The Thrive Challenge has helped me focus on having “me time” throughout the day, which has allowed me to be more present with my family at home. I’ve really been able to use Microsteps to put in checkpoints throughout the day, so once I’m home, I’m home.
“I’m so much more present with my kids.”
During my lunch break I walk around the building, and that’s my exercise. If I have time at night, I can go for a walk with the boys and get another walk in. I also turn off all the notifications on my phone once I’m home, because it’s very distracting. I try to keep my phone charging, or on the counter, and not mess with it. By doing one little thing at a time, I’m so much more present with my kids.
“I was actually able to pay attention to what was going on.”
I think one of the turning moments was back in March, when I was at the park with a friend. We had the boys there, and my 1-year-old was on the swing, and I was pushing him. The sun was shining on his hair, and I noticed that he had these little red highlights that I had never noticed before. I really felt present in that moment and like I was actually able to pay attention to what was going on.
Now if we get out of the car and my 5-year-old wants to run across the street and look at a tree, I say, let’s do it. Before I’d be like, “No, we don’t have time. Come on, let’s just go.” Meditation has definitely helped me learn how to slow down and take a deep breath if I’m feeling stressed or anxious. I just sit down, close my eyes, take a couple of deep breaths, and focus on my heart. It melts that stress and anxiety away.
“Helping other people make Better Choices is deeply fulfilling to me.”
What’s really exciting for me is that I’ve been talking to my 130 associates about the Thrive Challenge and how it can help their mental well-being. For example, recently I went to check on one of my associates and he was super stressed out, like he could barely even talk to me. He said, “I’m just so stressed. I just don’t think I can get this done.” And I said, “Listen, take a break for a minute. Take some deep breaths, let’s get through this.” When this sort of thing happens with my associates, I’ll try to do the deep breathing with them. And if they don’t, I say, “I’m not proceeding with our conversation until we do deep breaths together.” But in this particular example, he came back to me later and said, “Heather, I took your advice. I went outside just to be in fresh air for a few minutes. And I sat and I closed my eyes and I took some deep breaths, and I was able to clear my head and refocus.” Sharing the benefits and helping other people make Better Choices is deeply fulfilling to me.
—Heather Gunnell, Neighborhood Market #7299; Port St. Lucie, FL; $2K Winner
Through the Thrive Challenge, our community is making Better Choices, seeing big results, and winning big.
Stories from past winners, such as Heather Gunnell, prove that every individual has the power to transform their life every day through a combination of small, sustainable changes and peer-to-peer inspiration.