FEATHERED PATHS CHALLENGE

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Mind feathers

1. Imagine a mood board in your mind - Think of warm memories, great people in your life and lovely places. Now imagine putting them all on your mind's mood board.

2. Try meditation or if you already meditate, add more of it to your life.

3. Spend today listing in your mind every single positive you see around you, write them down if you want to.

4. Be your own best friend today. Focus on how you talk to yourself and treat yourself like an amazing friend would treat you. 

5. Make an effort to smile at absolutely everyone you see today.

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Change feathers

1. Take a trip (or at least book one) to somewhere different. This can be anything from walking your dog in a different park to the holiday you have always dreamed of. Don't just plan it, do it.

2. Review your morning routine - Are you usually rushing? Does it make you feel good? If not, what do you need to change? Maybe add in some exercise or a healthier breakfast or lay your clothes out the night before. If your morning routine isn't bringing joy to the start of your day - change it.

3. Whatever you have been wanting to do but can't find the time for or you don't think you will be good at - Today's challenge is to 'Do it badly'. Don't panic, you will put a security net in place first. Maybe you want to write a book? Okay, so write the first draft paragraph of the book. You know you will do it badly - that's the point. Your security net is that no one will see it but you.

4. Mix up your usual habits today - change just one thing. Maybe leave a tad earlier and take a different route to work, have something different for dinner or go for a walk instead of watching the news. Just change one thing in your routine today and see how it makes you feel.

5. Create a vision board - whatever your heart most desires, however difficult it may seem to be able to achieve - put it on your vision board and keep it somewhere you will see it every day. 

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Activity feathers

1. Write down three things you want more of in your life. Make these your new focus.

2. Learn about something you're interested in. Not for work or because it's useful. Learn it because it's so interesting to you, you just want to know more about it. Google it, read about it or listen to podcasts on it.

3. Watch a TED Talk about something you really want to know more about or try one of these as a start - Life Changing Ted Talks

4. Have a laugh - Watch funny cat videos, book a show to see your favourite comedian, hang out with that friend that has you in stitches. Whatever makes you chuckle, seek it out today and bring more laughter into your life.

5. Watch a sunrise, have breakfast outside or take a morning walk.

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Food feathers

1. Prep some healthy meals and snacks in advance. Put them where you will see them!

2. Find a different place to eat a meal this week. Normally eat your sandwich at your desk? Or have dinner in front of the TV? Then picnic in the park, book lunch with a friend, try a new cafe or visit a different pub at the weekend.

3. Cook a meal for someone you care about and love to spend time with or someone you haven't seen for a while. Sharing a meal is always an opportunity to create new memories.

4. Add a healthy food to your shopping list that you really truly love to eat. If you don't like it, there's no point in buying it for it to rot in the fridge. If you absolutely love munching on cashews, buy a bag. If you could happily eat tinned pineapple every day, then by all means eat the whole tin. Make yourself some avocado on toast instead of your normal cereal. This is your treat for this week, you deserve it. So enjoy the goodness you will feel when you eat it.

5. Cook or bake something you've never made before. Don't expect it to be perfect, just do it for the fun of it. 

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Community feathers

1. Show someone a kindness. It only has to be a small thing and doesn't have to cost a penny but find a way to show someone kindness today.

2. Who in your life do you really admire? Call them or even better, see them today. Tell them you admire them and why.

3. Think of three things others have done for you that you are grateful for. Contact these people today and tell them. Thank them and be clear about why their actions helped you.

4. Be present - spend time with a person you care about today and really be present. Listen to them, appreciate them and really 'be with them in the moment'.

5. Do some volunteering - even if it’s just for an afternoon.

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Relationship feathers

1. If you think they would get along, then introduce two of your friends who haven't met each other, spread the friendship, spread the love. 

2. Start a chat group on Whatsapp, Facebook messenger or whatever you use to keep in touch. Make it a group for all your friends or for your neighbours on your street or your family, bring people together and keep in touch.

3. Make time to listen to the people you are closest to. Set time aside for them and just listen. Learn more about them, try to imagine what life is like in their shoes. Let them know how much you care.

4. Plan something with someone you care about. Dinner, a drink, a holiday, an exercise class. Anything you think they would enjoy. 

5. Ask someone you are close to for their opinion and ideas on something. A work project, a hobby, a challenge you are up against or a decision you need to make. If it's a project they seem keen to be involved with, then find a way to involve them.  

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Organisation feathers

1. Replace any apps on your phone that don't bring you joy. I'm looking at you, news apps! Replace them with positivity - try the 'Good News Network App' as a start.

2. Tonight, lay your outfit out ready for tomorrow. Prep as much as you can before you go to bed, ready for the day ahead.

3. Deal with the clutter - in just one area. Wardrobe overflowing? What about that drawer filled with wires that don't seem to connect to anything in your house? Declutter something today.

4. Organise your inbox, delete apps you don’t use, tidy your work files

5. Look at your bank statements. Which 5 things that aren't absolutely necessary do you often spend money on? Fancy coffees on the way to work, that subscription you forgot to cancel or the extras you pay for but don’t really use? Decide if you need to spend this much on it or anything at all. If you can use this money better elsewhere, change it. 

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Movement feathers 

1. Try power posing today - seriously it works! 

2. Make time today to stretch.

3. Have a 'walking meet'. Host a work meeting on the move, walk round your house while you're on your mobile, chat to a colleague whilst having a wander in your lunch break or meet a friend for a stroll at the beach. Move while you meet.

4. Make a playlist that makes you feel good and listen to it in the morning. Dance while you make breakfast, groove on your commute or even just sing in the shower. Add music and movement to your mornings.

5. Get some fresh air today. Don't have the time for a walk? Then at least crack open a window and breathe in the outside for a few moments.

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Well-being feathers

1. Add time to your diary every week for well-being. Even if it's just 30 minutes a week to do something you enjoy and that makes you feel good.

2. Do something that you absolutely loved as a child. I'm talking ice cream milkshakes, giant gobstoppers, buy a pogo stick if that's what gets you moving or run through the park like you're late home for tea.

3. Pick a place you like and have no responsibilities to anyone else whilst you're there. This could be that a coffee shop or your local library, if you love to read? Or that exercise class you just can't get enough of? Even a nearby park to just watch the world go by. Plan time to go to this place regularly and stick to it.

4. Plan an evening for relaxation - a long bath, a good book, maybe even meditation before bed and an early night. Put it in your diary and even on the family calendar to remind you and anyone else that needs to know that it's your relaxing evening tonight. Whatever you need to do to carve out relaxing time for yourself - do it.

5. Wear an outfit you love. You don't even have to have a reason. Wear your favourite work outfit to that meeting today, put on a nice frock for dinner. Do your hair or make up the way you most like it. Take time on it and make a point to really feel your best today.

 

Picked your thirty feathers? Right then - get cracking. A world of wonder awaits you!

 

Got any feathers you would like to add for someone else's path? Or if you enjoyed completing the challenge, it would also be great to hear about it. Feel free to share the challenge or recommend more feathers on Instagram or send them to Feathered Paths.

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