how to make 2019 better than 2018

I keep a file on my computer that’s titled ‘Lessons I’ve learned’. 

One of the lessons has been on my mind lately. It says . . . 

Changing your life - even the smallest change - is incredibly hard. 

It’s resolutions season, so life-change is on the mind. We don’t usually use that lingo, but that’s what everyone is talking about when they come up with another future member of Abandoned New Year’s Resolutions Anonymous. (Hello, my name is ‘Going to the gym’, and it’s been three weeks since I was completely forgotten.)

If you’re a living, breathing human being, you know that New Year’s Resolutions don’t work. No news there. That’s why I have never cared for New Year’s Resolutions. I never thought about them. I never made them. 

But I watched a TED talk recently that changed the way I look at resolutions. 

What if, instead of picking one big goal for the year, I tried to pick one small goal for a shorter period of time. . . say a week? Changing your life is incredibly hard, but you can do almost anything for one week. 

So I’m going to do something new in 2019, and I want you to do it with me. 

2019 is going to be the year of the
One-Week Challenge.

Here is how it will work: 

Each week I’m going to send out an email on Monday morning with a new challenge for the week. 

The challenges will be relatively small, easy to achieve, and I’ll try to make sure they are pretty universal. But every goal or challenge will be designed to help you be a better person and live a better life. 

Your goal is simple: Complete the challenge. 

Pay for the person behind you in line at Starbucks
Send a hand-written letter to someone you love
Drink nothing but water for one day this week
Go to bed early one night this week (1 hour before your normal bed time)
Download the free Duolingo App and pick a language and complete one lesson per day for one week
Write a poem - even a really really bad one
Stop by a Church for ten minutes sometime this week

I’m also going to include a few tips to help you complete the task. Some best practices to make it easier. 

And I don’t want us to do this on our own. Changing your life is hard, but two things help: accountability and encouragement. I want the One-Week Challenge to be a true community. So here are the other elements of the One-Week Challenge: 

First, each week you should find someone to complete the challenge with you. You could do it with a group of friends, or try to pick a new person each week. Or invite a specific person if you think they’ll get a lot out of that weeks particular challenge. 

Second, you can share your experience on social media using the hashtag #theoneweekchallenge. Make sure you tag me in your post as well! 

So, are you ready to take up the challenge? 

If you're already signed up for emails from me you don't need to sign up again. If you don't already subscribe, fill out the form at the bottom of this page to get signed up. 

The new year technically starts tomorrow, but we're going to give you your first challenge right now to help you get 2019 started off right. 

Your first challenge: Email a friend and invite them to join you in the One-Week Challenge. 

You'll have a better 2019 if you commit to trying to do something different and you have someone to do it with.

Send a short email with a quick personal note. Some version of: 

"Hey Jimbo! This year I wanted to try something a little different, so I signed up to get a weekly email with a simple challenge designed to help me get more out of life. I know this is a little out of left-field, but my first challenge is to find a friend to do it with me, and I thought of you. More info and the signup can be found by clicking here. What do you think? Can I count you in?"

That's it. It's not much, but few things will help you live a better life than helping someone else live a better life.

Alright everyone. As you know, I believe in better, and I believe we can make 2019 better than 2018. Let's get out there and do it together. 

If you have any questions, ideas, suggestions, always reach out to me! I love connecting with you. 

God bless, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Dominick