My Journey in Trading in New Year’s Resolutions for 30 Day Challenges

March 10, 2015August 16, 2015 ~ Nicole Monahan ~ Leave a comment

We’re probably not thinking about or sticking to our New Year’s Resolutions by mid-March, but I am.

This year instead of making that infamous New Year’s resolution list, I decided to break down my goals and made 30 day challenges. Here’s what I’m on track for this year. [Will be updated each month]:

January: Work the Brain.

Practiced French lessons via Duolingo and trained my brain with Elevate app. Along this journey I was also introduced to NPR’s Invisabilia and National Geographic’s Brain Games, both are fascinating and have kinda changed my life.

February: Photography. Take a photo a day and share it on Instagram.

I love this challenge because it reminded me of when I did the 100 Happy Days Project last year and countless of Project 365 Challenges I used to do in college. It makes me excited to find something new or unique or something that makes me happy in the everyday.

March: Talk to Strangers.

This 30 day task was especially hard. Who actually wants to talk to strangers in NYC? However one encounter with a stranger I met at an event really stuck with me. I was in the process of moving, a major change and next chapter in my life. This woman gave me a great analogy for life. (I know, that escalated quickly!) She had said life is like driving from the East coast to the West coast at night. You know you’re going to get to your destination, but with the headlights at night you can only see 20 feet at a time, that’s life. You’re going to get there but can only see or do so much at a time.

April: Cook More, Try New Recipes, Eat Healthy (No Junk, Less Sugar)!

Here are some of my favorite new recipes I tried from April’s challenge:

Skinny fettuccine Alfredo — Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo

May: Catch up with friends, family, and acquaintances.

Caught up with a bunch of old friends. I was most surprise when I tried to reach out to acquaintances from NYC. Everyone seems “too busy” with lots of loaded excuses and “let’s try in a few weeks to get together”, which never happened. Nothing short of a surprise with New Yorkers though.

June: Yoga / More Mindfulness

Favorite new mindfulness/meditation apps: Calm, Stop, Breathe, and Think, and Headspace.

July: Learn a new skill. Coding, calligraphy, or storytelling are on my list.

Took up calligraphy from I Still Love Calligraphy.

August: Read everyday for an hour.

Books read: Big Little Lies

September: Write/Journal every day for an hour.

October: Practice happiness and start a gratitude journal.

November: Finances & Savings. $$$

Have already started a 401K!

December: Random acts of kindness and giving. Donate blood, volunteer, make someone smile.

5 Apps to Check Out This Week: 1/15

Apps to Check Out This Week Post by Nicole Monahan

January 15, 2013January 15, 2013 ~ Nicole Monahan ~ Leave a comment

I’m always trying to switch things up. Usually, I’m on the look out for what brands or campaigns caught my eye for the week. Yet, my first week back in the city was filled with an overflow of self-improvement and New Years Resolution filled articles and apps. I thought I would be a guinea pig this week. Here are a few of my favorite iPhone apps that will promote a digital streamlined workflow and help you stick to your New Years Resolutions.

Cue (Free):

Keep up with work, life, and the daily events you care about. Cue turns the accounts you depend on, like email, contacts and calendar, into an intelligent snapshot of your day. Cue surfaces the right details at the right time, so you’ll always be one step ahead.

I’m enjoying this app because it can link to Facebook and all of my contacts and calendar accounts giving me a snapshot of my day. My only real problem was that I never use my Google or iPhone calendar. I’m old school and use a planner. This may not be a bad thing though because it will force me to streamline my scheduling efforts. The app itself definitely reminds me of events/birthdays and connects all my contacts so I could email someone immediately if say I was running late for a meeting.

Pocket (Free):

When you find something you want to view later, put it in Pocket.

Pocket is a classic favorite of mine. I have it linked to my Twitter account and added the Google Chrome plugin to instantly store articles I want to read later. Then I’ll pull them up on my iPhone Pocket app and read them while I’m on the subway.

Lift (Free):

Lift helps you track and achieve habits through data visualization, streaks, and community support.

I’m so in love with this app. Mostly because there’s a set of habits I’ve joined (gym, read more, write, be grateful for someone or something) and I can open the app and “check in” to everything I did today. For one it reminds me of what I forgot to do, for example one habit is talk to at least one stranger. The other day I was like I’ve been neglecting this habit and finally I just did it. I asked a guy in line at Trader Joes about Bikram yoga. So silly but it really made me feel better, like I was making process. The other amazing thing about the app is users can write back to you on a check in or comment that you made, creating this whole support system/community.

Good news: I can now also cross off blog post and write something today!

LaLaLunch (1.99 iPhone)

LaLa Lunchbox is an iPhone app that provides you and your hungry little monsters with a fun, easy way to plan and pack lunch.

I honestly haven’t test drove this app because I don’t have kids. But for those that do, it’s a simple way to plan and organize what’s for lunch. A bonus is the design work, simple and lovely.

TeuxDeux (Currently Free!):

TeuxDeux is a simple, designy, free, browser-based to-do app.

This is a personally favorite of mine. I love how elegant and easy it is to use. It’s also quite a thrill to cross things off your daily lists.

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I’m obsessed with productivity, workflow, and apps with good design in mind. I’d love to make this a monthly thing, so if you have any favorite apps of your own let me know so I can include them in a future post! Thanks for reading. 🙂

Pick Yourself.

January 8, 2013 ~ Nicole Monahan ~ Leave a comment

Just before take off I hear “you can always come back home” on the radio station. Right before the Jetblue TV’s cut off to the flight attendants giving their instructions. I’m grateful for these signs, leaving Florida and my dad is always the hardest part of any trip. On the one hand Florida is safe and familiar – it’s what I’ve always known. And then there’s New York – stressful, difficult, uncomfortable.

Reflecting on the future, as many do this time of year. I remembered when I first moved here. I remember being picked up by the Guggenheim because of my laid back attitude, my confidence. I need to get back to that place. I need to stop worrying and start thinking positive, and more importantly not let my surroundings beat out the person I am. Realistically, NY is always going to be a pain in the ass. It’s never going to change, so I shouldn’t let it change me.

Of my many resolutions for the new year. It is clear to those that know me that I want to find my dream job. To come to work everyday and know I’m doing work that matters. I had an interesting conversation with my dad before I left, about how we’ve started to hire few and hire those that will do more for less. In turn quality ultimately gets compromised.

As another resolution of mine (to read more, at least a half hour a day and/or on my commute) I’m currently reading Seth Godin’s new book The Icarus Deception. Just recently reading this:

Our cultural instinct is to wait to get picked. To seek out the permission, authority, and safety that comes from a publisher or talk-show host or even a blogger who says, “I pick you.”

Once you reject the impulse and realized that no one is going to select you – then you can actually get to work.

Once you understand that there are problems waiting to be solved, once you realize that you have all the tools and all the permission you need, then opportunities to contribute abound. The opportunity is not to have your resume picked from a pile but to lead.

When we take responsibility and eagerly give credit, doors open. When we grab a microphone and speak up, we’re a speak closer to doing the work we’re able to do.

No one is going to pick you. Pick yourself.

Last year I was waiting to get picked. This year I’m picking myself.

Nicole Monahan

Digital marketer, brunch enthusiast, passionate about building relationships and inspiring others through connection and great experiences.

new years resolutions

My Journey in Trading in New Year’s Resolutions for 30 Day Challenges

Pick Yourself.