The "Elevate Your Day" Weekly Challenge!

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.”

- Annie Dillard, “The Writing Life”

When I was a young mom, I received some parenting advice that I found very helpful. Instead of overwhelming your little ones with too many choices, offer them just a couple of options to pick from. For example, instead of asking, “What do you want to wear to school today?”, say, “Do you want to wear this striped shirt or that green one?” 

It turns out that choice overload can still overwhelm us as adults, leading to decision paralysis, avoidance, anxiety, and regret. If you recognize you're stuck in unhealthy patterns leading to exhaustion, joylessness, anxiety, or anger, trying to figure out how to “change your life” can seem intimidating and confusing. You might ask yourself, “Do I start with my health? My job? My relationships? My time mismanagement? My clutter?” When so much needs to be “fixed,” it’s tempting to retreat and stick with what’s familiar, even if that familiarity keeps you feeling hopeless and stagnant.

A very effective workaround I’ve discovered is to stop focusing on the intimidating “bigger picture” and start recognizing the transformative potential of making intentional small adjustments to your thoughts and actions in the present moment. Instead of asking, “How do I change my entire life?” focus on little ways to simply “Elevate the Day” in front of you. 

What I love about this perspective shift is that elevating your day feels much more doable than transforming your whole life, and yet our lives are the sum of our sacred days and present moments. We also know that one small healthy decision can trigger a chain reaction of healthy choices, so you can really start just about anywhere—drink a glass of water, make your bed, pack a healthy lunch, carve out time for morning prayers, clean out your car… there are endless ways to "Elevate your Day" and generate energizing new beginnings and little victories.

I personally love a daily prompt to keep things fun and interesting and to guard against "choice overload." I feel like it protects me from the unrealistic expectations and all-or-nothingness that have snuffed out way too many of my sparks of determination to heal and grow. As a gift to all of us, I’ve created a Filled With Less Elevate Your Day Weekly Challenge! This curated week's worth of edifying daily themes can gently kickstart renewal, not “someday” but right here and now!

Before you begin, I’d like to make one important suggestion. When you first open your eyes in the morning, rather than reaching for your phone, make the sign of the cross and say, “This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!” This will serve as your signal to intentionally engage with the day ahead instead of fixating on tomorrow. Today is the day Christ is inviting you to experience His comfort, compassion, strength, discernment, joy, love, and patience through every person and circumstance you will encounter. We must choose to be attentive and responsive.

Let’s get started!

Day One: Curb Your Complaining

Complaining rewires the brain for negativity, making us focus on the “bad” in things and people, and blinding us to opportunities for creativity, problem-solving, and developing a growth mindset. Today’s challenge is to catch yourself before you complain and either stay quiet or say something positive instead! Don't worry if you can't do this perfectly! Even lasting until lunchtime or reducing your complaining by 25% can significantly benefit your mind and soul! 

Day Two: Listen Attentively

How often do you catch yourself only half paying attention when someone is talking to you? Whether it's your child, your spouse, your co-worker, or your friend, it's easy to let your noisy thoughts and opinions distract you from giving the person in front of you your full and undivided attention. Today’s challenge is to bless others and nurture your relationships through attentive listening. Prioritizing edifying connections will add joy and fulfillment not just to your day but to everyone you interact with!

Day Three: Fast from Catastrophizing

Instead of letting all your disturbing “what ifs” about the future sabotage your peace and productivity, today’s challenge is to avoid assuming the worst by refraining from catastrophizing and leaving room for God to act and carry out His perfect will for you and your loved ones. Imagine how fruitful you could be if you quieted your anxieties and truly trusted Christ to work out everything for good! Repeating the Jesus Prayer and calming scripture verses can help to swat away anxious thoughts before they can land and take root. Turning to gratitude and avoiding negative content will help as well!

Day Four: Create Beauty and Order

One of the quickest ways to refresh a tired perspective and turn your mood around is to create a little order and beauty!  Today’s challenge is to set a timer for 15 minutes and clear the clutter from a drawer, your desk, a cabinet, a closet, or even your work bag or purse! Extra points if you beautify your living or work space with cut flowers, a pretty picture, or anything that makes you smile!

Day Five: Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Glimmers

Seeing glimmers takes some practice, but once you get the hang of it, you'll start noticing them everywhere! Today’s challenge is to keep your eyes peeled for the quiet glimmers we often miss out on by being stressed and distracted. Start with the most obvious: “Thank you, God, for a new day, the breath in my lungs, the roof over my head, this cup of coffee, the food in my refrigerator….” Then just keep going, living from gratitude to gratitude! “Thank you for the miracle of these gorgeous flowers in my yard, for the friends and family who love me, for this traffic that is teaching me patience, for this warm interaction with my neighbor…” 

I feel energized just typing this!

Day Six: Stay on Task

How many pockets of time each day do you waste on avoidance and phone scrolling?  A task that should take fifteen minutes—like doing the dishes—often stretches into 30 minutes or maybe doesn’t get done at all! Today’s challenge is to strengthen your productivity muscles by putting your phone out of reach and completing the task at hand. This is one of my favorite challenges because I’m always so pleasantly surprised by how much I can accomplish, not by working harder, but simply by staying focused! It is a great exercise for my mind and definitely uplifts my spirit!

Day Seven: Incorporate Fun into Your Day

Having fun or a hobby is not a luxury but a necessity for a well-balanced life and for our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being! Today’s challenge is to carve out time for an activity that reduces stress and brings you joy! Maybe it’s reading on the porch, or playing Scrabble with your roommate! It could be mini-golf with the grandkids, or a pick-up soccer game at the park! So grab those knitting needles, or that new cookbook, or perhaps your pickleball paddles, and bless your day with fun, creativity, and connection!

Feel free to repeat this challenge weekly or to come up with your own! Just be intentional about pursuing light and goodness every day!