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This challenge I'm going to take my hippy/druidy stuff to a new level. I will be kind and forgiving towards myself, and take care of myself to the best of my ability. Eating rules for this challenge: The 'eat, stand still, shift' I learned in this course. Basically it means: 1) See that you're about to eat things you don't need/binge. Project the things your body is promising you for eating on an imaginary screen. (pleasure, escaping boredom, etc.) 2) Stand still for a moment to see what is happening. Be in the moment, be mindful. Look at that imaginary screen from a distance. 3) Shift your attention to the bigger picture/something else. Kick, punch, push that imaginary screen away, and shift your focus on something else. And for the fitness part of this challenge: Dancing off course. Had you really thought something else? I'm addicted, and I'm fully committed to feed this addiction with as much dance as my body allows me to do. Off course I 'll keep listening to my body. I will push myself, but never go to far. My life goal this challenge is very simple: use the pomodoro technique when appropriate, use todo lists when I start feeling overwhelmed and just get stuff done.

"Solvitur ambulando." -- St. Augustine I'm going to keep this one mostly non-specific and open, rather than making a list of required tasks to check off. With the changing of the seasons, I felt it necessary to choose a challenge that inspires me to get outside and into nature. In addition to starting a new tour of Soulcon and continuing my Spartan-motivated training (see past challenge here), I have a few goals, the first of which are taken from the book The Wander Society. If you're not familiar with it, author Keri Smith "discovered" a secret society known as The Wander Society, an elite group of thinkers that has existed for more than a century and whose members include such wandering souls as Walt Whitman (considered the patron saint of TWS), Gertrude Stein, John Muir, William Wordsworth, Baudelaire, Thoreau, Aristotle, Langston Hughes, Thich Nhat Hanh, and many others. So as you can see, the movement is very much inspired by mindfulness and meditation, "wandering" but not mindlessly, rather in search of an adventure. It is also about disconnecting, putting down our devices for a while and allowing our bodies, minds, and souls to "wander," to experience the world directly. So here are the goals, or what TWS calls the Precepts: 1. Wander every day (at least 10,000 steps) 2. Do not plan your wanderings. Start in any direction. The location is not important. 3. Use whatever you have. (You have everything you need.) Use your senses. 4. Collect and gather. Document experiences and findings. 5. Remain open. Breathe deeply. Ask the question, ‘What can I discover?’ 6. Allow ideas to come in. Write them down. 7. Question everything you have been told. 8. Use your imagination in your wanderings. 9. Use your intuition. Follow your hunches. Go toward what you are drawn to. 10. Encourage your own wild nature. What makes you feel truly alive? In addition, I have a few specific goals that I need to add to my usual (again, see past challenges) habits: Read for at least 20 minutes every day--this means sitting down for at least 20 minutes and reading without interruption and without distraction. Write for at least 20 minutes every day--same specs as above.

Hello there, Druids! I am very excited to be joining my first challenge with your Guild. My name is Equinoxe, I love cooking and funky sunglasses. Pleased to meet you! For my challenge, I wanted to focus on deepening my mindfulness/meditation practice. I thought I might find some wonderful like-minded company here. I'm a big fan of nerdy themed-challenges. Wouldn't want to leave home without one! I'm ambitious, so I'm kicking off what will (hopefully!) be the first of many meditation-centered challenges. The mindful and spirited nature of Airbending came to mind. So without further ado - Equinoxe's Airbender Challenge Mindful Study: Reading and Practice My goal is an hour a day of solid mindfulness practice: 30 minutes of reading/study, 15 minutes of meditation in the morning, 15 minutes at night. It's a more rigorous schedule than I've ever tried, but work's never been more rigorous than it is right now. I get the feeling that some discipline here will help a lot! Mindful Moving: Hit the gym 4x per week Pretty self-explanatory. I did 3x in the last challenge, and felt great! My biggest challenge will be making sure I hit all four. I hate routines, and so it's difficult when to predict I'll be able to make it in for a workout. If it comes to two-a-days on a Saturday, so be it! Mindful Eating: No Distractions! I have a habit of eating while working, eating while surfing the web, eating while nervous... My goal is to eat 3 meals a day (with no distractions) and to be more mindful of my urges when I want a snack. This means no eating while I'm working at the office! I'll take a break and have a snack. No snacking while walking from meeting to meeting! Just no. Same with snacking while stressed! Nope. I will sit in a meeting and munch a salad or sip my soylent (yes, I know) like a GROWN LADY. But no more downing chocolate on-the-go because I need an energy kick. Life Goal: Build the Sanctuary This is a hold-over from the last challenge, but I really want to see it through. I have a spare bedroom that's been holding unused furniture ever since I moved into my apartment. My goal is to sell all the furniture, fix up the room, and turn it into a dedicated meditation and movement space. Excited to get this challenge underway! I'll be spending Week 0 doing minor tests, to see what pitfalls I might run into with the challenge. There's no way I'll be an Airbending Master in 4 weeks, but it's a good place to start! Here we go!