Hi Everyone.
So, we’re out of the starting blocks and day one of the Doing Project is in the bank. Great stair walking, jogging, running (crawling) by all of you who stepped up to the plate. Er, step. Well done. I’m suspecting there may be a few sore muscles about the place. I can hear your arse(s) applauding from here. 
A Few Random Give-Aways
There’s really no rhyme or reason as to how I give away stuff, so if you’re looking to break the prize code, let it go Tiger. The rewards are in the results. Having said that, congrats to Marianne (left a comment at 1.43pm) – you have stair-walked your way to an Everlast Pack (worth $250.00). Good for you. Also, to Nicklearse, Candy (1.32pm), M@ (you make me laugh) and Shopper Girl, if you guys email Johnnie, he will hook you up with some me-dot-com products.
On with the show.
Challenge Two: Stillness and Quiet
While today’s challenge is infinitely easier than yesterday’s (from a physical perspective), many of you over-thinking, fidgety, anxious, ants-in-your-pants types might struggle with it. I know I will (my mind is something of a cerebral circus at times). In theory, this task is a simple one: be totally still and quiet for fifteen minutes.
Totally still. Totally quiet.
Natch, you’ll need a quiet space with zero distractions (phone, tv, people, animals) which means that most of you probably won’t be doing this challenge at work. BTW, lying down is not ideal for this task (wouldn’t want you sleeping, would we?). Sitting is the preferred position. The key with this challenge is to not think. Well, to do your best anyway. Make an effort to clear your mind. To step out of the cerebral chaos, discover your off switch and float in a sea of nothingness.
Doesn’t that sound nice?
Focus on your breathing and just be. Relax your physical and non-physical selves. Totally. Ironically, today’s Doing Project task is really all about doing nothing. I know many of you high-energy, proactive, busy-bunnies will find this a less-appealing task than yesterday’s hi-octane sweat-fest but that’s all the more reason to hit the pause button for fifteen minutes today. If nothing changes, nothing changes and like most things, busy-ness is only good to a point.
Like yesterday’s challenge, if you can’t manage fifteen minutes straight, simply break it down into manageable instalments (like 3 x 5 mins).
Deep breaths Grasshoppers. 
As usual, once you’re done, report in via the comment link.
* You can also follow what people are saying about the Doing Project on Twitter at #doingproject.
* Don’t forget my new kid’s book (The Angry Ant) is out now! Love this article? Sign up for my FREE Email Newsletter today to receive more articles like this, and get my FREE Ebook!
{ 343 comments… read them below or add one }
That is such a long time to do nothing, esp whilst sitting. However I have done my time, but admit my head wasnt empty for most of it (though some would say its permanently empty!!).
Hmmm, managed to put off step ups (no stairs, no hills within a 50km radius) until 9pm. C’mon…I was hot! Anyway, that’s done, didn’t realise minutes went on for so long
silence…this is something I aspire to, and I look forward to…but I suspect these minutes will go for a long time too! Thanks for the challenge, Craig
Ok. Done!
But by the way, your ‘doing’ challenges are most certainly easier than your ‘not doing’ challenges! If I could do the ‘not doing’ challenges, I wouldn’t have needed to join your website in the first place
So, as far as Day 2′s challenge goes, Done. Check. (yet failed at the same time!)
RoxbyMum, you never fail if you have a go!!!!! Keep up the great work.
Looking forward to this one! My busiest day tomorrow so some downtime will be appreciated. Not sure how I will go for the full 15mins though!
I love this challange!
aahh…bliss! I will be doing this challenge at work, Im on night shift and on my own, so some time in the early hours I shall curl up in my comfy chair and hopefully manage 15 minutes uninterrupted. More likely here than at home…..dogs, cars, lawnmowers, husbands……….
I shall report in when completed (unless I doze off…….)
Actually, I will attempt this at home……its not a challenge if theres nothing challenging about it – is there?
Still aiming for the 3 am comfy chair curl though!!
Done (although with a break in the middle for the Jehovah’s Witnesses).
Just finished with day 2!! I never knew 15 minutes could last so long. I did pretty well with the “being still” part. It was the “thinking about nothing” part that was next to impossible! I tried some deep breathing exercises to help pass the time away (with one eye on the clock, of course). I think I liked this task much better than the stairs, though
.
Well I live in SUNNY SPAIN, today it is raining cats and dogs my only steps are up to my patio, so yes I got wet, wet, wet, looking forward to the next one.
FR
Missed yesterday’s… but today’s is done! I’ve really gotten back into mindfulness meditation recently, so today’s action of inaction wasn’t a huge stretch for me. As with most stuff, the hardest part is actually beginning.
Thanks for putting this together, Craig,
ok, done! So it turned into a 2am chair curl, thought Id better take th eopportunity while I could. very difficult to totally clear the mind, I just kept listening to the drone of the fridge and my breathing. Thoughts kept popping into my head and I thought I was failing miserably, but when the timer went off, I jumped, and realised my hands were weight-less, and my head had lolled to one side
So day 2 done and dusted, but I will definately be doing it again at home – in around 12 hours time!
I loved yesterday’s Doing Project and will try to incorporate it into my daily routine. I walked my stairs while watching “The Bachelor.” It was a great way to make a guilty pleasure not so guilty.
I do believe I must be the rockstar queen of cerebral chaos and it carries over into my life hardcore…need to get this down as I need to draw more focus and serenity to my daily decision making~striving to be proactive and not so reactive~breathing..
oh yeah! This is more my style. Thanks Craig! I have recently done learnt the practice of Mindfulness meditation so this will be great
(less of the done, more of the learnt)
Blissful start to my day. Day 2 challenge complete
This was a good relaxing exercise but difficult for the first 3-5 minutes. My mind initially was racing to so many thoughts about all the things I needed to do so it was hard at first to just be. I am always on the “do” mode and hardly ever in the “just be” mode. It’s amazing how refreshed and rested though I feel. 15 minutes of quiet gave me new energy to attack my “to do” list. It was nice to take a little break today! – Thanks.
Done
this was fast
This one is going to be difficult. I have a full day of meetings here at work (where possibly my eyes will glaze over and a little dribble may come out, but I dont think it counts as quiet time does it?)
Then I pick up my kids on the way home where upon chaos will reign supreme. I may achieve this one possibly by 9ish tonight? Geez I hadnt considered how hard it is to get 15 minutes to myself before.
I just had the thought that maybe I could hide in the bathrooms here at work and have my 15 minutes of solitude (works for most of the blokes!)
It wouldnt sound suss at all would it? Having someone heavy breathing in the loo next to you for 15 minutes. Stage fright anyone?
Nah. I think I will save my quiet down time for tonight – might become an ongoing thing if it helps me sleep!
Glad I was up so early this morning, or this would have had to wait until late tonight (realising there’s not much complete peace & quiet in my day may have been part of this challenge?!). I didn’t quite make it to a sea of nothingness, but I came close, and the 15mins didn’t seem that long.
It’s a great setup to the day, but then I said that about step ups too. Mmmmmm, perhaps there’s a pattern here when you start the day ‘doing’ rather than just sliding into the normal routine. Even when the doing is not doing, but is still done purposefully. Mmmmm….interesting. Have a great day everyone!
Done, and actually 15 minutes unexpectedly slipped by. But I didn’t manage not to think at all – couple of ideas about what was happening with me while I was sitting and about apple to eat.
And isn’t it too early for conclusions? (If any should ever be, as this challenge is just for fun, isn’t it?)
I wonder, why I am so curious about next day’s task and ready and committed to do this 7 day challenge, but at the same time not so involved in my real long-time day-to-day project.
Done!
Arrived purposefully early to the station and sat for 15 in silence instead of listening to the radio.
Strangely I feel like I have slept in and are better rested than usual even though I was awake the whole time.
Couldn’t stop the colorful waves of light behind my eyelids though – I think my brain invents those…
Btw. Re-doing day 1 for every day from here on…ass-clapping is my favourite …
Couldn’t help but reply to your post…read your comments yesterday and feel inspired by you for some reason. Good luck with the stair climbing today and everyday and good luck for the rest of the “project”
Thanks heaps Kayley – I feel honoured to have inspired someone. I turned 39 on sunday and started a new era of my life on Monday (which made this whole thing very timely) At 114.5 kilos I reached the point of ‘I-just-can’t-ignore-this-or-I-may-not-reach-40′
So, I’ve been eating salads and protiens, fresh fruits and vegetables…and no chocolate, softdrink, icecream, potatoes, bread, pasta or rice (all the stuff I’ve been addicted to) Oh, and drinking 3 litres of water a day.
Along with getting off my @ss and exercising, it seems to be working – massively. And (suprise suprise) I’m actually enjoying it?!?
Feeling like we are in a similar spot in our lives. Recently separated and sitting here at 37 thinking that there is gotta be more to life than “existing” in a 140kg body! So, here goes nothing right?
Joined a gym last night and although this is going to be a life changing journey which will take me for the rest of my life, I to am looking forward to seeing what life can dish out at me and by god I will be ready for it!
Enough of the excuses and the sabotage by people who said they loved me, time for me to take back control.
Look forward to sharing the journey with you!
Wow Kayley, your last paragraph really struck home with me. I went through this with my family, I used to weigh 121.8kgs and now I am 65kgs. I had a lot to go through on my journey but I knew if I just kept going that I would get there.
You are worth so much and just existing is not doing yourself justice. You are a beautiful, intelligent, caring and determined woman. Stand up for you because you deserve it.
If you would like to read my story or see my before and after pics you can on this site, the article is called a readers letter, this is the link http://www.craigharper.com.au/health-nutrition/a-readers-letter/
You go girl!
Love Mel
I am also turning 37 this year!
Yayy M@ thats awesome, you will be going into 40 fit and fantastic.
Thanks Mel I’m 100% committed to that goal.
Kayley – Craig once posted that you need to surround yourself with positive influences (influencers) – people who will help you reach your potential, not try and keep you down to make themselves feel (comparitively) better. My wife (jackie – see directly below, by coincidence) took that on board and even has her own online support team of ‘buddies’ who are helping her with her own journey. So – suppliment your trainer at the gym (oh, and to paraphrase a recent CH ‘gem’ – ‘having a membership isn’t the same thing as working out’ – I made that mistake, don’t you do it) you ‘good’ friends and your physical support network with virtual ones – here and elsewhere.
You will, can and are doing the right thing for yourself, and you will – absolutely – get to where you need to get to if you stick with it.
I’m telling myself this every day…
Hi M@,
A suggestion that may help you on your journey: give up sugar, permanently!
I did this 18 months ago, lost 8 kilos effortlessly and haven’t looked back. It’s an addiction, and after a couple of weeks of mild headaches (withdrawal, I assume) you totally lose your taste for sweet things, as long as you don’t ever have ‘just a little taste’.
I still have several pieces of fruit a day, but it is so easy not having to think about what else to eat, as your appetite dictates what you need when it is not being overridden by sugar cravings. You have to become a reader of ingredients because things like yoghurt and cereal are loaded with the white stuff!
Good luck on your journey to amazing health.
Cheers from me as well M@ – go well!
oh and Kayley as well, (I didn’t read all the posts when I replied)
Day 2 complete. What a really nice way to start the day.
Have a great day all
This is “simply” meditation. I started a couple of months ago, despite a lot of internal resistance, because so many grounded people I know told me that this is a core life practice for them. Over time, I’ve found it easier to slip into the relaxed, slow-breathing mode — and to see my busy thoughts, images, and emotions as clouds just floating across the sky, or leaves just drifting down the river out of sight. It’s pretty liberating to realize that I’m not my thoughts, that there’s a separate, calm “watcher”. I’m no expert meditator, and I can’t do it for long, but it’s something I’ve come to look forward to, and it seems to have had beneficial cumulative effects on my relationships, my creativity, and my stress level.
ahh…lovely!!! must admit it was like trying to calm down a kid at a theme park with my mind racing at first..but finally got my mind to chill for a few minutes!!!… the reward of actually sitting in totally peace…and silence – priceless!! — butt is not all to happy about sitting in one position for that time..but ill have to deal with it! (Suck it up Princess i hear ‘someone’ saying)
Thanks Sir for the challenge!!! (tempted to give this to my 3 year old niece..but i wont)
Thankyou for giving me permission to do NOTHING for 15 mins. As a busy mum this is something I forget to do.
Thanks again it will now be in my daily routine.
done and loving it!
Done….
Ironically I have scheduled to work from home today. So once the mayhem that is everyone else getting out the door is over my ‘nothingness time’ will take place.
Done! Although it’s hard for me to find 15 minutes for complete privacy. Shut myself away in my bedroom and sat and breathed. About halfway through my dogs were scratching at the door and sniffing below it wondering what I was doing! A little bit of a meditation breaker!
I’m impressed. You guys are amazing. Keep up the great work everyone.
Day two complete!
Why is it that what you think will be easy is so bloody hard. Sit for 15 minutes and not think about anything, I’m a bloke, how hard could that be. I didn’t know there was so much crap happening in my mind. Things I thought had no relevance but I am sure they will come into play one day. Thanks Craig for this one. Looking forward to tomorrows now.
Firstly, congratulations to the Everlast package winners!
Took a tonne of tries, couldn’t quiet my mind at all. At first I was all proud I was ‘doing it’, quiet in a quiet environment, but you know what, internally I wasn’t quiet, internally I was all noise. For a quiet person, I was incredibly chatty with suddenly a ton of things to say, erm, think.
When I focused on that, internal noise and quieting it, it was like using a stick to stop a deluge of water, just wasn’t happening, at least not right away, probably not in the next 48 hours either. This is a challenge I will continue to try … I want a coloured light filled ride of the mind, dammit.
Laura,
I’m seriously like that too…but you are 100% right – practice makes..well…better. I found that the first 5 minutes was ‘noise’ until I could get myself to focus on my breathing – then just kept bringing my thoughts back to only my breathing whenever an external stimuli or random thought broke the silence. If you keep doing that, the colours will come – which is (I’ve just read) a common thing to see as you reach different ‘relaxed’ states.
Thanks M@ for the tips … Totally failed the task, but I will report one day that I did it!! lol. I guess I wasn’t expecting quiet to be so darned noisy.
Done! I had my meditation group today so perfect timing. 45 minutes of zen
Done!
Done, not a complete quiet mind but the quietest it has been for a long time. Ready for the day in a much calmer state than usual. Thanks Craig it feels good.
I actually managed to get this done this morning while everyone was still asleep (except the cats who hassled the crap out of me until I threw a couple of pieces of bacon out the back door for them to keep them quite for a few minutes).
I did find it hard to switch all thought off but I did a pretty good job, this has been one of my goals for a long time to get a simple daily meditation happening but I have been putting it off for some reason but after being challenged today I did it yayyyyy.
I have also completed another 15mins of stairs after everyone woke up (I liked how it made me feel yesterday), neighbors got to see me in my PJ’s today, maybe I could come up with increasingly more bizarre outfits and make it a daily thing……that might be fun.
Great work everyone,
Love Mel
Hi Mel….thanks for the message and link to your journey which I have just read and completely blown away. I can relate to so many things that I wouldn’t know where to start.
Yes, I know that this is going to be a long journey but you know what for the first time in my life I am determined to make this work for ME and no one else. Its time to make those uncomfortable changes!!
Thanks Mr Harper for setting up a community of support. We love you lots xx
That’s it Kayley, it needs to be done for YOU. I tried a few thousand times to do it for others, my kids, husband etc but it didn’t happen, it wasn’t until I made the decision that I was doing it for me that I actually did it lol.
My thinking on the subject is nothing and no one will keep me fat, you have to eat anyway so may as well make it healthy. You and I and everyone else on here are worth it. We need to love ourselves enough to stop hurting ourselves and punishing ourselves. I truly believe it is not about the food but what you are feeling on the inside and the love you have for yourself.
I came to the conclusion that I was hurting myself over and over again just like others had hurt me, some of them were not even in my life anymore but I continued to tell myself the same things that they had said. I essentially took over the role of hurting myself.
It was time to let go and realise what I was doing to myself and change my internal chatter. Some days I do really well with it, others I suck at it lol….but at the end of the day I keep going because I am worth it and so are you.
If you ever need to talk, to share your triumphs or disappointments or just feel like screaming please email me on toohey.mel@gmail.com I do mean it so please don’t think I am just being nice. (And if you are ok with a bit of tough love, I am awesome at that too lol).
Love Mel
Hi Mel,
You just struck a chord with me with that comment that “I continued to tell myself the same things that [others] had said. I essentially took over the role of hurting myself”.
I suddenly realized that I had been doing exactly the same thing, and wondering why my self-esteem was a bit of a roller-coaster ride!
Thank you for your brilliant insight, and thank you Craig for giving us this amazing forum.
Done, now on the correct days.
done
Hi,
Usually can only manage 3-5 minustes on the stepper at the gym.
So with this first day challenge I did 5 minutes 2 minute break then 6minutes and finished with 4 minutes. Exhausted bu felt good.
Now that I can do this, I will now change my routine on my cardio night.
thanks Craig for changing my routine, small things can be big changes.
School holidays, 6 kids, not sure where I will find the time for this! I can’t even go to the toilet for 5 minutes on peace lately
May be close to midnight again …..
What a wonderful way to start a day! Went outside under the big eucalyptus tree with the butterflies and completely zoned out. An occassional thought came in and was immediately put away to deal with later. Cool breeze in my face with a sprinkle of rain and the smell of the eucalyptus. This certainly could become a daily thing for me as I am a severe overthinker!
So task complete. Can you please make day three as enjoyable (me thinks it’s going to be a “doing” rather than a “do nothing”)?
OK this one is done. As part of my usual routine, I meditate. I did a 45 minute mind/body meditation, where the focus is on my breathing. Thanks Craig. A good one.
Think I will wait until kids are in bed tonight to attempt this one. Will be a good way to wind down.
It was harder than what I thought. I usually start work 7.30am but today I arrived at work 7am and stay 15min in my car and another 15min in my desk… it was good
Done…although with GREAT difficulty. Off to Bali in 3 days so my brain kept trying to remind me of things to pack. If I get over there and have forgotten something important……I will be blaming you Craig H!!
Dusted off the TM mantra that I was given when I learnt mediation about a hundred years ago. Still works! Rather delicious calm feeling after…..bugger, back to work.
I must admit, I really struggled with this one. I found myself laying there thinking about my day, what I was going to wear, first tasks when I get to work… I really had tell tell myself off and really focus on relaxing. Ironic, much?
To be brutally honest, I actually felt a few tears slip down my face – it’s been a long time since i’ve just taken time to just relax. I found myself feeling like a nap afterwards too – luckily I had 20 minutes or so before my scheduled ‘wake up time’ for work, so I just chilled in bed.
I found this challenge really hard. Much harder than the steps. But then, I imagine, I got so much more out of it.
Wow Mel that’s cool. You obviously tapped into some sort of feeling when you were doing it to tear up a bit. Can you remember what you may have been thinking about when that happened? (and no , no need to tell us lol).
More relaxation needed for you girl!
Love Mel
OK this one is going to be the most difficult for me i already know. I sahre your cerebral circus Craig and my mind does not ‘do’ quiet and still!! So this is a huge challenge for me….thanks for pushing me out of my comfort zone on this….very clever and sneaky of you!
Shall report in once completed….at work all day but this arvo i am going to drive to the beach and sit and stare out over the ocean and see how it goes. Really looking forward to this!
Steps didn’t happen for me yesterday & after the day that was 15 minutes of nothing will be bliss…long overdue I fear…I will make today day 1 of my doing project & take the double challenge of steps & nothing to get up to speed (or perhaps down to speed?)…
Does chilling out in my spa – no bubbles, just warm water over looking the river count?
Day Two – done!! I read that this activity was supposed to be relatively easy compared to yesterday’s physical task, to be honest it wasn’t. Yes, I am an over-thinker and I was still allowing yesterday’s shite to contaminate my brain which I thought I let go of during my stair walking – obviously not. So I stayed with the task until I at least had 5 minutes on “NO thinking” – it took awhile and some discipline. Thanks Craig for this task, last week it was suggested to me to ‘be still’ and your life answers will come to you in the stillness. Whilst you are sitting there trying to be still – think on this, ‘see your thoughts as clouds in the sky and as a cloud/thought passes through your brain, just let it float on by and do not attach yourself to it….. It finally worked and I got some zen time :0
Was a bit daunted by this challenge however … found the “Sanctuary Room” at work, first few minutes had mad thoughts flying through my head (mostly about how I was going to sit still for 15 minutes!) but then suddently the time was up??? Huh? Must have slipped into a Zen state which I think is a first.
Oh and I took the stairs both ways
To Michael and Cath – if I can ‘nail’ this one so can you two
Holly Cow are you SERIOUS??? I’ll do my best and report back though my brain is like JD from scrubs..
Thank you for the free stuff for yesterday’s activity, Craig.
Looking forward to doing the quite thing later today.
Done, I’m a slacko who didn’t join up and missed day one but I would like to just tag along for the res of the week if I may, thank you
wow, wasnt expecting that one! i will enjoy it!!!
Hard to stop thinking for any amount of time
. Day 1 and 2 complete.
Day One completed up the local hills with the dog – she was puffing more than me! Day Two should be manageable but like all the others, difficult to empty the head. I will give it my best shot.
Day 2: hardest challenge I have had to do in a long time…this was harder than running a half marathon. I usually don’t do ‘no thinking’ which is why I have high anxiety. Must admit, I struggled. My head space is kinda weired in there !
Too easy! I was sad when my 15 minute timer went off!
Well managed 37 flights in the stairwell yesterday, couldn’t wait to read the next challenge on the train this morning, then my thighs #@!!*# remembered challenge 1 on the stairs out of the station, while my mind is still trying to grasp how on earth to turn it’s self off for challenge 2 – that is a hard one. Going to pop into an empty meeting to give it a go later on – will report back
Well – that was one for the books – had to re start several times (started planning stuff in my head half way through) but finished and am going to practice that one a bit more – bring on tomorrow ye ha
Done -and it was great – thanks – just what I needed – no distractions!
Time to sit and be still – perfect!
Man! 15 minutes is a lo…oooong time!
I thought I’d be good at this, but no. I started with a sneezing fit, then when I finally got to be still, I realised that being still didn’t mean not breathing :O
When I did settle in after resuming breathing again. I thought I could feel my skin and the air moving around it which was pretty weird. That lasted for a while before all kinds of thoughts started streaming… a challenge I issued some friends recently, the juicy steak I had for breakfast,… is there something wrong with the timer???
So yes, I did open my eyes. Only 10 minutes had past. So I started again. Ooh that steak was good… well at least I didn’t fall asleep
Ok, so I have received the challenge and have made my first attempt – yes, attempt, didn’t go so well. The Solar installers came this morning to instal our solar panels and they brought the wrong materials, couldn’t fit the panels on the roof and then tried to charge me an extra $1,400.00 – I asked them very politely to leave without installing anything. So… I have decided to wait until I calm down from this mornings hiccup prior to attempting this challenge again
I will check in once complete – ‘serenity now’…
Second try – I have realised that I too am an over-thinker. I have found this task very difficult and have spent about 30mins trying to get 15mins of thought free quiet time.
)
Task complete (to the best of my ability
Put the one year old to bed, farmed the 3 year old out! Finally, a quiet place to complete Challenge 2. I really loved this one… or maybe it was the quiet house!
Ok. 15 mins done. It was hard to stop my mind plannnig what I had on next in the day… from composing this post to getting organised to go visit a girlfriend. Thanks Craig.
Ah.. the pure bliss of nothingness. I think I passed the almost falling asleep sitting up challenge
Ok well I tried my best! But Honestly it was the longest 15 minutes of my life and it took a lot of work not to think about the 1001 things I needed to do when I finished! I felt like a 4yo in time out. I couldn’t sit still!
Ha ha ha ha lmao, love this – I felt like a 4yo in time out. I couldn’t sit still!
OK – Day 1 my steps were few and far between – but I did go for a run this morning to kinda compensate. I actually have on my vision board for 2012 a caption saying “The art of doing nothing” – looks like I get to practise that today!
Done but it was tough and to be honest I didn’t have a clear mind for anywhere near 15 minutes. My mind is in overdrive at the moment as my Mother-in-law is in hospital and awaiting test results for Cancer and I’m having difficulty shutting off. So this challenge was needed but a definite struggle. May attempt is again a bit later and see how I go.
Good on you! Hope your monther-in-law is OK.
Right – I am the proverbial fart in the bottle!
This is the hardest activity for me – to shut off my brain!
I have been working at this since 6 this morning and it has felt like the activity from hell.
It’s a bit like the activity of don’t think about an elephant and all you end up doing is thinking of an elephant!
I have been able lie somewhat still but the brain she ain’t still, so I have failed to achieve this one completely. Will keep working on it.
Right now I have to say I am jealous of those people who can’t shut the world out – just saying
cant step but will swim further today, hope that counts
Tried to find a quite spot, but found it hard to stop thinking about stuff. No movement was easier. I felt relaxed after I opened my eyes
Done deal. The staying still wasn’t too hard but the calming my brain down part was difficult. Still did it though (to my best ability). This is something I really should be doing daily! Even if it was on 5 or 10 minutes. Thanks for the challenge!
tick: challenge 2 done
with the hum of the air conditioning unit and the traffic buzz outside work, I managed to not think too much other than wondering how much time had elapsed. I only looked at the clock twice I swear! The first 5 mins seemed to take forever and then the next thing I had 4 minutes to go…
I did my 15 min hill run today because I had already done my run yesterday when I checked my emails. But I don’t know how to sit still and not think. I will be able to find the time but how do you switch off the brain??? Can anyone answer this? Ta.
Hi Leesa,
I started my 15 minutes with a body scan – that is focusing on a body part, starting at the feet and moving up, and just trying to think about that. You could also start by focusing on your breathing or just listening to the sounds around you.
hope this helps.
Thanks Hayley H that helped but I got interrupted by the kids after 4 minutes, they wanted to know what I was doing. They thought I was a bit strange. More so than normal. In the end it was relaxing and I nearly went to sleep.
Day 2 done. I did this after my morning gym session so it was nice to take some time out after working the body. As a few others have mentioned above, I’ve also recently done a mindfulness course, and so it wasn’t as daunting as it would have been a year ago.
Thanks Craig, this was a good one. I had needed to remind myself to take a few minutes every day to practice this.
This was harder to do than I first thought but after the day I had yesterday I really needed it. Made me feel so much better. Thank you for making me think to do this.
All done for today, sitting for 15 mins was easy, but trying not to think about things very difficult, lost count of how many times I redirected my thinking back to focussing on my breathing.
when I shut my eyes and calmed my mind I I would start to imagine wierd scenarios (like being on a log raft on the mighty amazon with dense jungle all around)….I would then try and quiet the mind again and then I would see the same scenarion from above, like a birds eye view. What an enjoyable and trippy 15 mins
- that sounds amazing Adam!
It was Helen. About 10 years ago I did a meditation course where we were encouraged to steady our minds and let stories unfold and the 15 minutes yesterday was a similar experience. Did it again this morning and didnt get that experience at all. I need to practise meditation again i think to get it happening more often, as it is so relaxing.
LOLOLOL Easy Peasy I excel at nothing
Went and sat outside and just watched the clouds and my mind drift away – actually think I was there for more than 15 minutes
Took 15 minutes when I got home, shut myself in a room and sat on the floor. Had to move/stretch a bit; focused on my breathing; when random thoughts came into my mind I’d press the tip of my tongue on the roof of my mouth. Kept my eyes closed; started getting harder towards the end; stomach growling… Felt good to quiet my mind
Done!
That was HARD!! I know, I know, suck it up yada yada. First 12 mins was very frustrating I just couldn’t let go. With 3 mins to go (peeked at the clock) I switched sitting positions and my body relaxed and like a switch my mind started to relax too. Out of the comfort zone??…absolutely!
Does it count if I was in the ladies at the time and it took a bit longer-peaceful though
longest 15min everrrrrrrrr
I love this challenge for the day. I have recently started meditating again and it was fantastic being reminded we all need to centre ourselves. I can recommend meditation to anyone who needs to clear their minds of emotional baggage and when your focus is on your inner wellbeing. I felt complete invigorated each morning and all it requires is getting up a little earlier
Well that was nice. Sat outside listening to the leaves rustling and the breeze blowing gently on my face. Closed my eyes and my only thoughts, after the first few minutes, were “breathe in, breathe out” & those damn flies.
Very relaxing!
My to-do list almost won the battle here….
but how peaceful. Done
Done!
What is the sound of one hand clapping??
Breathing in the butterflies & breathing out the dragons…….Day 2 – check!
Sooooo necessary to do in our daily lives- was in the zone on the patio overlooking the beautiful vegetation of the sunshine coast where we are holidaying.
Ahhhhh ……. magic!
Was not going to repeat my late effort of yesterday.
Read the instructions twice, just to make sure I’d do it correctly. Then read all the comments for inspiration – wow, you are all amazing!
Set the alarm, remained sitting in the computer chair & shut my eyes. Lots of errant images to swat out of my ‘no thoughts’ bubble, but not even Hubby’s query about whether I was doing the challenge yet & offer of a cuppa distracted me for long (did he need to ask? do I ever sit her with my eyes closed? Sigh….)
Ok done. It is a long time, and harder than I thought…. think I need to take up meditation too. Will do the stairs again later. Thanks all
I love this doing project! Never realized how nice 15 mins of meditation can make you feel!
Would much rather do 30 minutes of stair climbing than 15 minutes of quiet, sitting still, and pretending to think of nothing.
I find it hard to do nothing if I am surrounded by everything, the only place I can really complete this task is when I am away on holidays or at a super tranquil relaxing setting. I do try but it takes a very spiritual being to be able to switch off just like that. However what I am learning to do is to take time to do what I need to do for ME, to benefit ME. So my 15 minutes was spent on food prep; stopping to think about what food I will prepare for my day; how I can tweak to make a little tastier but still healthy.
I can’t believe how may people have found this one hard! I am one of the lucky ones – or not depending on your point of view – who find it pretty easy to be quiet and still. It’s those physical challenges that I find easy to put off. My tip for getting the breathing under control is to imagine snorkelling, where there is absolutely no choice but to breath slow and deep, and as an added bonus, there’s usually beautiful things to look at whilst doing it. Works for me every time – even after the worst day.
Fantastic suggestion about the snorkelling Penny. Thanks.
Geez, first time in my life I do this kind of thing.
I think it was more difficult than the first challenge.
Kept thinking about all kinds of things = work, kids, my health (I believe my body was talking to me…?!)
Tried real hard not to think about anything but my mind’s going crazy.
Felt good anyhow…
Thanks!
Jc
This task wan’t too bed for me – I use my train commute for quiet me-time most mornings while everyone else is playing on their machines.. Having said that, I do have a tendency for daydreaming; rehersing conversations; meal planning and budgetting my finances!
(I can’t count the number of times I have tried yoga, but I only ever come away with a to-do list and shaky legs)
So this morning I just sat, stayed mindful of keeping the brain quiet, and just breathing. It was stop-start, but it is done!
This one was much more difficult than the first, but it is a very good way to end a busy hectic stressful day. No, I didn’t make it the full 15 minutes in one sitting, but five minutes each I was able to relax and let go and mostly clear my mind. I need to do more meditation.
Done… with difficulty. Every time my mind wandered I had to bring it back to focusing on breathing. When I got to the quiet-minded state (a few times) it felt like that place/state in-between closing your eyes and sleep at night and sleep and waking in the morning.
15 mins of the “stair challenge” went foreverrrrrrrrrrrr- phew! 15 mins of breathing up the stillness was over in a flash….wonder what that says about me?!! Am now going to do the stair challenge again- thought I’d just keep adding each one a day- bit like the 12 days of Christmas:) Geez, will be getting up early by Day 7!!
Just did Day 1 – take 2 aswell.
What can I say? I’m a sucker for punishment, and I’m using this inexplicable sense of motivation for all it’s worth, while it lasts…
Day 2: Done!
Day 2 done
All done, this was very hard, I find it very difficult to switch off my internal monologue…sat on the beach, nice
This one will be a challenge…. Hmm 2 year old 5 year old…. Maybe meditation at 7:30pm
Couldn’t do the steps yesterday – tendinopathy in the gluteus maximus – ouch. But sitting still for 15 mins should have been a doddle. Well, my body was still, but my mind was flitting from topic to topic like a butterfly. Still, I felt very relaxed and calm at the end and it can’t have done the tendon any harm, either.
Done. Silencing the mind that runs a million miles per second is not easily done.. however, I’ve been practicing.
Okay done – I have to admit this was in some ways harder than the slog up and down the stairs.
Started out – sit quitely thing of just a white light – nope all I can see is black – okay black then, thoughts running madly, and the noises one can suddenly hear. The birds, the cars, the traffic lights, the ticking of the clock – all that added to the murky mind and it was a difficult 15 mins. May have to practice that one again.
Enjoyed the stair thing – off to do some more of that.
Thanks Craig – you are an inspiration.
Done …..
I headed down to the beach for my silent time this morning. It took me about 5 minutes to actually relax, and then after that it was easier to sit without thinking about all the things I had to do. I might start doing this a little more often as it really does help you re charge! Thanks.
Hi Craig and everyone! I loved this. For me it’s one of the most enjoyable things to do so not a huge challenge yet extremely welcome. I’m also on holiday on the eyre peninsula right on the coast of sa, so a perfect place to just breathe and be! Thanks
I’ll do the 15 mins of stairs again too as I loved it yesterday!
.I figured that counting breath was ok, so at 12 breath per minute (slow breather here) I needed to get to 180 for the full 15 mins.
I think the furthest I ever got was 26 before having to start again
It was a case of ‘stop thinking’ and then suddenly the brain was free to allow ‘not thinking’ stuff to surface.
Fascinates me every time
Done. Harder than yesterday but very satisfying and relaxing.
Done, but I’ll take the stairs any day!
For Day 2 activity – No worries chief, planned to be done after work and before training tonight !! Probably a good “break” in between the two !!
Completed at lunch time today. A great activity and once I could stop thinking and relax it was enjoyable. Certainly feel much better now than I did before doing it.
Done! As many have said before me, this was easier said than done. I thought Id fit it into my lunch break but finding somewhere to sit and not think was really hard. I work on a manufacturing site with 900 other people for a company that has a policy of being a great place to work. Unfortunately I found its not a great place to find a spot to sit outside and take a break so i ended up sitting in my car trying to look inconspicuous. I’ll be mentioning to our Health & Safety people that some benches outside might be a nice option for employee wellness.
done……Amazing how difficult it was not to think about anything……I felt quite lonely in my own skin……silence………scary stuff
realize it is easy to have my body do nothing, entirely a different matter to have my mind slow down and stop the incessant dialogue. I think what strikes me is that my mind easily told my body to move yesterday, told it to keep going, told it to work through the pain. But today I could not use my thinking to calm my thinking. It had to come from another place..
15 minutes of calm sounds delightful, is not nearly as easy to accomplish.
Done….finally, and a little harder than I thought it would be. Felt like I was on a little lean at times, even though I was sitting down….better doing now than after coming home from friends tonight after dinner AND wine….(much more leaning felt, perhaps
)
And I still did my 15 mins walk around the hilly streets, working those muscles of the bum (a.k.a bum muscles)!!!!
See you all tomorrow.
Well done Robyn, keep it up!
Day’s about over and haven’t done the 15 minute meditation. Hope to get to it but frankly I like meditating in the early morning hours.
Day 2 task completed. Managed to keep myself seated for the entire 15 minutes (amazingly amazing!) & just let my mind & body relax. It felt really great!
Day 2 – completed – great (plus a trip up some flights of stairs!)
Coincidentally I had an appointment with a Hypnotherapist today and so I had 15+mins of total relaxation during the session. So today’s challenge was easy where usually I have difficulty relaxing.
I intend to do more of in learning to tuning right out for ‘me’ time daily
Done. First I tried it in bed before getting up. Hubby kept asking if I was ever getting out of bed. Tried it when he went out to the shed but he came in before the 15mins were up and asked if I needed something as I looked tired LOL So I decided the only place I could go was the loo with my phone on countdown timer. After a few minutes hubby was asking if I was all right!
I asked for a prescription to be filled and the minute he was out the door the countdown timer was started and what a 15 minutes I had! At first it was the usual stuff trying to enter my brain but that got easy to send away and then I heard the noises of the house and ended up conquering the fear that someone was there and finally I relaxed right into nothingness. What a refreshing thrill to not have a worry in the world!
Thank you.
day one stair master- done yesterday- logged today
just finished my 15 minutes. i found the first few minutes quite hard, but soon found myself watching the swirly almost lava lamp-ish swirls under my eyelids, purples and pinks and blues, i heard a noise and suddenly thought ‘man i was really out of it then’!!! i really enjoyed this. im usually all over the place and hardly EVER just sit still. think i may do this one again as well. thanks craig!
Did this challenge at 2.30am – insomnia. Read the email then practiced the breathing and within 20mins feel asleep
opps.
I will redo this at wine/ah time ( when dinner done and kids in bed. Time to relax with a wine ahhhh) looking forward to it. I am hoping will help with sleep too.
T
Well, I set the kids up with a spongebob DVD and some food and actually got the full 15 mins done without any interruptions from them! Yay me
Sitting on the pool deck was lovely and peaceful, apart from Tex Perkins’ song ‘Word to come’ constantly going round in my head, not that I’m complaining…he’s sounds ace
Oh forgot to say did yesterday’s today -too hot in Melbourne yesterday. Don’t know how I will go when back at work (secondary school) taking on steps! Struggled with no laptop, books or distracted excitable teenagers in the way.
T
Geez Lurweez or whatever your name is
You sure know how to challenge us!
I only lasted a few mins but then I tried doing the body scan & focusing on breathing that Hayley H suggested & it worked a treat! 20mins flew by, so thx Hayley H.
Have a great night everyone
Glad to be of service!
Done!
Not easy – how do you stop the brain from churning over. However I have sat still for 15 minutes and relaxed, if I’m honest the brain did not do to bad there may hae been more than a few thoughts flowing through. But I am going to call it done.
Ok so that was better than I thought it would be… I have been avoiding this task all day and finally did it at 11:30pm… But I did it! I have avoided stillness/quiet/meditation for soo long now as I am afraid of being in my own space… But I find it isn’t that bad
Now I just need to convince myself to do it more often! Thanx Craig 
15 mins of silence and no activity was a big challenge – but tick off day two. Amazing what comes into the quiet mind.
Thanks for the challenge. My teenage daughter looked out the window and later asked was something wrong. Not sure she’d seen me sit still for that long with no book etc. Hmmm.
Done
Found it incredibly difficult to stop, sit still and switch off the internal rambling. It took a number of attempts to clock up 15 mins (and I’m not so sure how effective I was). Clearly this is something I need to practice.
This was fantastic but very difficult. It was hard to try and think of nothing (especially my sore legs).After my walk today I could not help but include some step ups into my routine.
Done! I dare say I found the exercise activity far easier than the sit still (never mind the think of nothing, just the still bit was a challenge). So I compensated and did some light stretches while clearing my mind of clutter – had to do something to stop the mind chatter
I’m surprised I really enjoyed that, even if the only quiet space I could be on my own was sitting on the bathroom floor! Made me realise how noisy the world is. I certainly would have fallen asleep had I been lying down.
Found some stairs at a local park, my dog thought I was nuts going up and down. May go to same park tonight minus dog to do my quiet time – looking forward to it actually. Thanks Craig. I have always been a do-er so the not doing tonight will be good for me!
Mission accomplished. Put the timer on, Shut my bedroom door, sat on the floor and tried to banish all the thoughts that came flooding in. I find the physical stuff far easier to do but i think I need to do more of this because I feel really peaceful now.
Done.
Day 2 done
Such an interesting challenge. Something very new to me…
Done, much harder, next? ( I think? )
I did this this morning… I made myself start over whenever my mind wondered to worries! Took 40 mins! Not bad really
(ps. Yes I’m on holidays)
Thanks!
I’m used to doing some meditation but not 15 mins. Was hard given school hols to find the time but I did it and my mind wandered around the globe but kept bringing it back. Invigorating
Just reading through everyone’s comments and seeing how difficult just being still was for so many. I’m both suprised and enlightened.
you are very crafty CH….
Harder than it sounds – particularly when all I want to do is think about my sore leg muscles from yesterday’s challenge!
Did anyone elses brain hurt when trying to push out thoughts in that 15 mins? Last 5 was great shattered when the alarm went off. DONE.
Done.
All done! I found it hard to do this sitting as my mind still wandered, after a couple of minutes although as suggested not optimal I went to a laying position counting my breaths – 1 second inhale 1 second exhale 2 second inhale 2 second exhale up to ten reset and continued with this pattern!
Done.
DOne…..amazing where the mind takes you as it tries desperately to fill the silence……and when you get to the silence it seems to take a deep breathe of contentment and settles.
Done! Very tough challenge… Way too many thoughts.
I think I can notch this one up as a BFF. Big Fat Fail! Managed to relax my body and feel every breath and heartbeat, but the mind would not still in the slightest. If anything, I became hyper-aware of the explosions from my son’s playstation (2 rooms away), the neighbours playing outside and the minute hum & click of the Sky Box. This was in the quietest room in the house (I tried the toilet, but it got too hot in there with the door closed, and could hear every word of the neighbours conversation with it open
)
Does the 5 minutes relaxation at the end of last nights body balance class count?
Challenge 2 completed – I found that way harder than yesterday. Seems I don’t have as much genuine quiet time as I thought.
Just spent the 15 minutes in my garden with the accompanying sounds of trees rustling and birds chirping. How refreshing it was! Difficult to keep the thoughts from returning though…
So hard to still the mind – took 10 minutes before it stopped racing & let me focus on the breathing.
Definitely harder than we think, this one! Keep up the good work !
Even after about 10 years of meditating, I still have trouble making my mind be quiet sometimes. The effort of just being and breathing is worth it. Meditating grounds and calms me. Going to go meditate now. Looking forward to whatever challenge tomorrow brings. Thanks Craig for helping me to move, exercise and just be.
Challenge 2 – Sat in a quiet dark room for 15mins, it was so relaxing so much that I nearly fell asleep…
Happy to report, even though still recovering from Gastro, both challenges 1 & 2 are now completed. Yay!
Done. Harder than I thought having to focus only on breathing!
Was a bit bereft of where/how to find quiet time. Then had the brainwave of my car, in the car park at work during lunchtime….bliss! My brain kept banging on but I managed to lock the little sucker down for most of the time. Will certainly be doing this again
Just finished my ‘quiet time’ in my little Zen Den’ outside.
I loved this challenge and have quietly been doing it each day for 3 months. Today it was different I did not feel guilty for taking time out.
Well I did it, I’m just not sure I’d call it a success. Much harder than it seems!
easy peasy…………………….NOT (really had to try hard with that challenge.
Day 2 done (sort of) who would have thought 15 mins was solo long
Done with difficulty!! 15 mins is a long time to try quieten this crazy mind!!!
Done – and even managed to do a Yoga class too (because I’m such a girly swat). Word de jour: feng shui
OK well i did it….in the middle of the day i managed to isolate myself out the back at work….there was absolutely no noise or interruptions and i just sat there….i felt like a huge dope to be honest….just not used to not doing anything with my mind but i perservered and i ACHIEVE THE CHALLENGE!!!
I know this may nto have been a big challenge to lots of your other readers but it was HUGE for me. Thanks so much for this challenge i already felt a shift within myself today…..this is having an impact!!
Thank you
DONE!
If people thought I was a chatterbox they should listen to my mind.
Took me a few attempts but I go there. YAY to me!
Found day 2 harder than the stairs but did it between chapters in my book. Finished the challenge and the book!
feel nice and relaxed – shouldn’t be too hard getting to sleep tonight
Done, kind of…
I sat up on my bed for the first 5mins, and then woke up 4hrs later…
Lesson: If you give it a chance, your body will take what it needs.
Quiet time done. Now do I keep relaxing or get something done???
I put it off all day but finally its done… geez that was hard. Did check my watch a couple of times. pushing thoughts out of your mind is hard work. ended in tears.
completed 15 minutes quiet, what a way to get the most from a lunch break!
Wow…. The voices in my head sure are noisy….
The mind, he’s one tricky monkey. Never have I found it easier to doze off than when trying to focus on my breathing for 15 minutes (OK, and also when trying to work at the computer after an overly-hearty lunch). Still, I had my ‘zen’ moments and even went for a little extra time to try logging a few more of those.
Hi Craig, clearing my mind isn’t easy. I had to leave the house for a quiet place. Started off well and as soon as I thought ‘this is going to be easy’ … my mind started racing with thoughts. More practice is needed to be still and clear my mind of all thoughts. Will try it again tomorrow.
So hard… but I did it… so hard… three five minute blocks. Proud of myself for doing it… but so hard!
Well that was harder than I thought it was going to be. I will be doing that more often though!!! I am so glad I took this challenge, surprising myself daily now.
Done…..I really need to do this more often. xx
Physical activity, meditation/mindfulness… What could be next? Here’s a thought. Instead of treating these challenges as a ‘one off’, they could be ‘add ons’ . So every day, do the 15 mins (or more) of exercise, meditation etc. If Craig gives us a week of useful things to do and we can incorporate them more fully into our lives, we could end up being all sorts of wonderful!!
Day 2 complete. So hard to find the time to be quiet and still! I’d like to make this a regular thing in my life and have realised I will have to be assertive and stand up for myself about requesting space. I’m worth it. Thanks for the eye opener.
Done!
Hi Craig – the stairs in 30C + heat yesterday – just was not me. So today I went to Shep and bumped into a friend with her 8 year old daughter and friend. They were going for lunch – the two little girls came with me and we did – 16 flights of 11 stairs TWICE – up the clock tower in the centre of town and the surrounding flat areas. The girls kept telling their mum that I was “sweating’ at the neck – sure was as it was still pretty warm today. However , stairs are done – what a shocka activity for Day 1 – just like the stairs opposite the old Red Bluff Hotel. Fifteen minutes of peace and quiet was so lovely this evening – clearly the challenges are to push our buttons. Thanks for the sharp jump into the challenges! Take care. Annie
Done but only just. Can say I was relatively still but my mind was not switched off. Might need a revisit on this one a little more regularly.
Thanks
A great exercise to do at Dee Why Beach, Sydney….. however some people should probably cover up a little more…
Jess and I hit the sofa, with the lounge room light dimmed and the laptop banished to the other room. We set the oven timer so we would know when we were done.
We had a conversation afterwards about the kinds of things that were going through our heads, and how difficult it was to just breathe and pay attention to … nothing.
Jess was thinking about all sorts of random stuff, and connecting with the noises she heard from outside (birds, cars, buses, planes), and I was thinking about what next – I started to write this reply in my head 100 times, thought about the fact that I’m moving house in a couple of days, remembered all the things I had to talk to Jess about. And each time I would pull my thoughts back to my breathing. I would say to myself on the in breath ‘Calm your mind’, and ‘Peace’ on the out breath.
I found this to be a much more difficult task than the 15 minutes of stairs.
Well what can I say – FAILED! Been up since 5am, walked for an hour with the dog (could that count as meditative me time?), then horse riding for a couple of hours, then kids, kids, kids, fighting, scrapping, playing and now I am so exhausted that I’m afraid that by the time my children go nigh nighs, the minute I close my eyes and breath one deep breath I am going to be zzzzzzzzzzz – Maybe I could try really hard tomorrow. My hubby should be home at a decent time tomorrow!
Done!
I’m now 2/2 for NOT having completed my challenges (yes folks, you read right – what a brave little so-and-so I am), but being in my current head space (a good one for a lovely change), I’ve decided that tomorrow will be my Day One.
Does this still count??? I hope so.
Oh and well done everyone else. I thought this one would be a breeze…..how wrong was I
ok done but why is it when i have to sit and think of nothing i suddenly want to get up and do things
Done. I’m a regular meditator so an enjoyable time for me.
That was harder than I thought! When iread todays challenge I thought it would be a piece of cake! Done though and proud of myself! Just read tomorrow’s dear god Craig no coffee kill me now! I will be one grumpy bitch tomorrow!
Ok, not easy fitting this one into my busy day, but glad to repoprt “mission accomplished”.
Cheers to me
VVK
Okay, Im a failure, I havent read my email in days so I didnt know about the challenge, but Im going to take part from today and perhaps add day 1 onto the end and make it day 8, or maybe even add it into tomorrow. Hope thats okay. Haven’t done the 15 minutes yet, but will do it as soon as everyone is in bed in an hour, looking forward to it.
Needed & respected after today, DONE & ENJOYED!!!
Ok – done. Harder than I thought.
Just FINDING the 15mins was tough! Thank goodness our 3yo went to bed… hehehe. All done anyway.
Great challenge – it was really good to get present to how busy my mind is.
This was harder then yesterday, I went out side to sit & watch the trees & birds & had to try & not think.
All done. Although, it’s almost put me to sleep!!
Day 2 done, lovely, only just managed to stay awake for the 15mins, mind still wandered but tried to bring it back. Then felt so relaxed had a 20 min nanny nap. Perfect as awake at 4am and at gym at 6 and work all day, needed to recharge.
Fail!…give me physical – painful, even swine flu….but mental is just…well mental!! Can shut the mouth up, no probs, but couldnt shut the brain off for more than 2min at a time……maybe have to re-schedule this meditation session till this weekend’s 24km run :-\
OK Done – was expecting to get something much more physical to do. enjoyed the meditation but thinking of nothing for 15 minutes was a definite challenge.
Done, and horribly difficult. Couldn’t get physically comfortable, couldn’t switch thoughts off (lots of stress atm), couldn’t wait til it was over. I often think of doing this, and don’t do it. Pretty much sums up most of my life!!
Thank you for the challenges
Done – dreading this one as thought time would drag and it was 9.15pm before I got the chance. However, really made me stop and slow down instead of heading straight for distractions when I get home. Bring on the next challenge!
Thanks Craig, completed both tasks , stairs this morning quiet this evening. Found myself very anxious about the quite, surprised me. Quite time in local park with a serenade from local Kookaburra
Done
) Really needed it after my boxacise class…. I’d forgotten how to breathe through that!
Post
Done
I was making excuses. After all my life is no busier then anyone elses. Done now. Kids survived. Can’t say my mind stopped ticking over and I did keep thinking ‘I wonder if Craig does this’
done
nice and relaxed now
Done
Okay, did it. Difficult at first then it got easier.
First 5 minutes or so … breathe in … did I put the washing on? … breathe out … what will I cook for dinner? … breathe in … haven’t I got a meeting tomorrow? … breathe out … etc, etc.
next 10 mins or so … breathe in … breathe out … calm … still … relaxed … how blissful …
Felt so good after a stressful day at work!
Well that was harder than it sounds, with 3 kids, getting 15 seconds to yourself let alone 15 mins was tough but I did once they got to bed
Managed 10 minutes two lots of five. Scary how busy I make my life Really hard to make myself sit down.
Loved it. Put on my silent meditation app (with bells set for 15 mins) which I have had for a year and have hardly used and went for it. It was good. Thanks for bringing me back to it.
OK Done, harder than I thought to stop all that thinking, making mental lists etc lol and had to turn the heating on half way thru, to stop mind telling me how chilly it was lol. Bring on our next challenge!
Serenity now!
Kept putting it off but didnt want to cheat myself ! Can’t say it was perfect but it was well worth the stillness and the desire to empty the mind, till tomorrow.
Well after a really stressful crappy day, thanks Dr Harper, this was just what the doctor ordered. I am a massive over thinker, I seem to never be able to turn off. I went for a walk first (no Ipod!), just me and the dog and it was great. Once it was dark I sat on my bed and tried very hard, possibly too hard, to not think. The longer there, the easier (not sure if that the best word!) it became. I only checked the clock 4 times in the 15 minutes. What I did enjoy was hearing the sprinkler outside and the cicadas, reminded me of my childhood. I will definitely try this regularly and hopefully practice does makes you perfect as I seriously need some Zen in my life. Thanks again Doc Harper
well..i meditate every morning first thing before I do any single thing…so this morning I woke. I meditated. I then went and turned the computer on and I went back and did another 15minutes in silence, opened my mind and had a great day as a result…..I
It was great to spend 15 minutes without the blare of the television radio or CD player. I have been reading much about mindfulness so this challenge fitted well.. not so sure about tomorrows challenge.
Dude……I have been reading a bit of the ol Eckhart Tolle recently and have been practicing the whole focusing on “breathing”….especially the pause between exhaling and then inhaling….thats pretty blood hard for 2 mintues let alone 15…anyway I tried it as best I could for over 15 minutes….some success…practice makes perfect they say!!!!!
Done. ….. with difficulty…..
Challenge 2 completed. that was torture for me. need to practice slowing down
Done the 15 mins, although I did find my mind wondering off to think about things going on in my life and had to rein it back in several times.
Sorry Craig, I’ve failed this one. Cannot sit still and cannot stop thinking. But it got me “thinking” that I might have a problem here. Am I overthinking??
Done but sheesh found this one a challenge. Kept catching myself starting to think and plan. I told myself not to get annoyed, breathed in and out slowly and emptied my mind again. I’d set an soft alarm sound and by the time it went off I was feeling calm, relaxed and centred. This is definitely something I should incorporate into my daily routine.
Done – kids fishing or swimming, me in deck chair in the shade of a tree.
Amazing how noisy nature is when you stop and listen
15 minutes of pedal bliss cruising along bris river under the stars. Rhythmic, soul-smoozing magic. This chick is spoke stoked!
Ok so i did 15mins on the stepper and meditation sorry missed yesterday’s post so jammed it into today – feeling great – content is the word for today
At 6.15pm I found a quiet storage office space where I set my mobile phone alarm to alert me when 15 minutes were up, turned off the lights & sat still – strange feeling that but one that I took too really well except for the part where I was meant to banish all thoughts from my head – started off ok then seemed to conjure up thoughts of George Costanza & his Dad sprouting ‘Serenity Now’, thinking of Pink Floyd’s song ‘Comfortably Numb’ & a long ago yoga class where I was told to think of waves from a beach rolling in & then remembered no thoughts allowed again, surely I’d catch on which I did in parts by noticing the colours sweeping over me – way harder than climbing stairs – I need to adopt the adage ‘lights are on but no-ones home every now & again.
Also, I figured if I can enjoy my own peace & quiet without fidgeting I’m going to be fine in my old age – has a very calming effect – today’s mantra ‘silence is golden’.
Bliss!!!
Done!
Gee… yesterday’s challenge was a walk in the park compared to sitting still for 15 minutes trying hard to think about nothing!
Thx for reminding me of how important it is to give my mind the rest it deserves. Why is it that we always stop doing the things that work? I use to meditate every morning for 20 minutes before my day at the office and I use to feel so good for it….and then I stopped with all the usual excuses of why I had NO time. Thx for reminding me we can make time if want or know we need to do something bad enough….time for zzzzzzzzz’s now. Good night everyone.
Got there, late in the day but got there. Tougher than yesterday and that’s saying a lot for a bloke carting around a substantial weight!
Harder than yesterday. Punish me !
Done. Way more difficult than I thought it was going to be!!
Ok…..think about nothing, damn it I thinking stuff. O.K thinking about nothing……nothing…..nothing…..damn it now I am thinking about thinking about nothing sigh.
Done. Need more practice to stop those random thoughts popping into my head. Also just starting to “feel” the benefit of yesterday’s stair climbing
Ahhhh …. Peace:)
Well,it’s quite late but I got there eventually…. I did a meditation ‘course’ at a Buddhist centre last year, after some awful stuff happened, but never maintained my ‘practise’ as life returned to normal. For a bit of a chatter brain I think I’m actually quite good at it – I’m a massive cynic and am consistently surprised by that physically blissful feeling when I manage to let thoughts and sounds pass by. I shall try to do this more aften (again!). Thanks for the reminder.
Just a tip for others – don’t try this at the end of the day. I did, and got so relaxed that it was as if I was asleep. Ok – so I did fall asleep! But oddly enough, when I looked at the clock exactly 15 minutes had passed!
done! perfectly timed with my boys sleeps – was hard to stop thinking of things but tried to keep focused on the ‘third eye’! i really did feel energized afterwards!
Done. Tough today! Kids …… Tried to sneak away for peace & it didn’t work. Had to fess up & a little better, they only want you when you are busy.
I used some of my lunch break to focus on the challenge of attaining stillness. It’s a real discipline to be able to step away from ‘having to do things’ to having to focus on nothingness. I can only manage 10 mins so I did the rest at the end of a looooong day. Hopefully that will set me up for a good sleep!
Day #2 done!
Done. And I enjoyed the quiet time IMMENSLY!! Thank you!
Internal blank stares. Complete. Bright lights!
Finally got to this at 9 this evening – been a busy day.
Anyhow – done. I usually use a quietening the mind technique at night so that I fall asleep easily. My body must have wondered what the heck was going on when didn’t just let go and slip into sleep.
I think the 15 minutes of aware and intentional mind quietening is really beneficial. Loved it.
Focusing on my breathe in and out is the most mind numbing and calming exercise ever… I never realised! But day 2 done and done
Done
Done. In los angeles, far from home and can never relax. But did this challenge as part of my preparation in an acting class.
Day 3 a no brainer for me. Unfortunately read the challenge after the 4:30 am first cup of coffee with cream for the day. My bad! Usually all I drink is diluted iced green tea or water. Don’t like sugar free drinks or soda. So I consider this day done…..
I think I’m a day behind over here in Newfoundland, Canada.
Anywho I did the challenge at work on my lunch break. Turned off my phones and the computer closed the door and just sat. It was refreshingly wonderful!!
Done, although not entirely without thinking:)
Shit I forgot to sign in & say Done.
Well almost. I did my end of the doing project but sitting still for 15 mins is hard. I managed 7 minutes & then I got restless & fidgetted. I had planned to do another 7 mins later in the evening, but ended up taking my bike apart & putting it into a bike bag for a flight the following day. That took longer than expected since I hadn’t done it before & didn’t really know what I was doing. But it got done – the bike that is.
Day two, done….. but was so chilled, I forgot to post!
Am a little behind but am with the 15 minutes up and down the stairs.it was a piece of cake lol
Done.
Woops forgot to post last night. Done! Although it was hard!! 15mins of doing & thinking about nothing is a long long time.
Done and dusted 3.30am Hubby snoring!
Oops, done!
Easy to stay physically still but could not switch off mentally, will try again….
big fail my mind is a busy body!
I managed to find 1 x 5 mins and 1 x 10 of quiet time, however did not succeed in clearing the brain of thoughts for all of the time. Something to work on.
Wow how hard is it getting 15 minutes of quiet time to yourself! With 2 kids & a husband I managed to find 15 minutes alone time in a not so ideal place but I did it & that’s what counts right?! hahahah!
Quite for 15minutes and letting my mind go blank?that was a real challenge cause I kept thinking about something
who would have thought being still and relaxed for 15 minutes could be such a difficult challenge! It just goes to show how many distractions and commitments we have in life to not be able to find a measly 15minutes to just be. This was a fantastic lesson.
Yesterday I sat on the lounge listening to the birds, boom gate, train, fridge, clock for 15minutes. I enjoyed this.
Done
Wow. I failed at this one. I managed 7.36 minutes and then was interupted. Thought I’d do the rest later but later never arrived. I forgot! I will do the rest today but that is still a fail but hey… I tried.
The 7.36 minutes were spend out in the garden sitting on the grass in the yoga deep thinking position without the oohhmmm… 
Well Day_2 proved much more of a challenge than was anticipated. Getting started wasn’t a problem as I did that 4 times until I finally got it right. it took until 11:00 pm for the neighbors to ‘go inside’ and for the 12 year old in the house to stop getting out of bed until the silence and peace of the river could be adsorbed in the spa. But absorbed it was and finally my 15 minutes of whatever that was, was completed – Not Easy but Day_3 is away and running.
Water for a day, no coffee in the morning. That’s the only challenge as soft drink and ‘Sports’ drinks are rarely on my radar – but with time on-site with clients today the No_Coffee task will be a challenge – I’ll let you know at days end.
That was lucky – had a massage session booked in – not too hard to get 15 minutes of “nothingness”.
Done! Bit late to the posting party, but actually managed this yesterday. Wasn’t easy though!
Done….
Ok, just as hard as I thought it would be! But done.
Well, late reporting in because I ended up a day late finding this, so did the quiet time this morning, stairs will be today too. I have to say its something I definitely want to continue with. Clearing my head was actually very easy. I felt like I was just shrinking and then the sound of life going on around me just magnified. I knew there were birds around, I didn’t realise how many and how different and how loud they are. I think we go around our daily lives focussing and looking for the next thing we have to do and we don’t really ‘listen’ or ‘experience’ our world. I looked at the clock twice only and my 15 minutes was already up. Might even get up early and go sit on a bench overlooking the beach tomorrow morning and try it, just hope I don’t get mugged!
Wickedly difficult – can’t say I was a very successful at this challenge even the 5 min blocks were tough!
Silent time…so simple yet so difficult! Didn’t get a chance to do this until around 11pm last night, after all my housemates had gone to bed. They’re a noisy bunch! It took a long time for my mind to settle, but I just couldn’t get my mind completely blank, so I focused on counting my breaths. I felt super relaxed afterwards…this is a task I will definitely be working on, as I am far too addicted to being “connected” (iPhone, curse you!) and think it will do wonders for my attention span if I can clear my mind on a regular basis.
past the deadline but done. Not throwing the towel in for the sake of a few hours on a clock
quiet time was a challenge butdone
Managed late last night – much harder than the physical!!
Done. So much roof brain chatter. ,
Ok this was really hard but I did it just before heading to bed. Very difficult!
Done – late in the evening but it got done
Challenge (peacefully) completed…
This challenge was awesome. I did it in a quiet area of Adelaide Airport while waiting to board a very delayed flight home after a hard day of meetings. Rather than send me off to sleep, the quiet time allowed me to zone out and totally de-stress at a time I normally would have been climbing the walls. Thanks Craig!!
Day 1 & 2 done
1st attempt 15sec, 2nd attempt 45 sec. Made 15 attemps instead of 15 minutes, this is soooooo hard. Too much happening around me at the moment that the head just keep on thinking. Something to work on
Late to report in and sad to say I failed with Day 2 task! Will try this one again today!
Was so tired yesterday as soon I stopped I just fell asleep, and I don’t think that counted as my 15mins!
Tried but couldn’t switch off, went to bed and that worked really well, snoozing. done sort of.
Did it – with great difficulty! Much harder than the steps
Well…this was a test! For me it was much more difficult than doing the stairs for 15 minutes. Who knew my mind was that busy? I had to find something to focus on, other than the noise, to get the job done. Breath – in….out…saying it over and over helped an awful lot.
OK, well sitting still for 15 minutes was not too difficult but it was clearing the ‘mind chatter’ that proved to be a ‘mount everest challenge’. Achieved snippets of nothingness, so will give this another try later tonight. Thanks
Tick! Completed. Much easier than yesterday! My calf muscles are still protesting!!!
Had another go at day 2 today on day 3, much better result! I didn’t realise you could use background music. So I downloaded the lightning bug app on my phone and used that to help me. Still tough but much easier to focus on not thinking about stupid stuff!
Better late than never. This was harder than I thought – keep drifting off thinking of other things – like what we will have for dinner etc.,
Harder than I expected, but done!
Done
yes, easy!
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