You guys, I’m going to be honest with you for a second. After years of blogging (mostly) diligently nearly every week, I’ve started to come to the conclusion that I’m getting a little tired of this here blog. And Ultimately, I’m a little bored of my usual blogging routine. And if I’m bored, you have to be pretty darn bored too. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love having a creative outlet – but I feel like I’ve been stuck in a rut in life + blogging, and I need something to get me out of my funk. I’ve found myself not wanting to shop for clothes, feeling a little humdrum when it comes to taking care of myself (be it making healthy food, working out, self-care, really doing anything that would make me look like I’m not totally neglecting myself for months on end…), and overall getting my act together.

I get stuck in this cycle of waking up, going to work, grabbing my daily latte, working ’till 7 or 8, going home, eating dinner (something microwaved, obviously…), drinking wine, watching Netflix and repeating it again and again and again. Literally, that’s my day Monday-Friday without change week after week. It makes me even more sad writing it down…clearly, I need a kick in the pants.

SO. I’m going to do it. 2019 is the year of getting my booty in gear, without the excuse of a crazy work schedule or whatever I typically use as my excuse to keep myself going through the usual repetitive cycle of doom. This year I’m mixing up my life + blogging routine and challenging myself with little to bigger things every week or month to get myself out of my usual rut – and get myself feeling happier and healthier in the process.

Think of it as my list of 30 things before 30, except not…because I turn 30 in a few weeks and I definitely don’t have time to do 30 things before then 😉 Okay – intrigued? Confused? Wondering why you’re still reading this crazy post? All great questions and feelings to have. Let’s dive in.

I’m challenging myself to do little challenges throughout the year – and I’m planning to share my crazy journey (and honest thoughts) on this here blog. 

Don’t worry – I’m not changing my blog altogether (that seems like a whole lot of work TBH),  but adding my little challenges into the mix of the usual fashion, coffee chats, career advice hodgepodge Charmingly Styled has become. Some of the challenges will have to do with fashion, some with finances, others with health/fitness and others that are just crazy things I want to give a go! I’m starting a list, and below are some of the little challenges I’m planning to kick off in the coming weeks.

• Giving up sugar for a week (maybe more if I can get off the sauce)
• Going Pescatarian for a month
• Going an entire week with meal-prepped food
• Going a week without spending more than $10 per day
• Giving up clothing and beauty shopping for a month
• Working out every day for 2 weeks
• Giving up TV for a week
• Giving up alcohol for 2 weeks (let’s be real…a month is too hard)
• Giving up coffee for a month
• Reading 1 book a month (I’m averaging about 3/year, so don’t hate on my new sad goals ;))
• Volunteering every week for a month
• …and really, anything else that seems like a worthy challenge to share with you all!

While I wish that all the above will be easy on me, I have a feeling a few will be harder than anything else I’ve attempted to give up before (i.e. I’m pretty sure I’m 90% sugar at any given time). But that’s the challenging part of a challenge, right?!

And if you want to join the party, I’d obviously love to help you. OR if you’d just like to watch me suffer, feel free to send me a recommendation of what you’d like my next challenge to be – hopefully I’ll make it to a point where I’ll actually need to crowd source ideas.

Okay – SO for my first challenge, I’m giving up sugar and I’m honestly pretty terrified. Looking forward to letting you know how it goes,  if I crack, and what I learn in the process. Look forward to an update (and mayyyybeeee a breakdown) next week 😉 xx