Reflection and reassessment seem to go hand in hand with life changes, for example, becoming a parent or getting laid off. We look at what we've lost, rather than what we have. And we may realize that we had an amazing journey and forgot to take time to enjoy it.
It's often easy to get so caught up in the "busy-ness" of life. We're so focused on chasing and wishing that we neglect to pause and take stock.
November is the perfect time to do just that: take another look at our ordinary -- our everyday -- and value it. It's perfect not because of Thanksgiving, but because it's close to the end of the year. It's often the busiest month for many. So it's the perfect time while racing the clock to appreciate what we have. To take the Have Not Want Challenge.
This November take the Have not Want Challenge with me. Work through all focus areas of the challenge or pick and choose the areas that best suit your needs.
- Focus on Appreciation
- Focus on Spending
- Focus on Attitude and Gratitude
When you sign up, each Monday during the challenge, beginning November 2nd, you'll receive a newsletter with tips and worksheets for seeing your ordinary with fresh eyes and realizing how truly extraordinary it is. We'll be tackling the following topics:
- Week 1: Learning to Appreciate What We Have
- Week 2: Recognizing How You Spend
- Week 3: Adopting an Abundance Mindset
- Week 4: Practicing Gratitude
As always, I'm super excited about the Have Not Want challenge and hope you'll be participating too! You don't need to sign up for the challenge to participate in the Have Not Want Instagram Challenge.
Focus on Appreciation: recognize what you have and what you truly need to be happy.
Can you believe this is the third year for the Have Not Want Instagram Challenge? (While the Have Not Want Challenge itself kicked off in 2012, the focus on appreciating what you have and what and who surrounds you wasn't added until 2013.)
The Have not Want Instagram Challenge was created with prompts to encourage a deeper look into our lives, to discover what makes us happy, and to appreciate our haves.
Like last year, this year's prompts once again explore six aspects of our every day life: our surroundings, ordinary objects, undervalued gifts, rituals, connections, and paths not typically taken.
You decide whether you want to create a literal or abstract representation of the prompt. You can follow the prompts for the entire month or just the prompt(s) that resonate with you--there's no right or wrong way to participate.
Each week, I'll be picking and sharing four of my favorite photos. Be sure your photos are tagged #havenotwant and shared on Instagram.
Win 1 of 2 Instagram Photo Books from Artifact Uprising
Anyone who signs up for the challenge emails will have a chance to win a gift card for turning their Instagram photos into a photo book. This year you can win 1 of 2 $20 gift cards from Artifact Uprising, enough for a 5.5 inch by 5.5 inch 40 page Instagram Friendly, Premium Quality Softcover photo book.
Additionally all photos tagged #havenotwant and shared on Instagram (private accounts cannot be considered as submissions are not viewable) between 12:00AM November 1st 2015 and 11:59PM November 30th 2015 will also be entered into a random drawing. Winners will be chosen using random.org. Odds of winning depend on how many people share photos with the #havenotwant hashtag and sign up for the weekly challenge emails. If two photos from the same person are chosen, I'll draw another random number to find a second winner. Winners must be residents of the U.S. Winners will be contacted via the winning Instagram photos as well as listed here. If winners do not contact me within 48 hours, the prize will be forfeit.
Focus on Spending: be conscious of how you're spending your money.
I spend money when I get stressed, when I feel overwhelmed. Big project with lots of moving parts and challenging deadlines? That can easily turn into a brand new set of containers for organizing my office.
When it comes to spending, most of us have triggers--if we didn't retailers wouldn't line the path to the register with items you almost never need. It's called impulse purchasing for a reason.
So rather than beat ourselves up for an occasional splurge, let's look at and get to know our triggers and see if there are other activities we can substitute in place of shopping. Or if shopping is truly our release valve, then's let's plan for that and set aside money for that treat.
Unlike previous years, where we publicly shared our spending habits and struggles, we'll be supporting each other in a private Facebook group. Once you subscribe to the challenge, you'll receive an invitation to join.
Credits: All layouts designed by and images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.
