As a Store Manager and a mother to two energetic children, I had zero time for myself before starting the Thrive Challenge. I felt like I was burning out and losing control of my life. I was thinking about work whenever I was with my family and spending my time at work regretting not focusing on my family.
I first heard about the Thrive Challenge at our Year Beginning Meeting.
I had a moment when I heard about it. Because I knew that if I was going to take on the Thrive Challenge, I would have to really commit to it, rather than seeing it as one of my many “to-dos.” I needed to make the decision to use this as an opportunity for growth for my family, my store team, and most importantly, myself.
My first step was tackling sleep.
I used to sleep only three to four hours a night, and I was exhausted. I decided that whatever my day was going to throw at me, I needed a solid night’s rest to be able to handle it. I set a timer on my phone to remind me every night at 9 p.m. to wind down. It’s my 30-minute warning that I should get into bed and silence my phone. Looking back, I think I trained my brain into thinking I could live on minimal sleep after those trying years of early motherhood. I was wrong! I’m now well-rested, my moods are stabilized, and my productivity is up.
I also started eating meals more regularly.
It is very easy to skip meals, not drink water, and then binge at the end of the day when you’re tied up with work. Changing to a more regular interval of proper meals has made a noticeable difference in the stability of my mood and energy throughout the day. You cannot be the best you when you are literally running on empty!
Now, I put my phone away when I’m with my kids.
It’s been a game-changer. My kids are so young and I’ll never get this time back with them, and they’ll never get it back with me. They deserve to have their mom’s full attention more than anything. I have promised to be home for dinner and bedtime every night. While the time I’m home hasn’t drastically changed, the quality of the time I spend with them has!
I have found a huge difference in my self-talk.
I am much kinder to myself than I ever have been. I’m reminding myself that I can be my own cheerleader. While there are always going to be some days that are harder than others, I know that being hopeful doesn’t have to mean nothing bad will ever happen. It means that I know I have tools to make it through.
— Courtney Evans, Walmart Supercenter #3150, Medicine Hat, Alberta; $2K Winner
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