Here’s another installment of the Great American Syndicate newsletter - we’re like a slice of pizza - you can enjoy it any time of the day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, midnight snack - doesn't matter.

Here’s what we have for you today:

• How I Gained the Most from 75 Hard After I “Dropped Out”

• Wonder Woman star reportedly plans screening of Hamas terror attack footage

• Let’s teach our kids to make something beautiful

How I Gained the Most from 75 Hard After I “Dropped Out”

What was your visceral response to that headline?

Was it along the lines of “Let’s see what this loser blames her weakness on?”

Or was it “Yes! I am not the only one who didn’t stick with 75 hard?” (or whatever toughness, mindset coaching community you were in)

Or maybe it was “What the heck is 75 Hard?”

Either way, what I discovered relates to you.

Let’s start with you- the person who is immediately certain I am just another wannabe badass who can’t cut it.

Certainly, I’ve been helped by my time in 75 hard- but probably not the same way you have. Stay with me here and I’ll explain deciding to leave the official challenge was just as hard as the challenge itself.

Next, I’ll speak to you- the person who did your best in either 75 hard or another difficult program, and probably dabbled in some version of a separate community before realizing it wasn’t for you.

You aren’t weak, or a loser. Simply pull the parts of the program or the community that worked for you, into your life moving forward.

Finally, for those who don’t know what 75 Hard is - it’s an extremely effective challenge that pushes you mentally as much as physically.

Something about it has propelled people to change their life trajectory. It certainly helped me move myself forward.

And yet- I am technically a dropout.

Part of the challenge is to drink one gallon of water a day. Something about that threw my whole body off. Perhaps it was because for the nutrition part of the challenge I opted to do a 14-16 hour intermittent fasting schedule.

Whatever the reason, within a couple of weeks I began experiencing dizziness, nausea, and headaches. I was extremely bloated, had almost no appetite, and had to urinate at least once every hour. When I fainted in my kitchen, I knew I had to stop drinking so much water.

I dropped to between ½ and ¾ a gallon and the relief, though small, was immediate. It took a couple of weeks for me to regain my sense of strength and health, and I carried forward with all other elements of the challenge - even adding extra reading and an extra workout to balance it out. Still for my 75 Hard “support group”- it wasn’t enough. I was given a smiling escort to the door, and politely booted from the group.

I just saw this article about Brooke Shields. Who experienced even stronger side effects from too much water. The decreased sodium in her system, as well as other electrolyte imbalances, threw her into a grand-mal seizure.

Scary stuff.

For me, recognizing the difference between being a quitter and being someone strong enough to do what I know is right for my body in spite of being subjected to a different narrative was a pivotal moment of inner strength. It’s part of what helped me maintain my convictions about a certain experimental injection we were being bullied into taking. Leaving the challenge didn’t mean I left its lessons and life-changing habits behind.

I still recommend it, with the caveat that it may not be completely perfect for you, either, although I am certain it can help you make significant and profound positive changes in your own life.

The discipline, awareness of healthy habits, and the physical workouts that were part of 75 hard have stayed with me. I credit almost daily yoga with enormous positive changes in my body and overall well-being. I am way more conscious of healthy eating and am very intentional about seeking ways to avoid the toxins in our food and environment.

And yes, I even drink more water than I used to.

When I decided I cared more about my well-being than what people I barely knew or didn’t know at all would think about me, I developed a critical ability to advocate for myself. The mental fortitude of creating a boundary for myself helped me do so in other areas of my life- and that has also been a game changer.

75 hard and challenges or programs like it may have absolute rules, but those rules do not have to be absolute for you. With initial participation, these can be life-changing opportunities for you.

Go for it- and don’t be afraid to make it work for you…it’s okay to tweak and adapt the approach so it fits YOU!

-Barb Allen

GREAT AMERICAN MEMES 😆

Was it as good for you as it was for us? Make sure you tell all your friends so they don’t miss out next week! 🇺🇸

Barb Allen & Dave Brown
www.greatamericansyndicate.com