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How challenges can help you become a healthier person

There are two ways to view the idea of a challenge.
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There are two ways to view the idea of a challenge.

One way to look at challenge is in the external challenges of life, whether it be the unknown difficulties that come your way, a tough decision to make, a force of nature to conquer, or a difficult encounter to overcome … all challenges. We face them every day.

The other way to view challenge is when we embark upon our own internal challenges — a 30-day yoga challenge, a gratitude challenge, no sugar for 30 days challenge, etc., etc. Some means of self-betterment challenge.

A decade ago, I was challenged to do things I had never done before. I was challenged to practise yoga. I was challenged to avoid sugar and alcohol. Health challenges, I suppose.

I was also challenged to do something creative with myself. All in the midst of needing a change in my life. Feeling stuck. Feeling trapped and ready to try anything I gave it all a shot.

There’s always room for improvement, no?

The beautiful thing I learned about embarking upon these inner challenges is that as much as these seemed like “hard challenges” in the beginning, it was amazing how much easier they made my life in the end.

At first, it seems hard to fit in the very things that will inevitably make your life run so much smoother. When you are able to conquer the inner challenges of eating healthier and taking better care of yourself, you begin to conquer the external challenges that life throws at you with more ease.

What have been your challenges in life? Money, relationships, career, health, hardships, abuse?

These challenges can lead to a lot of stress — and what better way to deal with stress than to incorporate additional nutrients in your body, respond with a positive outlook, sweat it out at the gym, or attend a yoga class?

Challenges help teach you something about yourself. Challenges are meant to teach you something about yourself. I believe that the external challenges are meant to push you towards those internal challenges. They are meant to be your driving force to do something different.

But you still have to step up and choose. Excuse the cliché, but you still have to rise to the challenge.

The good news is you might just discover that you’re a little stronger than you thought, a little happier than you thought, a little more capable than you thought, and then your confidence might just build enough that you might just discover that you are truly capable of anything.

I challenge you to try a challenge yourself. Whether it be a yoga challenge, a no-sugar challenge or just challenging yourself to do something creative. You never know what you might create.

Check out www.somethingtochewon.ca for a challenge you don’t want to miss.

“I challenge you to make your life the masterpiece you want to paint, the novel you want to read, the day you want to wake to.”

— Toni Sorenson

Kristin Fraser, BSc, is a holistic nutritionist and local freelance writer. Her column appears every second Thursday. She can be reached at kristin@somethingtochewon.ca.