This is the roundup post for the 21-Day Fitness Challenge held in Feb 2012. The challenge is now over but you can do the tasks in your own time. Visit the overview page for all the challenge tasks.
Hello everyone! Welcome to the round-up post for 21-Day Fitness Challenge (and the last post for 21DFC)! :D
Your Feedback Needed
As usual with all challenges at PE, I need your feedback on the course itself, which will help me in creating bigger, better challenges in the future.
Regardless of whether you committed yourself to the full 21DFC or only exercised on several days, I want to hear from you. I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a few minutes of your time to answer the following 5 questions (in fact, the more detailed your feedback, the better it’ll be):
- How was 21DFC for you?
- On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals? Why did you give that score?
- What did you like most about the challenge?
- What did you like least?
- Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward?
As a recap, here are the posts for the past 21 days:
- Introduction / Announcement: 21-Day Fitness Challenge (296 official participants! See: Participant list)
- Day 0 – Pre-Work: Create Your 21-Day Fitness Plan! | 81 Comments
- Day 1 – It All Begins! | 106 Comments
- Day 2 – Building Up the Momentum… | 124 Comments
- Day 3 – Turning it into a Routine | 99 Comments
- Day 4 – Loving the Sweat, the Pain, and the Aches! | 101 Comments
- Day 5 – Tuning Into Our Inner Self | 117 Comments
- Day 6 – Seeing New-Found Muscles| 106 Comments
- Day 7 – Celebrating 1 Week of Fitness! | 79 Comments
- Day 8 – What is Your Favorite Fitness Activity? | 62 Comments
- Day 9 – What is Your #1 Obstacle to Becoming Fitter – and How Do You Plan To Overcome It? | 80 Comments
- Day 10 – How Committed Are You To Achieving a Healthier, Fitter Body? | 63 Comments
- Day 11 – What is Your Favorite Time To Exercise? | 64 Comments
- Day 12 – Why Did You Join 21-Day Fitness Challenge? | 105 Comments
- Day 13 – What Do You Love About Exercising? | 60 Comments
- Day 14 – How Would You Rate Your Progress So Far? (And How Can You Make Week 3 Your Best Week Ever?) | 46 Comments
- Day 15 – Create Your Fitness Mantra! | 61 Comments
- Day 16 – Schedule The Time To Exercise Every Day | 67 Comments
- Day 17 – Integrate Fitness into Your Life | 53 Comments
- Day 18 – Seek the Path of Highest Enjoyment | 39 Comments
- Day 19 – Try a Different Fitness Activity | 22 Comments
- Day 20 – Share What Has Worked For You | 62 Comments
- Day 21 – Create Your Fitness Plan Ahead | 9 Comments
Comments Closure
Once again, all comments will be closed on Sunday, 26 Feb, 10am, EST. That’s only 2 days left, as of the writing of this post.
Check the comments of the posts in the past 21 days and post your final thoughts if any. This is your final chance to interact with the others as a 21DFC group!
Coming Up
Personal Excellence Forums
If you’re looking for a community of like-minded, passionate and driven individuals to grow in life together, be sure to join us at Personal Excellence Forums, where many Personal Excellence readers hang out, share their upcoming goals, create action plans and share their progress in life together.
We now have over 1,200 active members registered on the forums (meaning members who made at least 1 post and above), with a good number of them being regulars who hang out and post on a weekly basis. Many discussions on the forums are highly conscious exchanges which have undoubtedly triggered others to get working on their growth.
Simply register your account, activate via email, and you’re ready to get going. Having an account doesn’t mean you need to post 24/7 – just post whenever you need/want to. Your account is for life anyway and it will forever be free. ;)
March 2012 Challenge? To Be Confirmed
At the moment, I’m not sure if I’ll be running a March challenge yet. I have to weigh in with my plans for next month and see how it goes. As some of you may already know, I just launched The Celes Show, my new video channel on how to be our best self and live our best life (please visit and drop a comment if you haven’t! :heart: ), and I want to give it the due attention it deserves. I also want to get back to writing articles at PE, which I have not been able to do in the past few weeks due to other commitments, with running 21DFC being one of them.
So yes, stay tuned at the Challenges site – if there is going to be a March challenge, I will post an announcement very soon. As usual, sign up for the PE newsletter so you get first hand access to all new articles and upcoming challenges! :D
Thank you everyone for YOUR amazing participation in 21DFC! You guys are the reason why this challenge has been such an incredible blast. I look forward to seeing you again in the next challenge (be it the one in March, or April, or May, or etc)! PE is where we grow and live in life together, forever! :D
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Ok, it’s time to close the comments and officially conclude 21DFC! Thank YOU everyone for YOUR amazing participation in this challenge! I really appreciate all of you who took time to post your daily updates and share your feedback here. You being here at PE means a lot to me. Look forward to connecting in the next challenge! :D
A few days late with my updates due due to my long weekend away.
1. How was 21DFC for you?
Really good. It gave me more of a reason to exercise on a daily basis, which I will continue with.
2. On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals?
Probably 8? My fitness goal, if you could even call it that, was essentially really simple. Just to be doing something each day! I didn’t end up losing any weight, but feel I feel I have more stamina than in the past.
3. Why did you give that score?
I’m not a fitness fanatic, but did enough to feel good about myself for making the effort.
4. What did you like most about the challenge?
Having somewhere to post my updates, hence making myself accountable.
5. What did you like least?
The days I missed doing anything.
6. Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward?
Not that I can think of. I’ll leave that up to you Celes!
I was busy so it slipped off my mind to leave a comment..
So here it goes..
1. I can’t thank Celes enough for this challenge! This was the first time I committed to some kind of fitness routine (mostly). It was also the first time that I saw results, and that made me to push forward with the routine. I learned that, I can do it!
2. I would give 21DFC a 9. As I said it was the first time I succeeded in making exercising a routine (mostly). And no it was not my first time. Before this challenge I even paid for a class and after a couple of times I didn’t go..
3. I think knowing that we were in this together, and that there was a place for me to share my experience and read others’ experiences was very eye opening. And I also realized that sharing my experience helped me to go to the gym a bit easier the next day.
4. Since I had no idea what to do, how to do it, how often to do ir, or what to eat, when to eat, I was very confused about all these things. I think I would gain more knowledge if we touched to those things. Like what kind of exercises we can do, or is it ok to eat before or after exercising, or is it ok to do cardio and strength training every day.. But I understand that Celes mentioned that this challenge was not instruction based..
5. This was the first challenge I completed and I’m so happy that you’ll do another one in March. I really appreciate it!
Thank you Celes and thank you everyone!
This is the first challenge that I had a hard time sticking with, but I think it was just the timing that was off for me – I don’t know if it was “challenge exhaustion”, since I had also participated in December’s 30DLBL and the January challenge, or the fact that this started on the day before we moved to a new city, but either way I just couldn’t find the motivation to follow along with everyone else until five days ago, when I finally made myself get up and get started on my own – and I’ve been exercising every day since!
How was 21DFC for you?
I wish I could have put more into it from the beginning, but better late than never. I have been exercising every day for 5 days now and am starting to see some great results already in how I feel. I am challenging myself to continue this for 30 days in total… so 25 more days to go!
On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals? Why did you give that score?
I would give a 7. While I struggled to get started for quite a while, reading the challenge updates every day finally gave me the drive to get up and get going.
What did you like most about the challenge?
I liked the latter part of the challenge, where you started asking a health-related question every day. I thought the questions were very helpful in bringing everyone together and allowing everyone to share their own opinions/ experiences with the group.
What did you like least?
There was nothing about the challenge that I didn’t like.
Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward?
I would like to see this challenge happen again sometime in the future, so I can participate fully next time. :) Thank you for creating these challenges, Celes. I always learn a lot and I am looking forward to the next one!
1. How was 21DFC for you?
Great, it really pushed me to include physical activity into my day.
2. On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals? Why did you give that score?
10 – I love the community of people discussing fitness and how they are accomplishing their goals.
3. What did you like most about the challenge?
Everyone was so motivating. I picked up some new fitness routines to try. :dance:
4. What did you like least?
That is was not a PE Forum based challenge. Hard to keep track of what I wrote.
5. Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward?
Besides 21DPC, maybe something about self-image/self-love. :heart:
*How was 21DFC: It was great! The spirit of the challenge was always upbeat and filled with kindness.
*On a scale of 1-10, how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing fitness goals: About a 9, and it could have been more if I was more committed to the challenge. The goal at the beginning was to make exercise a daily non-arguable habit and it’s almost like that for me! Before the challenge I would exercise once or twice a week but now I exercise at least 5 days of the week.
*Liked most about the challenge:
①The encouragement & support! I received much more than I gave & much more than I deserved. ②The simplicity yet powerfulness of the intended goal. I feel it has a “snowball effect”.
③Reading the daily posts of fellow participants. Sometimes I would pick up a new piece of info, sometimes I would be inspired and sometimes their delightful sense of humor would make me chuckle :D
*Liked least: I always get a little uneasy when asked to give negative feedback… it’s not that I’m a super-nice person ( oh no, I can get really annoying & critical :shy: ) so I’ll just say what I was feeling from the inside which isn’t necessarily caused by the challenge. Sometimes (especially at the end of the challenge) I had no idea what to include in my feedback – my mind was blank!
Moving forward, I hope to increase my participation in PE and maybe give back & be a bit helpful to others. PE is being updated continuously with new valuable posts, and it’s always a nice surprise to see what’s up!
:heart:
Hi Nadia, thank you for your lovely feedback. :D I really enjoyed your participation in 21DFC, especially at the first half when you were a regular part of the daily updates, so thank you so much for joining. It’s always a joy to have you in each challenge because you have such an incredible energy about you. Thank you so much for your support! :D I definitely look forward to connecting with you again, be it in a future challenge or via the comments in the regular posts. It’s so wonderful to have you here with us. :hug:
The 21DFC was really amazing, I didn’t mention in the feedback that I’m not the only one in the family who experienced improvements in physical activity because of the challenge!
You just keep on giving & giving, I can’t help but *try* & be supportive as well. See you in the next challenge (with God’s will) :hug: :heart:
1. How was 21DFC for you?
Very helpful. Got me thinking about a lot of issues. Felt a sense of community
2. On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals? Why did you give that score?
Score=8
it motivated me, I felt accountable to the program, enjoyed reading others comments and stories and victories. Enjoyed the way celes shared her thoughts and set up each day. Created good context
3. What did you like most about the challenge?
Liked how you added questions to make us think about various issues in addition to posting exercise
4. What did you like least?
Inability to check back to comments on a specific thread which it seems was fixed towards end of challenge…
5. Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward?
Hey stuart! Thanks for leaving your feedback. What did you mean by “Inability to check back to comments on a specific thread which it seems was fixed towards end of challenge…”? The comments for every post are online 24/7 and open for responses.
1 The 21 DFC was good in that it got me thinking about what I could do more than I already do for my fitness. So all my exercising was over and above my normal activity and it made me stretch just that little bit further.
1 I would give the challenge a 10 out of 10. It achieved what it set out to do and that was for those to take the challenge to do just a little bit extra. Some people really excelled and went much further, which was fantastic.
3 What I liked most was that the challenge was it was not pushy. We were given the choice to do what we thought was right for us.
4 I really can’t answer that. If I was putting together this challenge, I can’t think of anything that would have done differently.
5 Again, very difficult to answer. I really can’t think of anything at the moment
1.How was 21DFC for you? It was greattttt :dance:
It was such an interesting experience. I’ve never done any challenges and any kinds of programmes like these and the benefits are truly amazing. It makes me more confident in staying committed to something.
2.On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals? Why did you give that score?
9/10 Fitness helps me to become so much stronger and more active. Actually It makes me be happier a lot. I got distracted from all the negative and sad things. My mind and body are more relaxing. This is the benefit which I don’t expect at all :D
—i’m going to answer the remained questions later—-i’m using my friend’s laptop :rolleyes: —–
3 What I liked most was that the challenge: Can I say everything :p But I really like all the things about this challenge- its flexibility, its spirit, etc. When we have companies to motivate and share all experiences together, everything becomes so much easier and happier. So I guess communicating with other participants and reading their comments is truly fantastic and one of the best thing in PE. Embracing myself with amazing people makes me be more aware of so many things.
4. What I disliked most was nothing…. :lol: I love the challenge. I still feel that I could do better but I believe that I can improve and grow day by day :dance:
5. What I would like to see : Well, I really love challenges so I hope that there’ll be others in the near future. In my situation, I really want to see something about productivity and efficiency in study and work. :rolleyes: I really need some helps in my study @.@
Hi
During this month I was able to establish very powerful fitness routine for myself. I noticed that my muscles grown and I feel much better than I used to. I feel I am stronger now and more energized. Downloading video clips of fitness program really helped me to achieve this. The trainer on the video is pushing you to exercise! I love this!
Gosh, I just wrote for a VERRRY long time, and POOF! it’s all gone in an instant! I was JUST going to post it too. Wow, bummer. :( :twisted:
SO ….I will do the best I can facing this blank screen after just having filled it so carefully……. :rolleyes:All that time spent….words chosen…hope the words still flow here…. :angel:
It feels like the empty hallways after school is out, and most everyone has left…yet I am there, being with the quiet, empty moments….empty, yet not alone. I still feel the presence of all who have participated in this 21DFC, especially the ones who have made replied to my posts or to my replying to theirs. Means SO much to me to have that interaction. SO encouraging to have acknowledgment and appreciation. :heart: :D I have a lot to take away with me from this challenge. :dance: :D :heart: And I have made some fine and lovely connections. :D :heart: :hug: :angel: :heart:
Also what I have found helpful are the links that have been shared. And receiving insights from others’ posts. And so, the group energy, being joined by a common purpose, has been really wonderful, and has made a great bonus to an already brilliant challenge. The thought-provoking, motivating, day to day tasks have been, well challenging, and have expertly guided me in forming the great habit of increasing daily exercise/physical activity. Exercise/lifestyle that has increased my quality of life…in oh so many ways……!!!! Thank you, Celes, for so much for so much! ( I have written in a reply to your DAY 21 post more comments, so I won’t repeat here.)
I give.21DFC a perfect 10 in its usefulness in my pursuing my fitness goals.
I have trimmed down pounds and inches, and I am stronger, have more endurance…I have more of a reserve for patience and for seeing what all is possible, even when something looks not so possible. I look forward to exercise and enjoy it as well. I have an increasing sense of body awareness, and I have more of a sense of my body form emerging/forming as excess weight is dropping off, and I am feeling more and more connected with my body, what it truly needs to perform at its best, whatever life tosses my way. It’s like, “Bring it on!” “Game ON!!!” I have spent so much time and energy in my lifetime doing my best, (albeit inconsistency so, with lapses of “losing” myself through complacency or issues surrounding food addiction), and all those positive, productive moments, plus these 21DFC moments have led to my being more determined, more equipped, more ready than ever to experience and contribute to life. Just awesome stuff!
After being sedentary and food-centered for sooo much of my life, this 21DFC has given me what i have now as a habit of being more physically active and in a routine of exercise. Just doesn’t feel right to not be active…and for me, to say that and mean that is just plain incredible. It’s like I am becoming a new, and improved version of who I was. My body has loved the attention and exercise I have been giving it during this 21DFC, and I am seeing the ways in which the different levels of my being are so connected. My body wants so dearly to be nurtured with proper care…diet, exercise, sleep, positive, healthy living…..it wants to heal and prosper…so my body is responding as I am cooperating with my inner perfection…remembering who i really am, and why I am here, and living in a way that is consistent with optimum health and purpose…truly living each moment and living my best life!
I visualize myself, slender, happy, healthy and fit, riding my bike, just like I did in the days when my knee joints worked well and I had reduced my weight enough to go bike-riding. Join me in this visual for me… :D
Like others here, when I clicked “notify me of posts,” I would like to have received comments to just my posts in my email. Would have made it helpful, then, for me to reply straightaway to those who had commented on my posts. Also, I realized late in the challenge, that when i reply late in the day to others’ posts, I need to add a note to that person’s next day post to have a look back. Celes, you are always reminding us to check back posts, but more than a few posts I have written to others have probably been never even seen, so why write them sometimes I have asked myself….. Sometimes, my posts are long…I really put my heart into them, and the full flavor of that would be compromised were I to shorten it…so maybe they are too long for some to read, much less comment…. :?:
That said, I have loved hearing from some 21DFC’ers that have been/are encouraging and supportive, and the lovely connections that have been made are still resounding to me, and I’m not likely to forget any of it/or them! :heart: :angel: :D :hug: I am very grateful for the great interactions, and all the sharing.
Celes, you have this wonderful quality/sense to intuit what is next. If/when I have suggestions for PE, I will let you know, okay? It is just uncanny what you have done with this PE blog, you have a sixth sense for how it flows, so for now, I’m goin’ with letting THAT happen!!! :hug: :angel: :clap: :D :heart: :heart:
So I’m wondering, is anyone still here in the empty (yet somehow still so very full) hallways with me????
:heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart:
:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
“Gosh, I just wrote for a VERRRY long time, and POOF! it’s all gone in an instant! I was JUST going to post it too.”
Oh dear, I’m so sorry to hear that Bette! I’m glad you manage to recapture your thoughts and post your comment anyway.
Do you remember what was the problem? Like, was it due to computer/browser issues or because of problems posting the comment on the site?
Celes, I am clueless, unfortunately, as to how come the post went POOF! I didn’t think I had it in me to have a go in me for a second time…anyway, I do recall a few times during this challenge that I have “posted comment” and I get a notice that it can not be posted (heartsink), and I click the arrow back and whew! there is the page again with my comment. I have to ten wait (in the meantime I copy my post just to make sure), and wait till the post is able to b posted, Don’t knw if this makes sense, but that is how I recall thoses times.
I am going to try out posting to a couple of people to see how your new installation of that feature works out (receiving notice from the reply to one’s post thing).. :D I do think that will make a BIG difference to many of us. (Unless i get a note from that person I sent a reply to, or mark down what day it was that I sent the reply, I won’t know where to go to see the reply they wrote!!!Frustrating.)
Again, thank you for all you do from amazing you, Celes! :angel: :heart: :heart: :D :heart: Did you see the lovepost I wrote for Day 21 :?: How DO you get to everything :?: :!: :?: :!: :angel: :heart:( I do love to hear back from my posts to ANYone I reply to, and that just does not happen. :?: Hmmm)
Not so important but.. Do your recall seeing a comment I make re the bullying :?: (someone had mentioned bullying in 21DFC, and you put linked (had a red letters) to that incredible experience/article you wrote ( which, btw, I think will help soooo many people in soooo many ways….!!! :angel: :angel: :heart: :D :heart: :angel: :angel: ), and I went there and reread the article and just HAD to make a comment :!:
Other thoughts re PE…
You must have THE most organized mind :!: Hey, do you have / have you written on the topic of organization/efficiency :?: .. . .I have the 30DLBL ebook that I cherish (and am still in the process of since Dec’11 :D :heart :angel: and there are probably tips in there…) I think those topics are really important…I make lists, and prioritize and you have helped me with goal-setting, and then having a strategy, and pursuing those goals (this 21DFC really helped with that! :D :heart: :hug: )…anyway, hope I’m not rambling too much…hope you can get the idea. When you give info and guidance on certain topics,( like getting/being organized), then I take the skills I learn from that challenge and apply it to other areas in my life…organization and efficiency, topics like that are examples of that. (I need to give a good look at all the topics you have written about :D :heart: :hug: (not that the 30DLBL isn’t keeping me busy enough…wow, is that an awesome guide/challenge/task!! :clap: :heart: :hug: :!:
Continuing thoughts re PE
I LOVE the lists/comments from others that you have on best loved most inspirational films, songs, Bucket lists etc., Celes. Brilliant :!: To have a list like that is a great way to recall that great whatever, or have access, view/hear/see/experience something yet again…(we are in a different place, etc., the next time we experience it, and that is so interesting to see it differently…. :D ) It makes me think of what lists, projects, ideas, thoughts I would like to develop. Journaling challenges I love, meditation, fitness, creativity (creative writing, drawing), the list goes on and on.
And still more thoughts…
Then there is the topic I do not know how it would be called…but knowing what to keep, what to not keep. Especially when one is sentimental and nostalgic, and the amount of paper, books, thises and thats (no, I have not learned to go digital to store books, papers, music, etc…perhaps I could… (Do I really desire to see things on a screen rather than hold it in my hand? (I’m very kinesthetically oriented)(perhaps a compromise between some digital and hard copy files and shelves is in order.) Too much stuff is a theme for so many..(I have been down-sizing for a verrry long time, ten years, as I have sold a large home after living there for 23 years, and still have boxes of things waiting to find their place (mostly books, papers). I am still in a process of finding my proper nest, where i settle in and feel a real sense of place for me…. :heart: :D :angel: Trimming down in many ways, I am…body and STUFF!) I do think being efficient, organized, uncluttering one’s life, knowing what to keep and what to let go of pertains to a LOT of people. I think this relates even to meditation, since it is a wisdom and inner-knowing that guides us to enlightened living (“lightening” the load ;) )
I have made this a rather lonng post,Celes, I hope that is all good…I think it all relates to Round-Up-y comments re PE. I am so intent and passionate about trimming off the excess fat, clutter, mentally, physically, however-y and living my best life with purpose, full sails ahead. And being here at PE with you Celes, and other true-blue PE’ers covers the waterfront, as they say, and in the best possible way, on all levels! Muchas gracias!!! :heart: :heart: :hug: :angel: :D :heart: :heart: :hug: :dance: :clap: :heart: :heart:
Hey Bette! :D :hug: Yes I did see your comment regarding the bullying article. Thanks for your kind words! :D It’s been a long time already anyway though (like, 4 months ago), so I’m not bothered about it anymore. Also I don’t imagine running into the situation anytime soon except if I re-enter US, which I don’t anticipate happening again for the next 1-2 years at least.
Regarding productivity, yes there are definitely lots of productivity articles here. ;) Check out the articles section and scroll down to the header titled “Maximizing Productivity”. There is a list of the all-time productivity classics on PE. Also check out the Maximizing Productivity category for a full list of all posts related to productivity here.
I’m so glad you got a copy of the 30DLBL program! It is an invaluable tool for growth. I hope you can join us in our next 30DLBL run, which is probably going to be June (mid-year). It is always a different experience doing it with a group vs. doing it oneself. And with your incredible energy, I’m sure the group can gain immensely from having you with them!
Thank you so much for your wonderful participation in 21DFC, Bette. You’ve been an incredible sport, a role model for many out there who want to improve their health and fitness. Thank you so much for openly sharing your inspiring story too. You have inspired others in more ways than you can imagine.
Thanks for the info, Celes. I’ll check it out!
As for 30DLBL, I started doing it with a group (the last run), and found that I just could not keep up the pace. And when I would make my posts, I really poured it out there, and just was too behind or something, and did not get the benefits of interacting with others that way(reciprocally). I recall making replies to others’ posts, but didn’t get so many back from that either. That’s my memory of it. I, at some point, decided to continue on my own, which has been slow, or no-going. but it is my intention to read every word, and do my best in working my way through. It’s a wonderful, WONderful program!! :heart: I do love the interaction for sure, but I think that unless I can get into the flow of interaction, (like with a few people, like on this 21DFC), I get lost and feel out of the flow with others, and that affects how I apply myself to the challenge. Then I get into a more self-directed flow, where it is just me, myself, and I (and you as guide/coach, of course, because you ARE available. :heart: :D
Especially thank you for your encouraging words, Celes. It is heartening to know that others are positively affected by me or my efforts to write about what have been my challenges, and successes, and what I have learned on this long and winding road!!! Certainly I would have loved to hear from more participants, but I am going with the great gratitude of hearing such supportive feedback from those who did just that! :heart: :D You have got me thinkin’ about continuing to write about my story as it evolves, and find ways to put the “completed” success story “out there” when the time comes. :hug: :D :heart:
Hey Bette, my first reaction to the end of this 21 days was also like you….its the last day of the term, everyone’s going home, everyone’s sooo excited to go home, but i’m left there, its not that i don’t have a home to go to, but school’s fun, so much to learn, so many friends here, so much of humor, sharing of experience and so much of positive change to one’s life…so I walk slowly on the hallways, holding tightly onto my book of experiences gathered…hearing my freshly polished school shoes (shoulda have been jogging shoes here :p) sliding my fingers across the walls (rather skimming across all our posts), giving out an occasional chuckle, an odd tear…..oh i so understand the feeling….it was great having you here…your presence and that of the others who contributed to my posts over the challenge made the challenge feel complete…..thank you and loadsa love and prayer directed o’er to you wherever in the world you’ll be…
Your description of how I am feeling about “the last days of ” is a perfect 10. Honestly, ASLO, your descriptions just melt me right down to the heartbeats :heart:
I just answered a reply from Celes, and it grewww and grewww…am I just squeeeezing every little dot of this challenge to the last drop….it’s not like goodbye…it’s SUCCESS/ COMPLETION/ BEGINNING :!: :!: :D THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO COME, ALWAYS :?:
Now i’m trying out the new installation she had made for us :D to see if in my email box is notification just from the person I wrote a reply to….
Thank you for your words that transcend the letters that form them, for you truly tap into evocative images as well as the formless…. :heart: :heart: :D :hug: :hug:
And…for the blessing and love you are (and sending) out to me alll the waaay from Kenya :heart: :hug: :angel: :heart: ….(and oh,btw, we have a friend (from England) who told me about his awesome experience in Nakuru National Park where he saw sooo much wildlife, and conservation and wildlife is his passion, and he wants to return there. Sounds totally awesome.
Yup Kenya’s good for wildlife…anyways thank you for your appreciation yet again…yes and i hope (& know) this ain’t the last we’d meet as the other challenges and the forum beckons… :)
So keep smiling and keep writing…wishing you all the best in your journey to life…. :heart:
How was 21DFC for you?
It was awesome! At first I was a little nervous and worried because I don’t like signing up for something in case I don’t follow through, and then I feel really bad. But Celes was super motivating and involved and I really enjoyed being able to check out other people’s posts and hear what they had to say. ( I also like the way there are people from all of the place on here :) GREAT!
On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals? Why did you give that score?
I would say a 10. I don’t think this challenge could have done much of a better job. Everything was there for me to motivate myself and look at things in a different and exciting way. It was definitely what I needed to propel myself back into the habit of fitness.
What did you like most about the challenge?
I liked how there was accountability by seeing daily reminders in my email account. I liked the energy that Celes put in and how motivating it was. I liked how there was a community that you could be part of.
What did you like least?
I think it was all great. Nothing really sticks out at me.
Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward?
I would like to see another challenge in March! I know you are busy, but it would be great to keep working on my commitment to doing stuff and I really think PE puts out a great message.
AWESOME CHALLENGE! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
“I would say a 10. I don’t think this challenge could have done much of a better job. Everything was there for me to motivate myself and look at things in a different and exciting way. It was definitely what I needed to propel myself back into the habit of fitness.”
Aw thanks Mike! That’s really sweet of you. I appreciate your kind words. :hug:
I only want to have a challenge in March if it fits my schedule. The last thing I want is to have the challenges consume my life, which it felt that way for a couple of months in the past 5-6 months. In the long run I may consider having challenges run by alumni, but that will be 1-2 years from now when we have a big group of past participants who can support the community.
“The last thing I want is to have challenges consume my life…”
This makes me think…am I spending TOO much time and energy on writing/reading about the challenge/PE life, comments to others, pondering others’ comments to me, writing my story for others to see here, replying to replies, sharing my progress…I HAVE been doing just that to a large degree during this 21DFC…when does it become TOO much, I am now pondering…?…fitting things to do in a time slot/within a certain period of time has always been challenging.
When is enough, enough?! Even though there are always many other things I can give my attention to/accomplish, it’s not like I am sacrificing doing what needs to be done in order to be so involved here and give it my all, my personal best, yet I have spent untolled hours, being here, involved in this challenge (sometimes, like in writing my story which took long stretches of hours, otherwise, in total, still hours a day if I count the process of reading others’ posts, replying, checking other days for possible replies (now THAT has become efficient since the recent installment :D thanks so much!) , sharing the daily progress, answering replies to my replies ( :heart: love when that happens, frustrating when it does not), reading other PE related material………hmmm…..
What do you think :?: ( open for comments from ANYone! )
DO you allow JUST a certain amount of time for PE? I know some have much more “scheduled” lives than I do, but still wondering about how much time/energy is devoted to PE/challenges? I do feel that the time I spend here is all good and worthwhile…but maybe if I hear how much time/attention one gives here, those different perspectives will help me find out for myself how efficiently I am spending my time/energy. After all, enthusiasm can be applied in many ways (not just pour so much in one vessel, so to speak…)
Thanks.
Hey Bette, I think you should just spent whatever amount of time that you like here. I don’t think there’s a “set” amount of time one should strive for. Some people may want to just spend 5 minutes, some may want to spend 20 minutes, some may want to spend hours, and that’s perfectly fine. I have readers who tell me they have more than 20 tabs open of PE (at the same time) and they spend their days reading away at the articles – which is terrific because they are getting great value out of their time here. As long as you get value out of the hours spend here, more so than if you spend it elsewhere (say, Facebook, watching TV, etc), who’s to say that you can’t spend it that way? You should just do whatever makes you happy. Hope that helps. :)
-How was 21DFC for you?
It was quite an eye-opener. I hadn’t realized before that I wasn’t in shape at all – I’m only 19-years old but I would be left out of breath after a simple walk.
-On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals? Why did you give that score?
I’d give it a 10, definitely, and without any attempt at cheap flattery. I truly mean it. Celes, you rock! ;) 21DFC determined me to stick to my fitness routine, being constantly encouraged by other participants and reminded by every post how important it is that I’m finally DOING something to improve my health, my physical resistance and overall well-being.
-What did you like most about the challenge?
I liked the fact that you, Celes, took your time to update on your progress, too :D (in the first week of the challenge). This gave me the feeling that you’re there for us, another voice to cheer for us when we achieve our goals or bring our spirits up when we experience a fall in our progress. I enjoyed interacting with the other participants, each of them was (and still is) really nice, sociable persons. :)
-What did you like least?
As Monisha said, I would’ve liked a notification system regarding replies you receive on your post. It would have proved really useful instead of scrolling through each daily post.
-Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward?
More challenges :D I can’t be more specific right now because no particular idea is crossing my mind at the moment.
Hey Lina, thank you for your feedback. :D And thank you so much for your 10/10 score! It means a lot to me.
By the way, regarding updating of my progress – Not sure if you noticed, but I was updating on my progress on every day of the challenge, not just the first week? I changed the design of the daily posts for 2nd and 3rd weeks thereafter because I wanted the participants to channel into their own inspiration, and not become dependent on my actions as a source of motivation (which will not be sustainable in the long run). However, I did continue to post my updates in the daily comments though as part of my commitment to the challenge.
Regarding the notification system, I just installed a new plugin today whereby readers can choose to get replies only for their comments. Pity that we can’t utilize it for 21DFC no more, but I’m sure it will come in handy for future challenges. :)
I meant that in the first week it was particularly detailed (like posting pictures, for example) and I totally understand your point about participants becoming dependent on your actions as source of motivation – it’s understandable that you want us to spread our wings and keep up our habit of working out even after the challenge has finished ;)
I never really took the time to express my gratitude for your work, Celes! Maybe I’m a bit late compared to other participants but I wish to share my thoughts. 21DFC helped me tons and has determined me to try and change other aspects of my life, too, replacing bad habits with good ones. Thank you, Celes :hug: And also thank you to all the other participants who proved to be so supportive with each other and friendly. Hope to meet you all in another challenge ;)
How was 21DFC for you? Excellent
On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals? Why did you give that score? 30! ;) 10 for the core theme – fitness, 1 for the power of enthusiasing blogging, 10 for making new friends!!!
What did you like most about the challenge? Everything. Though if I was to choose I’d say two things, that’s growing together with the power of blogging, reading everyone’s comments daily, looking up to post’s replies and knowing what other PErs are up to…also seeing how I could push myself and my body – let me rephrase that – not push but use my body in a way never seen, experienced or felt before….stretching to the limits and seeing positive results pursue my efforts like a shadow…
What did you like least? Like Monisha said up here, getting follow ups onto your previous posts via email, i still cant habit myself to going back to posts extending beyond a day or two, for there’s so much to see/learn on the very happening day that I forget about the previous days….also it’s the overly obvious fact that the challenge came to an end that i dislike….y’know it was like a sail on a cruise, too bad that it came to an end, though i feel that I’ve purchased a house at the beach so i can relive and experience the beauty of the ocean as seen on this 21DFC cruise forever and ever till to the world i say goodbye…..
Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward? Journaling – done: meditation – done, fasting – done, All in one self growth – done, fitness – done, Celes you’ve got the ability to amaze us with every new challenge, none seems repeating or deja vu-ey, what else remains? You tell us here…
Just seems like the other day when we started 21DFC….today 21 days have passed and a new way of life greets our lives……to all fellow Personal Excellence Seekers and to Celes our mentor I have to say this: May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand
God bless and Eternal Happiness, smiles and fitness to y’all :bow: :clap: :bow:
“Like Monisha said up here, getting follow ups onto your previous posts via email, i still cant habit myself to going back to posts extending beyond a day or two, for there’s so much to see/learn on the very happening day that I forget about the previous days”
Hi ASLO! Thanks so much for your feedback. :D As I mentioned to Monisha above, I hear all of you regarding an option to get notifications for your comments only – so I took some time out to install this function into the sites today. Meaning you can activate that for your comments from now on. :D Hope this will come in handy for the future challenges. :angel:
Sure does, works a wonder already…thank you Celes….
No problem ASLO – my pleasure. :D It’s working wonders for me too!
:)
1. How was 21DFC for you?
It was a great challenge!! I told myself: if I could get through this 21DFC, there’s no reason for me not to exercise 3 times a week!!
2. On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals? Why did you give that score?
I give myself a scale of 8 as I didn’t achieve one of my goals: lose weight.
However, I managed to reduce my waist size. :)
3. What did you like most about the challenge?
This is the first time I joined the challenge officially together with the community in PE. I learned a lot from other members, makes me feel great!
4. What did you like least?
Hmm… so far, everything is great to me. :)
5. Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward?
Same as Mrs and Monisha, I wish to see reading / listening to music challenge for 21 days if possible. :)
How was 21DFC for you?
Beneficial!
On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals? Why did you give that score?
10. Because I lost some pounds.
What did you like most about the challenge?
Reporting here in the comments was a great help in actually doing the task for me!
What did you like least?
I think there wasn’t a way to get email notifications about whether someone replied to your comment only, this wasn’t to my liking :( (Or is there a way to get notified about that?)
Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward?
How about a challenge for studying for 21-Days? ;)
“I think there wasn’t a way to get email notifications about whether someone replied to your comment only, this wasn’t to my liking (Or is there a way to get notified about that?)”
Hey Monisha, thanks for your feedback! Many readers have requested for this option, and I guess it is quite an important function. I took some time out this afternoon to install this function, so now all of you can opt to get replies for any new comments or replies only for your comment. Hope that helps. :)
Thank you, Celes!! Wow, you really did it! :clap: :dance: :hug: :heart:
No problem – it’s my pleasure Monisha! :D
Hi Celes
Sorry I can’t post a longer message but I am leaving for holiday in an hour :)
I greatly enjoyed the challenge and would like to thank you for all your hard work in creating it and spurring us on daily!
Thanks also to the other participants especially ones who commented on my posts :)
I feel I got 7/10 out of the challenge, but haven’t identified as yet where I feel I slipped up: it may not have really been on the exercise but with all the food I started eating in the second half. However, I am pleased I carried on til the end!
xx
These 21 day challenges go by so quickly. I will go ahead and give my last post on my overview of the challenge.
1. How was 21DFC for you? I have been in 3 challenges through personal excellence. I started at the 21DJC, then to the 21DHL in January, and this latest 21DFC. I would honestly say that this challenge has been my favorite!! I thought the journal challenge would remain my most prized accomplish since I discovered personal excellence on facebook. I love to write and found the questions interesting. However, after getting active and feeling as well as seeing results, I am so glad I signed up for this one too.
2. On a scale of 1-10, I would rate this a 10 as far as being a very useful challenge to me and made huge changes in my life. I have wanted to get healthier and tone for several years now and I would try an exercise show or program for a few weeks, get bored or busy, and forget about it. So, I rated this challenge a 10 because by keeping track of my workouts, sharing progress, and reading other’s post for the day, I kept a schedule and stayed focused until now I would feel weird without my exercise in the mornings.
3. I liked everything about this challenge but if I had to choose one thing I liked most it would be because this challenge wasn’t as formal as the rest. That’s not the word I was looking for. Let’s see. This challenge didn’t so much tell us our plan of action for the days. It gave us the foundation for the challenge and then ask questions for thought, but I was allowed to chose my exercise, exercise when I scheduled it, so it was more laid back I think. I also loved reading others progress and finding a few very useful exercise workout videos.
4. I didn’t dislike any part of the challenge so I’m not sure how to answer this question. I believe I will try it this way. I didn’t dislike the challenge, I disliked the fact that I felt I could have shared more so than I did during the challenge and hopefully will have one in March or April so I can start the next one out remembering to share.
5. I can’t think of what I would like to see more of because so much has been put into everything you do Celes, I’m not sure what areas you haven’t touched on. The journal challenge was very fun. I enjoyed the 21DHL challenge and still follow my handbook. I used my handbook to keep up with my progress on my fitness. I seen there was a meditation challenge I believe in Oct, before I had found this page. That would be wonderful if you could have another one in the future. I loved this challenge. Maybe your next challenge could be something like the 21DJC, but rather than a question for us to write on, we could write each day something positive that has happened and negative to see how we handle life’s obstacles. Or perhaps a 21 Day challenge of only being able to write one sentence and it has to be something positive we like about ourselves. By the time 21 days were over, it would become a habit to find something each day to love about ourselves!
Just a few thoughts floating around in my mind. I’m sure whatever you decide will be great and good luck with you newly launched show, Celes. Thank you for the time you take for these challenges, manifestos, articles, and everything else you find time to do. I don’t know how you get it all done but you are making a huge impact on a lot of people’s lives, including mine and I don’t know what could be sweeter than that! :heart: :hug:
Dearest Netta, thanks for your wonderful words. I read every single one of them and absorbed all that you had to say. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. :hug: :hug:
” I liked everything about this challenge but if I had to choose one thing I liked most it would be because this challenge wasn’t as formal as the rest. … This challenge didn’t so much tell us our plan of action for the days. It gave us the foundation for the challenge and then ask questions for thought, but I was allowed to chose my exercise, exercise when I scheduled it, so it was more laid back I think.”
I’m glad you like the style of this challenge! It is indeed true that each challenge is different in its own way. Usually I design it in accordance to the objectives of the challenge. Where exercise / fitness was concerned, there was no sense in insisting that participants should follow a certain regime, because everyone has different tastes and preferences. Similar to 21DHL too, except that 21DFC was even more open-ended.
“Maybe your next challenge could be something like the 21DJC, but rather than a question for us to write on, we could write each day something positive that has happened and negative to see how we handle life’s obstacles.”
Thank you Netta. That is definitely an interesting idea to consider. Maybe like a positivity or happiness challenge, where people write about something positive that happened in their days for 1 week straight or something. I’ll think about that further for the challenges in the future.
Hello,
It also was an interesting experiment for me.
I didn’t do the exercises every day, but seeing the end with introduce fitness into your life I can say I’m already doing this.
Also gave me a lot of good ideas, and I’ll try this 21 dfc for other good things I want to bring into my life.
Now I want to built a morning ritual, by waking up early in the morning, doing some exercises and eating some good food.
Maybe I’ll add reading some good stuff
And 10 minutes of cleaning my room every day. You may consider this for the march 21 DFC.
This is for the beginning.
Good luck to all of us!
I thought I’d show up near the beginning of the comment list for the last day. Sneaky — for me, it’s still the night before this day, so I’m posting into the future. :twisted:
I’ll start with a HUGE thanks to Celes for hosting this challenge. :bow:
It’s a wonderful idea and I encourage you to do it again. Maybe an annual event or something?
Thanks, too, to all my fellow ‘challengers’ — we are collectively so AWESOME! Keep on keepin’ on, everybody!
1. How was 21DFC for you?
Very successful in all the ways I imagined.
2. On a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is most useful and 1 is not useful at all), how useful has 21DFC been in pursuing your fitness goals? Why did you give that score?
About a 9. Only because I don’t feel quite firm in the habit yet, though I thought I could get there in 3 weeks. BUT, because of Celes’s questions over the past 2 days, I realize I have all the tools firmly in place to finish this habit habituation. ;)
3. What did you like most about the challenge?
The personalities here, plus the constant on-the-ball feeling I’d get from reading the forums daily.
4. What did you like least?
Um, dare I say it? Having to exercise every day. :p
ACK, that attitude was supposed to have been left at the door, right? Sorry, I just had to sneak in that last dig at myself. But now it’s me joking rather than a for-real statement, which it certainly was at the start of the 21 days.
5. Anything you would like to see at PE moving forward?
Just keep reinventing yourself Celes, as you do so well, and sharing yourself so generously with the world. I wish you all the best with your new video site!
Bye for now, everybody! Here’s to you: :clap: :clap: :bow: :bow: :clap:
I am very proud of you because I had read at the beginning where you wasn’t too thrilled about the exercise. It seems you gained an all around good feeling reading other’s progress and I think a 9 is very good. I also like your sense of humor about the exercising part. I hope you enjoyed your 21 days and continue to do well. Hope to see you on the next challenge whenever it may be. Very best wishes. :dance:
Great getting to know you Kate, thank you for your ever present gentle, sometimes humorous and ever enlightening feedback over 21DFC…you were one of the first to appreciate my writing and gave me the drive for writing out more….much thanks Kate, and for you too :bow: :bow: :clap: :clap: :hug: :hug: :heart: :heart:
Hi Kate, thank you so much for your wonderful participation in the past 21 days. :hug: When I first knew you were joining the 21DFC, I knew it was going to ramp up the quality of the discussions, and I was definitely not wrong. :D You (along with the other regulars like Bette, ASLO, Lina, Linh, Raymond, etc) were a big driving force for this challenge.
I’m really glad the challenge helped in your fitness habit cultivation – that was really the objective of this challenge, to get us set on exercising for life, vs. achieving a one-off fitness goal during the 21 days.
Thanks for your well wishes with The Celes Show. I’m very excited about it and look forward to seeing it grow quickly in the next few months. :angel:
HI Celes, 21 DFC is now over.i want to give answers of your questions.
1- 21 DFC was awesome for me. it was not only a challenge, it was power to compel me to do something.
2-on a scale 1-10. i give my self #7- 8 because 21 DFC help me a lot to make exercise a daily habit. during 21 days i did’nt do exercise in different 5 days but i m happy with my 21 DFC commitment.
3- the thing i like most of 21 DFC was it very motivating & helpful.
4- 21 DFC was a complete challenge i like it whole.
5- celes in future i like you will throw challenges like a Reading challenge or Listening challenge(motivating songs & movies) it will very help ful for me & others, who has a English as a second language.
Yoga or meditate challenge,control anger challenge, do new things challenge. :D
see you again.. :hug:
Thanks for your suggestion mrs. :D They are a breath of fresh air and I’ll take them into due consideration.
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