September is self-improvement month, and at the beginning of this month, we asked readers to join us on a two-week self-improvement challenge. The challenge was simple: Find one thing you admire about your partner every day.  It could be anything, big or small. Now, I don’t know how YOU did, but here’s my take away from the past two weeks. Granted, with all that life throws my way on a daily basis, it’s hard to remember to do it every day, and on some days, I felt like it was impossible to find anything I liked about my husband…

But that’s just it. Not every day of your life is happy and that’s okay.

Here’s what I realized I admire about him:

• His discipline: No matter how chaotic his life gets, he works out a minimum of 3 times a week.
• Being able to keep professional and personal opinions separate: He can like or dislike a colleague in his personal time, but when it comes to work, he keeps it strictly to the facts.
• Takes criticism like a champ: He’s able to leave his ego at the door and when we disagree, he remembers it’s in the best interest of the family.
• Family first: No matter how busy he gets at work, he always checks in to see how my day’s going.
• Random “just because I love you” gifts instead of waiting for a special occasion
• Respects my need for peace, quiet, and alone time: No explanation is needed, he just gets it.
• His compliments are sincere. He doesn’t say “you look beautiful” to me on a daily basis and I admire his honesty. I don’t need someone to lie to me and tell me I’m beautiful when I’ve just woken up with bedhead and the flu.

What the past two weeks have made me realize is 1) my husband is adorable in his own quirky way and 2) I really don’t care about the stereotypical displays of love and affection. I don’t want roses or date nights that feel like obligations. We’ve got our own way of life that works for our family.

After the past two weeks, the number of times this challenge has brought a smile to my face when I realized that I had noticed something adorable about my partner made me want to keep it going.

Hopefully, you joined us in our two-week challenge and have your own positive discoveries about your partner.

Be sure to join our next one and challenge yourself to let it go. 

Images: Pexels

I’m a firm believer that even when we’re out of school, we should always be learning and improving ourselves. I’ve always preferred self-improvement books over any other types. To me, it’s not the cry for help that some people joke about, it’s admitting that we’re not perfect and that we’re working toward becoming the best version of ourselves.

So, with that in mind, let’s take the chance to better ourselves, together, as a community. Self-improvement, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is the act or process of improving oneself by one’s own actions; it is also an instance or result of such improvement. This improvement helps re-focus our lives and typically results in a positive change. It takes time, but the time dedicated to self-improvement is substantial.

Join us this month in this simple challenge: Find one thing you admire about your partner every single day. 

While it’s not the case for every relationship, there are plenty of us that fall into a pattern after years of being together, and we start taking our partners for granted. The little things that used to make us smile have become just something they do, and we tend to focus on their flaws rather than what makes them outstanding. Taking the time out of your day to consciously look for the positive attributes in the person you love rekindles love and reminds you of why you fell for them in the first place.

Join us in this month’s challenge over the next two weeks. We’ll be back reporting back in 14 days with an update on how WE did. Hopefully, we’ll hear back from some of you as well on how your two-week self-improvement journey went.

Add our editor Mina Yan on WeChat (ID: Wilhelmina87) to share your experience on the challenge.

Images: Pexels

We all get the same 24 hours in a day, but why does it feel like some of us can get so much more done in the same amount of time? How is it that some people just seem to stay focused and lose their crap less often than others? Over the years, much has been theorized, discussed and debated about the secrets to productivity, success, and happiness. One common thing that all the research has pointed to? A morning routine.

So when Hannah Northcott and Rebecca Archer, the visionary women behind the Well Women Community here in Beijing, launched their Magical Morning Mastermind last year, I decided to sign up. I was lured by the promise of less chaotic and rushed mornings; of flowing productivity that will carry on throughout the day as a result of the Magical Morning routine, or MM as it’s affectionately termed.

So, I hear your question, “How was it?” In two words, game changer. One year on from that 21 day workshop, most days I continue to wake up just a little earlier than the rest of the family, because that isolation determines my focus, and I practice the 7 MM tools. I’ve tweaked them to make it work for me, and it comes naturally now. The results I, as well as others around me, have observed:

Better time management: I no longer scramble as much throughout the day from appointment to appointment.
Better temper: I don’t get quite as upset quite as often – my kid can attest to this.
Focus: I tend to stay on task until it’s done, rather than getting distracted halfway through.
Memory: I misplace fewer things and find myself remembering what I said I would do more often.

This year, Archer and Northcott are spreading the magic and taking their MM course online! This decision was made because they learned from last year’s live workshop that it’s extremely challenging to coordinate multiple schedules for a live workshop. A digital course accompanied by a live community group is a solution that fits most schedules, whilst promising support when needed. This MM digital course will be available on Teachable from Jan 19 for a special introductory price of RMB 599.

As a jingkids exclusive, the dynamic duo is giving one reader free access to their digital course! To win this life-changing course, all you have to do is tell us “Why you need Magical Morning in your life” in the comments section below. Northcott and Archer will pick and announce the winner on Sunday, Jan 23 during their free introductory webinar.

So go on then, tell us why you need Magical Morning in your life for a chance to win your own Magical Mornings!

KEEP READING: Celebrate CNY With a Sustainable and Meaningful Touch

Images: Dave’s Studio, Pexels, Vivienne Tseng-Rush, Well Women