We've been talking a lot about resilience, mindset and wellbeing in this community, but sometimes the best way to explore these ideas is to put them into practice. So, we're introducing Monthly Mini-Challenges! In the first week of every month, I'll be sharing a new challenge designed to encourage us to try something a little different, build positive habits or simply look at everyday life from a fresh perspective. Nothing too complicated or time-consuming. Just small, practical activities that we can fit into our lives and hopefully have a bit of fun with along the way. Some challenges might encourage us to step outside our comfort zones, others might help us slow down, connect with people or pay more attention to the things that make us feel good. And the best part? We'll be doing them together!! There'll be opportunities to share how you're going, what's working, what surprised you and perhaps even have a laugh at ourselves along the way. There's no pressure to get everything right, and you can participate in whatever way works for you. I'm looking forward to seeing what we discover together! Who's keen to give our monthly mini-challenges a go? See you Monday!

Have you ever been having a lovely time, only to catch yourself thinking about how quickly it's going to be over? Like when you're halfway through a holiday and already dreading going back to work. Or you're enjoying a relaxing Sunday afternoon, but Monday morning has somehow crept into your thoughts. It's funny how our minds can take something we're genuinely enjoying and start worrying about what comes next. I think most of us have done it. We spend ages looking forward to something, and then when it finally arrives, part of our attention is already on what happens afterwards. Of course, a little forward planning is useful. But there's a difference between being organised and mentally cutting short an experience before it's even finished. I'm someone who likes to have things planned and know what's coming next (living with MND makes that a necessary evil!), so I can certainly appreciate how easy it is to get ahead of yourself. Are you good at switching off and enjoying what's happening right now, or does your mind have a habit of jumping ahead to what's next? Let me know if you have any tricks to make sure you don't deviate from enjoying the moment?

I've never been particularly 'good' at waiting 😂. Anyone who knows me will probably have a laugh at that! I've always been someone who likes to get things moving, my body included!! If there's somewhere to be or something to organise, I'd much rather get on with it than sit around waiting. I headed home to Melbourne over the weekend and it was a reminder of how travelling has become a good test of my patience. Like having to wait until everyone else has left the plane before I can disembark in my wheelchair. I understand why, and the airline staff are always helpful, but watching everyone else walk off while I'm still sitting there isn't exactly my idea of fun! Living with MND has meant accepting that plenty of things now happen at someone else's pace rather than mine. And while I've become pretty good at adapting to the practical side of that, it hasn't magically made me a patient person. I'm a work in progress, I guess! I think that's something we sometimes overlook when we talk about adapting to change. You can understand why something needs to happen, accept that you can't do much about it, and still find it incredibly annoying! I'm curious, what's one everyday situation that really tests your patience? Traffic? Waiting on hold? People who take forever to get organised? Or are you one of those wonderfully patient people who just takes it all in their stride?

Have you ever walked away from a conversation, only to spend the next few hours (or even days!) thinking about what you said? Perhaps you wish you'd explained yourself better, said something differently, or kept your mouth shut altogether! Sometimes it's a difficult conversation that stays with us. Other times, it's something completely ordinary that our brain decides deserves a full CSI investigation. We replay what was said, analyse someone's reaction and occasionally come up with the perfect response about three hours too late. I think there's a difference between reflecting on a conversation because there's something worth learning and going over it so many times that we start questioning ourselves unnecessarily. And it's not always easy to recognise when we've crossed that line. I wonder whether we're sometimes more concerned about how others perceive us than we'd like to admit... Are you someone who can walk away from a conversation and leave it there, or do you find yourself replaying it afterwards?

I've noticed how difficult it can be for some of us to sit down and do absolutely nothing without feeling like we should be doing something useful. Even when we've finished everything that needs doing, there's usually something else waiting. The washing, an email to answer, a cupboard that could do with a clean. And if we're not physically doing something, our minds are often busy planning what needs to happen next. Somewhere along the way, I think we've become very good at measuring our days by how much we've achieved. I spent over 30 years working in the fitness industry, where being active, motivated and productive was very much part of my everyday life. I've always been someone who likes to keep busy, and I still am. So I understand that switching off isn't necessarily easy, even when you have a perfectly good reason to rest. And I wonder how much of that comes from genuinely enjoying being productive, and how much comes from feeling uncomfortable when we're not. There's nothing wrong with enjoying a busy life. But surely we shouldn't have to earn the right to put our feet up? I'm curious, can you sit down and do absolutely nothing without feeling guilty, or does that little voice start reminding you of everything you could be doing?