How many of you have made new year’s resolutions and fell off by the second month week?

I previously set a goal each year, month, and Monday, to lose weight, break procrastination habits, read the Bible daily, eat healthier, learn Spanish, meditate each morning, and so on. I would go strong for a moment and then fall off. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

It was not until January 2020 that something changed. My mother goes on a spiritual fast every January. She is very disciplined when she does it and I remember asking how? How can you just eat the same meal every day? How can you not fall off and eat your favorite things? Her response?

“When I do things in my own strength and by my own might, I fail, but when I do things with God as my strength and ask him for help, it becomes easier.”

When I shifted to doing things prayfully and not in my own strength, I noticed a major difference in my results. I understand that not everyone ascribes to that school of thought, which is okay, however, it has helped my mom and I and it is the basis of this challenge that I know will help others.

Why 92 days of discipline?

In addition to my mother’s suggestion I revisited a book called The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. This book examines how our behaviors and actions turn into habits. For example, when a child is learning to tie his/her shoes, they may have to think of the steps that they need to take to complete the action, whereas an adult may have their shoe undone and automatically without thinking  bend down and tie their shoes. This came from the adult completing the action through repetition previously and forming the habit of shoe tying. These two things along with following my cousin Derek’s journey to the 2020 Alamo Marathon and #75Hard progress is what inspired the #92DaysofDisipline. It is about three months long which is plenty of time to form lifelong habits and see what works, what doesn’t work, what throws you off, and what encourages you when you feel like giving up.

What If I mess up?

Forget about it. The minute you make a mistake, make sure that you do better the next minute. There is no time for beating yourself up or focusing on what happened. Nine times out of ten a small mistake will not have a huge impact on your progress. Learn what went wrong and don’t do it again. But definitely DO NOT QUIT!

I realized that a lot of the downfall in not reaching goals is doing things fueled by willpower and fleshly desires. Revisit why you want some of the things that you want and then examine if these are things that honor God. When you are doing something that honors God and is fueled by the Holy Spirit, not just willpower, it becomes much easier.  Some lack discipline, some have negative thinking/self-talk habits, and some are deterred by obstacles and not getting back on track after. However, staying in prayer and knowing that it is God’s will for you to have success will help with these deterrents that are sure to come.

Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually].

3 John 2

I remember saying “The reason that I cant lose weight is because everyone in my house eats junk food. We have visitors all the time and we always cook unhealthy foods.”

The problem with that was:

A. I was shifting the responsibility of my actions to others in my home. They didn’t force me to eat the line of Oreos or my Aunt’s fried chicken.

B.  I did not have an action plan when these distractions came.

C. I kept talking negatively about my progress and focusing on everything that I was doing wrong.

It is absolutely true that things could have been easier if my family was on a plan to get fit and eat healthy, but I couldn’t blame them because they did not commit to that, I did. There comes a time where you have to want it bad enough to not be thrown off by your surroundings. I wasn’t battling my family and their desires but my own.

The smartest thing that I did and continue to do is create a plan that keeps me on track.

If my family is coming to town for a BBQ with ribs and smoked turkey. I’m looking up vegan friendly recipes that I can throw on the grill or in the smoker.

If my friends want to have a get together this weekend, I’m bringing pasta & salad that I’m able to eat.

If I’m going out of town for a few days, I’m committing my waking moments to devotion/meditation and I have already factored a hiking trail or beach activity into my vacation plans.

I want to enjoy my time without stressing about what I can’t do, or all the tasks I have to do and factoring them in so that I’m able to enjoy myself.

You also have to talk positively even when you mess up. Some people find it easy to say how hard it is, how you aren’t getting any results, and how bad you feel for messing up, but it should be 10x easier to say:

“I’m walking by faith.”
“I can do this.”
“Everything is fixable.”
“I’m going to get up and do it.”
“I’m focusing on my goals.”
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
“My results are coming even if I don’t see it now.”

…and so on. I know, it sounds corny … but has talking bad about yourself helped ever?

Even if you don’t see it or feel it. Speak the positive.

Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].

Hebrews 11:1

I hope this has encouraged you to start and gives you some insight on why this challenge was started.

If it was not clear this challenge was made for you to grow in discipline. It was made to help you succeed in ways that you’ve always wanted to. It was made to help you see that when God is involved, when you plan, create good habits, and take responsibility for your actions, how easy it can be to be to have the things that you desire.
Below you will find a tracker with all the tasks. Screenshot/download it and mark each day.

My next post will cover Ways to do the #92DayChallenge and will tap into some of that planning I previously covered.

The best time to start is now.

Thanks for reading & may everything that you do be victorious!

With love,
Victoria