The 5-Week Emotional Fitness Challenge!
I’m so excited to lead you through 5 weeks, 5 skills, and 5 simple yet powerful practices to fuel your energy, feel less tired and stressed, and uncover hidden joy in your life!
Time to embrace YOUR Awesome Human–let’s go!
Week 5: The Skill of the Bigger Why
Practice of the week: To-Do List Makeover
Pick a few tasks from your to-do list, especially the ones you don’t feel motivated to do, and look at them through the Lens of the Bigger Why.
Ask yourself:
- When I complete this task, who does it help?
- How does getting it done contribute to someone else in a positive way?
- How does doing this help me reach a meaningful goal?
Your challenge for week 5
1. PRACTICE! Do the practice at least a few times this week
2. Answer these questions (on your own or with others!):
- How does seeing some of your least favorite tasks on your to-do list through the Lens of the Bigger Why help you reframe them as ways you get to contribute or help others? (ideas on pg. 250 in AHP)
- How can the Bigger Why help you increase motivation and energy while reducing stress and dread? (pg. 246 in AHP)
Extra credit:
- Read Chapter 13 in THE AWESOME HUMAN PROJECT (AHP)
- Share how you did with this week’s practice in our Facebook group or by tagging @natalykogan on Instagram – for a chance to win an awesome Awesome Human prize!
Week 4: The Skill of Intentional Kindness
Practice of the week: Blast Your Stress With Kindness
When you feel stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious: Pause, acknowledge your feelings, and come up with a few acts of kindness you can do.
- This can be as simple as texting a friend or walking over to a colleague to check in.
- You can also combine your Gratitude and Intentional Kindness practices by sending an email, text, or note to someone you appreciate and telling them why.
- Do a few acts of kindness close together to help your brain shift out of the stress spiral and feel the most positive effect.
Your challenge for week 4
1. PRACTICE! Do the practice at least a few times this week
2. Answer these questions (on your own or with others!):
- What are some small acts of kindness that can be easy “go-tos for you? (ideas on pg. 228 in AHP)
- How can Intentional Kindness help you reduce stress? (pg. 229 in AHP)
Extra credit:
- Read Chapter 12 in THE AWESOME HUMAN PROJECT (AHP)
- Share how you did with this week’s practice in our Facebook group or by tagging @natalykogan on Instagram – for a chance to win an awesome Awesome Human prize!
Week 3: The Skill of Self-Care
Practice of the week: Mini Fuel-Up
Schedule a 10-minute energy fuel-up at least 1x a day
- Check in with yourself to see how you’re feeling
- Ask yourself: What is one thing I can do to refuel my energy right now?
- Do that thing!
- Make sure to Get up, move, and STEP AWAY FROM ALL SCREENS!
Your challenge for week 3
1. PRACTICE! Do the practice at least a few times this week
2. Answer these questions (on your own or with others!):
- What are some things that fuel your energy – and how could you do them a little bit more?
- What are some things that drain your energy – and how could you do them a little bit less? (pg. 197 in AHP)
- If you feel guilty about taking time for yourself, ask yourself: Who are the people in your life who benefit when you are at your best and what would they tell you about feeling guilt around self-care?
Extra credit:
- Read Chapter 11 in THE AWESOME HUMAN PROJECT (AHP)
- Share how you did with this week’s practice in our Facebook group or by tagging @natalykogan on Instagram – for a chance to win an awesome Awesome Human prize!
Week 2: The Skill of Gratitude
Practice of the week: Morning Gratitude Lens
Take a moment in the morning — before reading your first email, social media post, or news article — to think of 3 specific things you’re grateful for, and capture them in some way (e.g. in your journal, on a Post-It Note, etc.)
Your challenge for week 2
1. PRACTICE! Do the practice at least a few times this week
2. Answer these questions (on your own or with others!):
- What little joys you’re noticing in your daily life by practicing Gratitude?
- What are some of the top tips to get the most out of practicing Gratitude? (pg. 166 in AHP)
- How can Gratitude help you reduce stress and overwhelm? (pg. 170 in AHP)
Extra credit:
- Read Chapter 10 in THE AWESOME HUMAN PROJECT (AHP)
- Share how you did with this week’s practice in our Facebook group or by tagging @natalykogan on Instagram – for a chance to win an awesome Awesome Human prize!
Week 1: The Skill of Acceptance
Practice of the week: Lens of Acceptance
Step 1: Acknowledge a difficult situation and your feelings about it with clarity instead of getting caught up in the story your brain is telling you
– Ask: What are the facts right now?
Step 2: Identify one specific step you could take to move forward
– Ask: What is one thing I could do right now to help myself struggle less and move forward in the best way?
Your challenge for week 1
1. PRACTICE! Do the practice at least a few times this week
2. Answer these questions (on your own or with others!):
- How could you practice the Lens of Acceptance to feel less overwhelmed?
- What is one of your “shoulds” that has you stuck in the Valley of Struggle (e.g. something is not how it should be, you’re not how you should be, etc.)?
- How can you use the 2 steps in the Lens of Acceptance to shift this from “should” to “could”? (pg. 138 in AHP)
- How will your tomorrow be different if you get out of the Valley of Struggle today?
Extra credit:
- Read Chapter 9 in THE AWESOME HUMAN PROJECT (AHP)
- Share how you did with this week’s practice in our Facebook group or by tagging @natalykogan on Instagram – for a chance to win an awesome Awesome Human prize!
Get your book!
Make sure you have a copy of THE AWESOME HUMAN PROJECT to get the most out of this challenge.
This book is an accessible, super-practical, and unboring guide to help you struggle less, break free from daily burnout and live, work, and lead with more energy, joy, and meaning.
It’s a book you DO, not just read.
And with this challenge, I’ll help you DO it!
The ORIGINAL Awesome Human Hoodie!
SO many Awesome Humans have been asking me to make the Awesome Human Hoodie available for purchase – and here it is!
It’s soft, it’s bright, it features my original drawing of the Awesome Human logo — and it’s your daily reminder to embrace your Awesome Human!
Grab yours for the 5-week challenge (and beyond!)
Here’s an awesome handout of the skills!
