This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Erik Bertrand Larssen for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

In an earlier post, I told you about Hell Week, a great new book by Erik Bertrand Larssen that inspires people to be the best they can be in all aspects of life.

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The book offers seven rules to help harness the force of habit in order to develop a daily routine to improve personal and professional success.

Going through the seven-day Hell Week Challenge was a need for me. One of my greatest desires is to get to a place in life where I am operating at my highest level in all areas (mother, wife, entrepreneur, etc.). I took a long time, but I have finally realized the fact that I cannot do it all alone.

That is where the Hell Week challenge and book come in. Both have been very instrumental in changing several of my daily bad habits.

Prior to the start of the challenge, the first section of the book offered clear and easy-to-follow instructions on how to prepare for the week mentally, physically, and emotionally. With each paragraph, my vision became clearer and I became more confident in defining my goals for the week and beyond, as well as devising a program that would ensure my survival of Hell Week.

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As I launched into the week’s challenge, there were a few of the rules that I discovered were not as simple to abide by as I thought they would be. However, instead of getting discouraged about it, I was glad because it opened my eyes to a greater perspective of my daily routine. Because of the book, I was able to discover what my biggest problems were, and how to resolve them.

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Here’s where I struggle the most:

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RULE ONE: Early to bed, early to rise

If you have followed me here or on social media for any length of time, you know that I struggle greatly with getting to bed at a decent hour. Although my work in all of my life roles is never truly done, I know that I must get at least 7-8 hours of restful sleep every night to function at my very best. For me to get those hours, it is a must that I got to bed no later than 8:30pm each night. That results in me waking up at 4:30am every morning – which would give me more time to get stuff done in a day.

There really are no excuses to this one. I just need to buckle down and do it.

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RULE TWO: Look your absolute best at all times

My, oh my, do I ever struggle with this one!!! I remember several years ago when my elder aunt (rest her soul) told me that “Our family is the kind to go out the house looking like they don’t give a [expletive].” As much as I’m embarrassed to admit it, it’s very true for me! On a regular day of running errands or staying in the house to do chores, etc. I put very little effort in to my personal appearance. I just did not see the need for it – that is, until I read Erik Bertrand Larssen’s book. Now I understand the correlation between my appearance and my approach to the day, and how I can’t really operate at my best unless I look my best – both indoors and out.

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RULE FOUR: Stick to a healthy diet

My issues with food are very well-documented. After experiencing the loss of a parent and other hardships within my family and friend circles, food became my refuge when I sought comfort from the pain I felt during those trying times. I have been fighting tirelessly to end my battle with emotional eating for months now. I am also working to ‘force’ myself to eat healthy on a more consistent basis.

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RULE FIVE: Take charge of your digital life

Ugh. Well needless to say, this one was much easier said than done for me! I am a Blogger, and a large part of my job is to be constantly connected on social media. It also requires that I stay attached to my email. While watching TV is not a problem for me at all, I do indulge in a lot of videos on YouTube, as well as broadcasts on Periscope. It was very tough for me to cut out all of the unnecessary digital streams – especially since I usually use those as a means to de-stress and get a ‘quick escape’ from my own world.

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The other three rules were not as hard to abide by. However, I did discover some ways that I could make them better. I will share those remaining three rules with you – as well as what I did to make improvements of them – in my next update!

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I am so grateful for the Hell Week book and for taking the seven-day Hell Week challenge! I have discovered so much about myself and the bad habits that I’d developed that were contributing to daily self-sabotage. Not only did Hell Week help me to fix them, it also equipped me with the tools needed to be my best self from now on.

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Follow me as I go through the 7 themes and 7 rules of the Hell Week Challenge! Be sure to lookout for my updates on my progress here. You can take the seven-day challenge yourself by purchasing a copy of Erik Bertrand Larssen’s new book Hell Week on Amazon. You can also connect with Erik Bertrand Larssen on Instagram to learn more behind the Hell Week book and challenge, and how it’s positively impacting lives around the world. 

Hell Week Challenge