(This is Week 3 of Madefor’s Mental Health Challenge. If you’re just finding this, we’re glad you’re here! Make sure to check out the Week 1 and Week 2 Challenges to get the full benefit of the Challenge.)
As Pat (Madefor Co-founder) likes to say, "Life gets a vote." Don't worry if you haven't done all of the challenges this month! That friction you feel is a sign of growth. Just keep moving forward...one small step at a time. One week left in the Challenge! You’ve got this!
Day 15: Practice Non-Sleep Deep Rest
Today's challenge is to learn and practice a tool called Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR). You can use NSDR to rapidly reset your ability to be calm and focused. Use this tool at a time of day when you would normally start to feel sluggish or right before you go to sleep. Avoid a second caffeine crash (☕️) or disrupted night of sleep. Try it now!
How did practicing NSDR impact the rest of your day? Did you notice a shift in your mood? Do you think this is a tool you will continue to use in the future? Write it down!
Day 16: Spend an extended amount of time in Nature!
Lately, we are finding ourselves completely exhausted at the end of the day - whether it's due to isolation, working from home, or something else, it's a real feeling. Oftentimes our default is to sit on the couch and watch TV/zone out to wind down. Today, use nature as a way to recharge instead - the outdoors are calling you! It's not Netflix, but we promise you will feel better!
Our challenge today is to go on an adventure and spend 20 minutes or more in nature. This doesn’t need to be strenuous, but simply make the time to go outdoors. Go for a long stroll to the farmers market or check out a local park! Experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the plants and animals around you. Where did you go? Take a photo and share with a friend!
Day 17: Improve your sleep with morning light
“Light exposure to the eyes is the fundamental way in which our brain and body know what’s going on in the world,” according to Dr. Huberman, our lead Advisor at Madefor. Morning sunlight is the best way to set your internal clocks to the rhythms of your environment and set your body up for better sleep at night.
Get a better night’s rest tonight by starting with some morning sunlight! Your challenge is to go outside within a few hours of waking up and spend at least 15 minutes in natural sunlight. Drink your coffee on the porch, walk your neighborhood - whatever you prefer.
Day 18: Try something new!
Switch things up and try something new today! Try a new recipe, listen to a different type of genre of music, take a new route on your walk. As Pat, Madefor’s Co-founder likes to say - our center of gravity is forward - who knows where this small action can lead. Read our latest blog post on Momentum for inspiration.
Day 19: Move with attention
Give your body, heart, and brain a boost today and try a 10-minute walk without distraction. No phone, no headphones! Just go at a pace that feels comfortable. Say hello to the people you pass by. Kick a rock down the sidewalk for fun. Give your body and mind permission to be present to your environment. Dogs optional. What did you notice? Spend 5 minutes and reflect in your journal.
Day 20: Create an ideal moment
Design your ideal afternoon today! Spend some time this morning thinking about what you love to do. Is there something you enjoy but haven’t had a chance to do recently? Today is the day to make it happen! Break your usual routine, include others, and be present in the activity you create. Soak it all up! What moment of beauty did you create today?
Day 21: Pick your favorite tool
Well-being = doing things that are good for you that you feel good doing. That's our motto here at Madefor (thanks to Dr. Huberman)! Ultimately, the things that inspire and motivate you to a better self are unique to you. Our hope is that over the course of this challenge you saw the power of getting into action - how even the smallest of steps can make life not only easier but more enjoyable!
Our last challenge is to pick your favorite practice or tool you engaged with this past month and put it into practice again today. Bonus points if you share it or complete it with a friend!
WRAP UP SECTION:
Thanks for joining us and thousands of others as we got into action for Mental Health Awareness month (or anytime after!). We hope you've seen the positive effects of consistent, purposeful effort. Whether you engaged in our challenge for one day or many, we want to help you continue your momentum!
Check out the session we hosted for all Challenge participants in honor of Mental Health Action Day. Pat Dossett (Madefor Co-founder), Dr. Andrew Huberman (Madefor Advisor and Neuroscientist), and National Best-Selling Author, Ethan Kross had a conversation around controlling your inner thoughts. Click this link to watch the recorded session.
