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If you have been following me for a few challenges, you may remember a few references to an upcoming Top Secret Mission (TSM). Well, it is getting down to the wire, and I need to have preparations more than 90% completed by the end of this challenge. The most logical thing for me to do is focus this challenge around preparing for the TSM! Here is the catch: the TSM is a surprise for hubby’s birthday – he is hitting one of the big round numbers this year. Even though he has not yet shown the inclination to come on Nerd Fitness (no matter how much I have encouraged him), I can’t post details in case he does. It is, after all, a Top Secret Mission. Not to worry, however, all will be revealed by the 7th of November on this thread, so you just need to endure a bit of suspense, and a bit of torturous clue-dropping. Here is the training and preparation plan devised: Goal 1: Agents Must Be Ready for Any Physical Challenge- Build greater fitness with well-rounded physical training. Parts of the TSM will be physically demanding, and I must be in the best shape I have been in for years to have the greatest success with the mission. I am going to devote a minimum of 20 minutes (30 minutes preferred), 6 days a week, to physical workouts. These will be at least 2 days of a bodyweight workout (a REAL BWW, not a mishmash of occasional sets throughout the day), 2 days of an aerobic workout, and 2 days of a long (at least 20 minutes) yoga routine. I will grade myself on frequency and duration of the workouts, keeping the appropriate types, and pushing myself. I have complete freedom to change the exact BWW, yoga routines, and kind of aerobic exercise. I am also free to change the days of the week on which I do different workouts, though I am going to try to stick with this routine: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Rest BWW Aerobic Yoga BWW Aerobic Yoga Since one of my problems in past challenges has been muscle fatigue after pushing myself on bodyweight workouts, I think this will help me have enough time in between to fully recover, while not having so many recovery days or needing to do such light workouts that I make little improvement. Possible Points: +2 STR, +2 STA, +2 DEX Goal 2: Agents Must Be Mentally Strong – Improve mental outlook and calm The demands of preparing for the TSM while still meeting the responsibilities of family, work, husband and friends, while ALSO keeping it all secret can be emotionally and mentally draining. I will continue the work I have been doing in positivity and meditation, with slight changes. -Ask myself 3 positive-focus questions at least once a day (2 or 3 times is better). I do not need to write or post them, just think about them. (I will still try to post some whenever I do make an update J ) -Spend at least 3 minutes in meditation daily. May be all at once, or broken into shorter chunks. Bonus: Complete the 7-day Positivity Challenge before the challenge ends. This means that for 7 consecutive days, I will have been successful at not engaging any negative thoughts. When a negative thought comes up, if I redirect my focus or attitude within 1 minute, that is still considered positive. (See the 16:30 minute mark in the video below) Possible Points: +1 CON, +2 CHA Goal 3: Defeat Enemies That Could Destroy the Mission- Weaken the evil Procrastinista & her Fear Machine There is SO much that has to happen for the TSM to be successful, and so many other things that have to happen before the Mission occurs, that procrastination could cause major failure. It is not quite ALL the things that need to happen, but it is a lot. For this goal, I am undertaking the “Conquering Fear†challenge. I can not remember where I first saw it (I thought it was in an NF email…), and both a search of my inbox and the internet did not locate it again. Essentially, the idea is to do something that scares you or that you have been putting off every day for 30 days. I am altering it a little to make room for a bad day here and there, and to make it last 6 weeks. My version: On at least 6 days each week during the challenge, I will do either something that I have been putting off, or something that I am afraid of. Some of these things may repeat (for instance, I can call a friend I have not contacted for a long time on 3 separate days and count it three times), but I may not count the same thing for consecutive days. The things may be long or short. It is the habit that is important. Possible Points: +1 CON, +1 CHA, +1 STA Life Goal: Complete Top Secret Mission Plans One cannot embark on a mission without plans – at least, not if one expects the mission to be successful. This goal will track the TSM plan progress on a progress bar in my sig file, with the goal being 90% completion or higher by the end of the challenge. I am in the process of making up a comprehensive list of everything left to do. As I check things off, I will update the progress bar and – if possible – give you a euphemistic (story-line) update on what I accomplished. Possible Points: +3 WIS Now, to launch this challenge: