves your mind. There’s an element of thrill, challenge, and eek! to it.
• PROFIT: this is not all about money. The profit is really about the deep benefits: satisfaction, peace, exhilaration, more time with family, less time with family, living in a van traipsing around the country.

What does your triple-whammy look like? What are the things in your life that turn you on, are a bit scary(good scary) and that are your ticket outta jail? Tell us in the comments.

Photo by Beija Flor, used under a Creative Commons license.

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Someone invites you to work with them on a project–your (insert your spasm-struck body part here) chest tightens for a split second. If you are really smooth, you say, “Thank you, I’ll think about it.” I’m not smooth, so I (sometimes and working on rarely) say, “I’m really excited for you, great idea! That sounds like fun!”  And I really mean that–but it always sounds like more of a YES than I mean.  Either way, smooth or enthusiastically coltish, we both find ourselves hemming and hawing over the decision. Depending on our situation, we might even feel that saying NO is akin to breaking the rules (great tutorial on breaking the rules at Jeffrey Tang’s blog). If you find yourself twirling around these thoughts:

Should I? It could be good. I don’t want to hurt their feelings. Maybe I’ll make a pro/con list? Well, it won’t kill me, maybe it will make me stronger? I feel so guilty about not wanting to do this!

then you have officially entered into NO-gotiations. We are really talking our way around to NO–even though we know that’s the only true answer. We might even end up saying YES–but the energy of the No is undeniable. We drag it around and (okay, I’m just speaking for me here) get resentful, do a crappy job or end up having to pull out of commitments, which makes us feel even worse than if we’d just gone with No in the first place!

No-gotiating faster and with aplomb:
Listen to your body–it usually knows before you do. Keep a single post it note (or memo in your phone) handy and write down how you physically feel every time someone asks you a yes/no question today. What did you notice?
Write a script down for yourself and USE IT when you talk to folks. I keep them simple (and YES, I do have to keep these on my wall in my office and practice them), and customize them when needed:

NO, thank you (pause 2, 3, 4, 5)
I am intrigued! I need more information. How much time, money, energy, blood sweat and tears are involved?
Wow, I’m really flattered. Thank you, no.
I am not available for that. (pause 2, 3, 4, 5)

UPDATE: 7pm. My friend, Bob Peterson contributed this via Facebook today. It’s called the NO SANDWICH METHOD.

“It’s cheesy (not literally like provolone or swiss) but highly effective. The “bread” is letting the asker know you understand what is being asked (1st piece) The second slice is why you are saying no. The “meat” is “NO.” Not ” I can’t” or some other variation. It’s simple, but powerful. Ex. Wanna smoke a bowl? The “sandwich”…. “Hey, I … know you wanna get with me, but NO, b/c it’s not my thing, I’m a student athlete and don’t wanna get kicked off the team, etc….Like I said cheesy/corny, but it really works.”

Ask a trusted friend to listen to you. What do they hear?
Pound the pavement and find your way to your natural no. Oprah has a great series of articles on saying no.

Danielle LaPorte kicks butt–and she knows how to say NO! We did really fun interview for her new digital experience, The Firestarter Sessions, and somehow landed on selfishness, porn, entrepreneurial spirit and NOT-doing-it. Yes, you have to buy the thing to see the video. Yes, it’s worth it and yes, I became an affiliate (I get some moolah if you buy it from my link). Click on the image below to find out the scoop.

Say YES to saying no;

Where are you no-gotiating today?

Photo by fotogail. Used with permission under a Creative Commons license.

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I had a BLAST talking with Andy Epstein about strategies for keeping focus, being creative and leading with your strengths in corporate (or new to you) environments. Please listen in, tell me your experiences, ask questions and share ideas in the comments.

Related posts:

1. Struggles+Strengths=Strategies
2. Conference Connecting: You’ve got their business card, now what? (Part 2 of 3)
3. Lead with what’s JUICY!

Melanie Orndorff wants you to Rock Unemployment! I want you to rock your passions and get what you want! We talked about how to create your PitchPerfect! introduction as you look for new gigs, seek out clients and build a community of evangelists!

Listen to me and Melanie talk cattle prods, tattoos and values. OH, and yes, how to pitch yourself! (N.B. I offer a special discount during this recording. . .so, listen for the secret word!) While you are there, sign up for Rock Unemployment tips and check out the blog.

What do you say when someone says, “what do you do?” How do you lead with what’s juicy? Share your stories, questions and ideas in the comments.

Prism photo of Jean Kim by Dyana Valentine

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Think back (or forward) to a new, passionate, relationship. Feel the sizzle, remember the smell and hear the music you listened to at the time. Really get into it. Are you feeling it? Good!

Like the first weeks of a lusty relationship, I want you to imagine your project knocking on your door and you have goosebumps. You aren’t even sure where to start: offer a drink, sit down or just get right to it? What if this was your energy around your current project? Do you think I’m kidding? I’m serious as the first week of love, committed and thinking about it non-stop. I want you to get hot for your work.

We DECIDE to go for it in new relationships. And yes, like our projects, we lose that initial verve. “things” get old, routine, dry. What do you do in your best relationships to fuel the fantasy fire? How do you get it up when the endorphins wear off?

Do you have a stalled project right now (you know the one)? The one project that has changed five times in the last 18 months. it keeps morphing, shifting, changing names, but it ALWAYS comes back. Take a moment right now and evaluate it like you would a lover, very close friend or even a child. Make your project someone, an important someone. Consider a few project-relationship concepts:

1. LOYALTY: is the project true to you? Does it reflect your values? Are you loyal to it, or divided–and why?
2. PASSION: where’s the spark? Is it still there? Do you have that spark in you about it? If not, is it truly gone or does it just need a blast of the bellows?

Okay. Let’s stop here and fantasize that you check-checked the top two and you know your project is loyal and you are true to her. Your passion is there, but just a bit distracted or dulled by time and the reality that plodding through certain parts of a project can put a damper on your woody. Now, ask:

3.  CONNECTION: are you connected to the meaning of your work or project? Is there a way that you could improve the connection–both  to the task(s) at hand and your role in the project (and perhaps with other humans on the task as well)?
4.  PURPOSE: is the current purpose of your work relevant? There’s always a purpose, but is it your original? Even if it still resonates to how you felt when you started–does it serve now?

Now, how’s your lust factor? Did I just add frustration to your day or did something shake loose? Are you staying with the project, or is it a time for an amendment, date-night or a break up? Let me know in the comments.

Photo by See-ming Lee 李思明 SML used with permission under a Creative Commons license.

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WOW, I did it. I kept a huge, longer-term-than-I-thought-I-could commitment to myself. THANK YOU for being here with me. Some of you joined me, others read along, and some even joined secretly–you know who you are. I could not have done it without you. This is NOT just something to say–I mean it. I started AND finished this commitment because I wasn’t doing it alone.

BEFORE:
164 lbs
40.75% body fat
out of breath coming up the stairs to my apartment
AFTER:
148.5 lbs
37% body fat
rocking the lower heart rate and running up the stairs on the way home every day.

NB: even though I did 40 days of exercise (and more of journalling), my entire duration of this challenge was 58 days.

CELEBRATIONS: I got myself some foxy new 800 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets–YUM! And, my dear friend, Melissa Kelly, gave me the gift of a massage this Sunday to celebrate my 40 Day accomplishment! Wahoo!

NEXT:
I commit to continuing the workouts–varying them with your help (send ideas!), including:
hoola hooping at least once per week;
continuing to work out with Sunny through December (at least 2x/week);
finding a new sport by the end of the year;
giving weekly updates on my body through year’s end.

What are you committing to? Do you need help? Let us know in the comments and offer ideas for others struggling with making or keeping commitments to themselves.

The 40 days of My Body (if you are new to this story, read the intro here) project, is a quest in service to my business, my body and my own path of finishing what I start. I am committed to exercising 6 days/week, keeping a food journal and being more aware of ways I use (and abuse) my body. Going public is extreme, yes, and it’s working! I’m working with a fantastic trainer, Sunny Riggs, to create a program I can sustain over time. She’s amazing. HIRE HER!

I am not alone on my quest. The roll call is at 31 people (including me)! Some are getting organized, others giving up fast food and some are simply breathing! Check out the updates and links below and show your support:

Tanya Geisler–40 days of hatha yoga and radical self-care. Check out her ROCKING tell-all post!
Petra Korn–30 days on her body (supported with love by hubby Nick)
Tia Reddy–yoga and exercise: she found her yoga plan was NOT working and made these adjustments.
Alisa Bonsignore–working out and food consciousness she’s DONE and kicking off another 30 days, this time of writing.
Suzie Powanda–no fast food or beverages. Check out her guest post getting into the nitty gritty of her challenge progress.
Julie Rorrer–training for the Austin marathon in Spring
Emma Alvarez Gibson–some bit of exercise, every day. She says she’s back in action!
Joyce Black–FINISHED her 21 days without caffeine and doing a general detox, congratulate her! She did a guest post, too!
Carabunga is rocking 40 days of hardcore productivity and rocking a blog about it. She has GREAT ideas on staying inspired and gives an update on wrassling her bitchy soul and is rocking her challenge!
Paula Trucks-Pape and her husband: 87 Days of exploring their passions
Monica Kingsbury: 30 days of the Candida diet to deal with her sweet tooth: She’s DONE, no honey or sugar for a MONTH, lost 4 lbs and has great new awarenesses around her body and her cravings. Way to go, Monica!
Jack and LisaMarie Rowell: 30 days of extreme health (alkaline diet)
Diane Sherry Case: 3 weeks of walking–she’s up to 20 minutes 4 days/week! (yoga if it rains)
Cindy Morefield: 21 Days of 30 mins/day of cardio exercise. Check out her guest post/video here.
Paula Estes: 30 Days of playing congas while she works in her studio
Sheila Hart is IN: 21 Days of no sugar!
Amy Ahlers: 40 days limiting processed food. She’s got loads of fish to fry and is going to re-evaluate her commitment in 2010.
SouperJenny Team: 40 Day hits the ATL! So far, Meredith is giving up sweets and Jenny is giving up booze!! 7 folks have joined their group. Gooo, Team Body, Mind, Spirit! Watch their  update videos here.

• John from San Diego is giving up carbs and working out 3x/week: gone AWOL–come back to us, John!
  
• Sharon’s giving up all sugar except fruit
• Merrideth giving up all sugar and exercising 4 times a week, GREAT insights on the most recent video update. WATCH&LEARN!
• Marcie will journal every day and cut down from 4 to 5 diet sodas a day to one per day, She’s on day 27 and let go of journal writing. BUT, she has kept to one soda/day for the WHOLE commitment–yahoo!
• Tricia from Atlanta will drink a quart of her green juice concoction and exercise 5 to 7 times a week
• Lucero Martinez a restaurant/bar owner will give up all alcohol: fell off the wagon. Gitty up back on, Lucero!
• Jenny giving up all alcohol and working out 5 times a week. She made adjustments in service to moderation AND feeling good!!

Ashley White-Stern: 40 days of meditation and she’s giving herself the gift of swallowing her pride for sliding off the sit for a minute. She DID sit today–and that’s what matters!

M Arsenia Brown (aka: @donutdemon) joins with a commitment to 40 days of her body: She’s DONE!
Cat Sabonis-Chafee is in and says “I will move my ass” for 21 days of daily, considered exercise. She reminded me of a great tool: TAKE A DAY OFF every week and she added in an abs&stretch class.
Emily-Sarah is joining with body awareness and daily movement. How’s it going, Emily-Sarah?
Nicola Warwick kicks off 40 days of food journaling and diet hacking! TODAY! She’s using a super duper diet spreadsheet.

Are you a quester wanting to tell your story? Do it! E-mail me and put your own video or guest post up!

Related posts:

1. 40 Days of My Body: Day 36, Try This At Home
2. 40 Days of My Body: Day 31, Just Show Up
3. 40 Days of My Body: Day 33, Slow Down!

We, the questers (31 as of today) have taken commitments during the past months–to our organization, our bodies and our passions. Here are updates from others on their quests and an interview! Enjoy, support and add your own stories in the comments.

Interview with Julie Rorrer, who is training for the Austin Marathon in February 2010:

Portia Reddy made a commitment to do 40 days of yoga. Here she is in her yogic glory and an update on her challenge:

Hey Dy,

My challenge died. I lost my motivation and so I revamped the challenge and it has not taken off. At least not in the way I would like. I am still doing my yoga stretches in the morning and evenings but have not done a real 30 to 45 min. workout in weeks. But it was eye opening to see how much harder it became when it was something I had to do every day because I said I would as opposed to the sporadic nature of my practice before. Currently I am trying to work on re-incorporating 30 min. yoga sessions into my week 2 to 3 times a week.

Thanks for the check in, I really do appreciate it.

Tia

Norbert and Paula are in the middle of their 87 Days of Passion. Here’s a letter from them.

Dear Dyana,
We are entering our second month of PASSION. Living in the USA been quite an adjustment. My new schedule includes working on English with my husband, so I have been taking less time to write. Still, we’ve collected quite a few passions:

• We love to work out! (joined the local YMCA, very helpful, professional people there)
• We love to play outside! (sitting on the bank of the beautiful Wisconsin River while my husband fishes – a bit about meditation, visiting places in my hometown that I’ve never seen and finally seeing what’s been there the whole time)
• My husband loves to invent solutions – part one! (he’s renovating my mother’s house bit by bit using odds and ends laying around in my father’s workshop – ties in to some feelings about my father’s death)
• My husband loves to invent solutions – part two! (he’s building a device for loading our canoe onto our van – how to translate visions into reality)
• We love our canoe (and the water)! (checking out a variety of central Wisconsin canoe spots)
• We love surprise! (Story about dressing up for Halloween and trick or treating as an adult and the joy of feeling a little bit scared/apprehensive)
• We love details! (the precision with which my husband works as a German-trained machinist and about enjoying the smallest details on a walk in the woods with my nephew)
• We love the sun! (gloomy fall weather in northern Germany and sunny late summer in Wisconsin – seasonal depression and cultural differences)
• We love music – part one! (my husband’s passion for music by German singer Udo Lindenberg, old German songs from the 20s and Dixieland)
• We love music – part two! (a small town concert in a terrific venue built with donations gathered by a passionate teacher and a plea by the band leader to continue supporting the arts)
• We love to cook (and eat)! (Norbert’s passion for cooking with great ingredients and good tools and my passion for eating – and sustainable local food production)
• I love to find connections! (connections I’m seeing among the passions of my ancestors, my relatives and myself)

Maybe we’ll call the second month of this quest DIRECTION as we try to figure out how to transform these passions into a way of life. My husband will be looking for an internship and I’ll be trying to carve out some time to write and plan our future endeavors based on what we’ve learned in our first month.

Thanks for checking in.

Many friendly greetings from Wisconsin (a phrase directly translated from German that I find wonderful),
Paula

The 40 days of My Body (if you are new to this story, read the intro here) project, is a quest in service to my business, my body and my own path of finishing what I start. I am committed to exercising 6 days/week, keeping a food journal and being more aware of ways I use (and abuse) my body. Going public is extreme, yes, and it’s working! I’m working with a fantastic trainer, Sunny Riggs, to create a program I can sustain over time. She’s amazing. HIRE HER!

I am not alone on my quest. The roll call is at 31 people (including me)! Some are getting organized, others giving up fast food and some are simply breathing! Check out the updates and links below and show your support:

Tanya Geisler–40 days of hatha yoga and radical self-care. Check out her ROCKING tell-all post!
Petra Korn–30 days on her body (supported with love by hubby Nick)
Tia Reddy–yoga and exercise: she found her yoga plan was NOT working and made these adjustments.
Alisa Bonsignore–working out and food consciousness she’s DONE and kicking off another 30 days, this time of writing.
Suzie Powanda–no fast food or beverages. Check out her guest post getting into the nitty gritty of her challenge progress.
Julie Rorrer–training for the Austin marathon in Spring
Emma Alvarez Gibson–some bit of exercise, every day. She says she’s back in action!
Joyce Black–FINISHED her 21 days without caffeine and doing a general detox, congratulate her! She did a guest post, too!
Carabunga is rocking 40 days of hardcore productivity and rocking a blog about it. She has GREAT ideas on staying inspired and gives an update on wrassling her bitchy soul and is rocking her challenge!
Paula Trucks-Pape and her husband: 87 Days of exploring their passions
Monica Kingsbury: 30 days of the Candida diet to deal with her sweet tooth: She’s DONE, no honey or sugar for a MONTH, lost 4 lbs and has great new awarenesses around her body and her cravings. Way to go, Monica!
Jack and LisaMarie Rowell: 30 days of extreme health (alkaline diet)
Diane Sherry Case: 3 weeks of walking–she’s up to 20 minutes 4 days/week! (yoga if it rains)
Cindy Morefield: 21 Days of 30 mins/day of cardio exercise. Check out her guest post/video here.
Paula Estes: 30 Days of playing congas while she works in her studio
Sheila Hart is IN: 21 Days of no sugar!
Amy Ahlers: 40 days limiting processed food. She’s got loads of fish to fry and is going to re-evaluate her commitment in 2010.
SouperJenny Team: 40 Day hits the ATL! So far, Meredith is giving up sweets and Jenny is giving up booze!! 7 folks have joined their group. Gooo, Team Body, Mind, Spirit! Watch their  update videos here.

• John from San Diego is giving up carbs and working out 3x/week: gone AWOL–come back to us, John!
  
• Sharon’s giving up all sugar except fruit
• Merrideth giving up all sugar and exercising 4 times a week, she’s doing great and being nice to herself:)
• Marcie will journal every day and cut down from 4 to 5 diet sodas a day to one per day, Marcie is rocking along and DOING it!
• Tricia from Atlanta will drink a quart of her green juice concoction and exercise 5 to 7 times a week
• Lucero Martinez a restaurant/bar owner will give up all alcohol: fell off the wagon. Gitty up back on, Lucero!
• Jenny giving up all alcohol and working out 5 times a week AND recently added no sugar to her challenge. Way to up the ante, Jenny!
• WATCH this video of the SouperJenny team taking very good care of themselves and appreciating each other!
  

Ashley White-Stern: 40 days of meditation and she’s on day 26 of her challenge, fighting a cold, but staying true to being silent at least once a day. Feel better, Ashley!

M Arsenia Brown (aka: @donutdemon) joins with a commitment to 40 days of her body
Cat Sabonis-Chafee is in and says “I will move my ass” for 21 days of daily, considered exercise. She reminded me of a great tool: TAKE A DAY OFF every week and she added in an abs&stretch class today.
Emily-Sarah is joining with body awareness and daily movement. Welcome, Emily-Sarah.
Nicola Warwick kicks off 40 days of food journaling and diet hacking! TODAY! She’s using a super duper diet spreadsheet.

Are you a quester wanting to tell your story? Do it! E-mail me and put your own video or guest post up!

Related posts:

1. 40 Days of My Body: Day 31, Just Show Up
2. 40 Days of My Body: Day 21, What’s it going to take?
3. 40 Days of My Body: Day 20, Souper Inspired

As many of us wind down our commitments, 40 day or 40 second, we might find ourselves on a slippery slope. Maybe you’ve started to skip days of exercise due to flu or lack of motivation. Maybe you are feeling discouraged by co-workers bringing in leftover Halloween candy. I get it, really I do. If you have 2 days left or 15 days left, know we are with you and supporting you. I put a call out to the questers asking how their challenges went or are going. Tanya Geisler, a quester from Toronto, and Suzie Powanda, from Southern California, wrote to me and agreed to let me share their letters.

Tanya’s letter:

Hiya Mighty D -

Yeah…it’s almost surreal how a month has come and gone. It’s like the moment I joined you in the challenge and “declared” it, it became real easy-like. Beyond the resonant reasons that I attribute my decision to to quit in the first place AND the accountability that I have felt owed to you, I’ve had two boffo bouts of sickies. First was a cold that made me lose my breath then voice (and me without a voice is, well, pretty um, strange) and then, in the last week, THE flu. Sick sucks.

AND what I make of this is quite simple. It was my time. And I feel so bloody blessed that I heeded your call…good Lord…was that from Twitter? Hmmm. I see a blog post. “How Twitter prolonged my life…by connecting me in the right moment to Dyana Valentine and how I got out of my own damned way in the process”. Or something more eloquent or at least more concise.

So yes. I am more resolute than ever. I have had my share of challenges. I bought an emergency pack of nicorettes (just in case) that I have yet to crack into AND found myself bargaining a week ago saying that I was doing so well that I could “reward” myself with a cigarette “if I so chose” on Hallowe’en (and didn’t take myself up on it). And I feel good (H1N1 aside) and proud, but moreover like it was about time. And the entire time, I’ve felt held by you. The woman I’ve not met and yet, I feel I have. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.
It’s a short life. I am grateful that you put out the call….the call I didn’t think I NEEDED to heed. And I did.
XOX
T

Suzie’s letter:

Hi Dy~

I finished the challenge on November 1st. All said and done, the idea of 40 days is just long enough to change a habit (good or bad), easy enough to see the end of the tunnel and not give up. I didn’t realize the impact of the challenge when I started until the first day, I decided to ‘treat’ myself to breakfast via drive thru. It felt heavy in me and on me. As the day progressed, it was a super hectic one as I was taking 2 days off (my birthday celebration to me), I was running errands on a tight schedule, hit the drive thru for a flamed grilled chicken sandwich, and ate while I drove to make the most of multitasking! Fortunately or unfortunately, I had the WORST indigestion I have ever had. And honestly, I knew it was the food!! I had been eating so good and wisely, that my body was not happy with me. I had so much water trying to help flush this through my system.

I did decide to try a new 40 day challenge as a result. I am going to exercise for 40 days – exercise = either the gym or the Wii fit and may happen at any point in the day M – Th with Friday a bonus day that doesn’t count towards the challenge. Not sure of the start date, but will keep you posted!

What call are you heeding? What will you commit to next? Share with us in the comments.

The 40 days of My Body (if you are new to this story, read the intro here) project, is a quest in service to my business, my body and my own path of finishing what I start. I am committed to exercising 6 days/week, keeping a food journal and being more aware of ways I use (and abuse) my body. Going public is extreme, yes, and it’s working! I’m working with a fantastic trainer, Sunny Riggs, to create a program I can sustain over time. She’s amazing. HIRE HER!

I am not alone on my quest. The roll call is at 31 people (including me)! Some are getting organized, others giving up fast food and some are simply breathing! Check out the updates and links below and show your support:

Tanya Geisler–40 days of hatha yoga and radical self-care. Check out her ROCKING tell-all post!
Petra Korn–30 days on her body (supported with love by hubby Nick)
Tia Reddy–yoga and exercise: she found her yoga plan was NOT working and made these adjustments.
Alisa Bonsignore–working out and food consciousness she’s DONE and kicking off another 30 days, this time of writing.
Suzie Powanda–no fast food or beverages. Check out her guest post getting into the nitty gritty of her challenge progress.
Julie Rorrer–training for the Austin marathon in Spring
Emma Alvarez Gibson–some bit of exercise, every day. She says she’s back in action!
Joyce Black–FINISHED her 21 days without caffeine and doing a general detox, congratulate her! She did a guest post, too!
Carabunga is rocking 40 days of hardcore productivity and rocking a blog about it. She has GREAT ideas on staying inspired and gives an update on wrassling her bitchy soul and is rocking her challenge!
Paula Trucks-Pape and her husband: 87 Days of exploring their passions
Monica Kingsbury: 30 days of the Candida diet to deal with her sweet tooth: She’s DONE, no honey or sugar for a MONTH, lost 4 lbs and has great new awarenesses around her body and her cravings. Way to go, Monica!
Jack and LisaMarie Rowell: 30 days of extreme health (alkaline diet)
Diane Sherry Case: 3 weeks of walking–she’s up to 20 minutes 4 days/week! (yoga if it rains)
Cindy Morefield: 21 Days of 30 mins/day of cardio exercise. Check out her guest post/video here.
Paula Estes: 30 Days of playing congas while she works in her studio
Sheila Hart is IN: 21 Days of no sugar!
Amy Ahlers: 40 days limiting processed food. She’s got loads of fish to fry and is going to re-evaluate her commitment in 2010.
SouperJenny Team: 40 Day hits the ATL! So far, Meredith is giving up sweets and Jenny is giving up booze!! 7 folks have joined their group. Gooo, Team Body, Mind, Spirit! Watch their  update videos here.

• John from San Diego is giving up carbs and working out 3x/week: gone AWOL–come back to us, John!
  
• Sharon’s giving up all sugar except fruit
• Merrideth giving up all sugar and exercising 4 times a week, she’s doing great and being nice to herself:)
• Marcie will journal every day and cut down from 4 to 5 diet sodas a day to one per day, Marcie is rocking along and DOING it!
• Tricia from Atlanta will drink a quart of her green juice concoction and exercise 5 to 7 times a week
• Lucero Martinez a restaurant/bar owner will give up all alcohol: fell off the wagon. Gitty up back on, Lucero!
• Jenny giving up all alcohol and working out 5 times a week AND recently added no sugar to her challenge. Way to up the ante, Jenny!
• WATCH this video of the SouperJenny team taking very good care of themselves and appreciating each other!
  

Ashley White-Stern: 40 days of meditation and she’s on day 26 of her challenge, fighting a cold, but staying true to being silent at least once a day. Feel better, Ashley!

M Arsenia Brown (aka: @donutdemon) joins with a commitment to 40 days of her body
Cat Sabonis-Chafee is in and says “I will move my ass” for 21 days of daily, considered exercise. She reminded me of a great tool: TAKE A DAY OFF every week and she added in an abs&stretch class today.
Emily-Sarah is joining with body awareness and daily movement. Welcome, Emily-Sarah.
Nicola Warwick kicks off 40 days of food journaling and diet hacking! TODAY! She’s using a super duper diet spreadsheet.

Are you a quester wanting to tell your story? Do it! E-mail me and put your own video or guest post up!

Photos courtesy of The Library of Congress, Tanya Geisler and Suzie Powanda. All used with permission.

No related posts.

When was the last time you did something, big or small, just for yourself? No one was watching, maybe no one else even knew? Tell me in the comments.

Some of the best gifts I’ve ever received were ones I gave myself–anyone else in this camp? As you plan for the holidays (travel, gifts, events, gatherings, mad rush of end-of-year work), plan some time for just yourself. Page down and look for the updates in bold of my fellow questers and find out what they are doing for themselves.

Here are a few ideas for those of you who can’t give yourself 40 days, but might consider 40 seconds of “to you, from you:”

• Make anagrams from your name.
• Fix something (even if that means disassembling something that works).
• Break a plate.
• Yell out loud in your car.
• Sew yourself something.
• Listen to your favorite song—you know the one I mean, the one that makes your best friend groan or would embarrass you if someone posted it on Facebook (Hungry Like The Wolf, anyone?).
• Go to See’s Candy, a fancy nut&candy shop or a frozen yogurt place and get a sample.
• Go to a park and just sit there. Heck, don’t even go anywhere, just sit there.
• Hang up the phone. Push back from your technology. Stop.
• Flirt with someone: a friend, an elder, a kid, play and be cute and lovey.
• Make a wishlist. Write down everything you wish was just left, anonymously, at your doorstep.
• Just leave the office. Now. No goodbyes or check ins, just leave and breathe.
• Paint your toenails (this is for everyone: butch, femme, man, woman)
• Make goofy faces in a mirror.
• Skip school. (to my SMC students–but turn in your homework first:))
• Order the fancy sheets you’ve always wanted.
• Start a LifeList.

Body update: phase 2 of my flu has landed. I had terrific workouts Monday and Tuesday and took a very short walk yesterday. Am stretching and doing pre/post exercises today. Committing to healing includes: herbs, hot ginger tonic and pillows. Wish me luck.

The 40 days of My Body (if you are new to this story, read the intro here) project, is a quest in service to my business, my body and my own path of finishing what I start. I am committed to exercising 6 days/week, keeping a food journal and being more aware of ways I use (and abuse) my body. Going public is extreme, yes, and it’s working! I’m working with a fantastic trainer, Sunny Riggs, to create a program I can sustain over time. She’s amazing. HIRE HER!

I am not alone on my quest. The roll call is at 31 people (including me)! Some are getting organized, others giving up fast food and some are simply breathing! Check out the updates and links below and show your support:

Tanya Geisler–40 days of hatha yoga and radical self-care. Check out her ROCKING tell-all post!
Petra Korn–30 days on her body (supported with love by hubby Nick)
Tia Reddy–yoga and exercise: she found her yoga plan was NOT working and made these adjustments.
Alisa Bonsignore–working out and food consciousness she’s DONE and kicking off another 30 days, this time of writing.
Suzie Powanda–no fast food or beverages. Check out her guest post getting into the nitty gritty of her challenge progress.
Julie Rorrer–training for the Austin marathon in Spring
Emma Alvarez Gibson–some bit of exercise, every day. She says, “micromovements are proving to be very effective! I’m beginning to look for excuses to get more exercise.”
Joyce Black–FINISHED her 21 days without caffeine and doing a general detox, congratulate her! She did a guest post, too!
Carabunga is rocking 40 days of hardcore productivity and rocking a blog about it. She has GREAT ideas on staying inspired and gives an update on wrassling her bitchy soul and is rocking her challenge!
Paula Trucks-Pape and her husband: 87 Days of exploring their passions
Monica Kingsbury: 30 days of the Candida diet to deal with her sweet tooth: She’s DONE, no honey or sugar for a MONTH, lost 4 lbs and has great new awarenesses around her body and her cravings. Way to go, Monica!
Jack and LisaMarie Rowell: 30 days of extreme health (alkaline diet)
Diane Sherry Case: 3 weeks of walking–she’s up to 20 minutes 4 days/week! (yoga if it rains)
Cindy Morefield: 21 Days of 30 mins/day of cardio exercise. Check out her guest post/video here.
Paula Estes: 30 Days of playing congas while she works in her studio
Sheila Hart is IN: 21 Days of no sugar!
Amy Ahlers: 40 days limiting processed food.)
SouperJenny Team: 40 Day hits the ATL! So far, Meredith is giving up sweets and Jenny is giving up booze!! 7 folks have joined their group. Gooo, Team Body, Mind, Spirit! Watch their  update videos here.

• John from San Diego is giving up carbs and working out 3x/week: gone AWOL–come back to us, John!
  
• Sharon’s giving up all sugar except fruit
• Merrideth giving up all sugar and exercising 4 times a week, she’s doing great and being nice to herself:)
• Marcie will journal every day and cut down from 4 to 5 diet sodas a day to one per day, Marcie is rocking along and DOING it!
• Tricia from Atlanta will drink a quart of her green juice concoction and exercise 5 to 7 times a week
• Lucero Martinez a restaurant/bar owner will give up all alcohol: fell off the wagon. Gitty up back on, Lucero!
• Jenny giving up all alcohol and working out 5 times a week AND recently added no sugar to her challenge. Way to up the ante, Jenny!
• WATCH this video of the SouperJenny team taking very good care of themselves and appreciating each other!
  

Ashley White-Stern: 40 days of meditation and she’s on day 26 of her challenge, fighting a cold, but staying true to being silent at least once a day. Feel better, Ashley!

M Arsenia Brown (aka: @donutdemon) joins with a commitment to 40 days of her body
Cat Sabonis-Chafee is in and says “I will move my ass” for 21 days of daily, considered exercise. She reminded me of a great tool: TAKE A DAY OFF every week and she added in an abs&stretch class today.
Emily-Sarah is joining with body awareness and daily movement. Welcome, Emily-Sarah.
Nicola Warwick kicks off 40 days of food journaling and diet hacking! TODAY! She’s using a super duper diet spreadsheet.

Are you a quester wanting to tell your story? Do it! E-mail me and put your own video or guest post up!

Related posts:

1. 40 Days of My Body: Day 31, Just Show Up
2. Flu Reason: (34/40)
3. 40 Days of Our Bodies: Day 30, Leap of Faith