Day 36 Recap: Today marks the end of the challenge for me—unfortunately, I did not complete all the tasks. I’m definitely disappointed and wish I were still in the middle of the program. I’m recording this a few days after ending, and honestly, my stress and overwhelm feel even heavier now than when I had five structured tasks to complete each day. My mental clarity is lower, and my body doesn’t feel as energetic.

I’ll be releasing another episode soon where I go deep into my full experience and share what I learned along the way.

As for Day 36 itself, I missed the second 45-minute workout, part of the gallon of water, and part of the 10 pages of reading. By the end of the evening, I made the choice to spend quality time with my family instead of pushing through the remaining tasks. I don’t necessarily regret that decision—it felt right in the moment—but I do regret not setting myself up for success earlier in the day.

Day 35 Recap: Another extremely challenging day. Work continues to get harder to manage, and some days the 75 Hard tasks feel almost impossible to complete.

Even with all the chaos and exhaustion, I still got everything done—though, once again, it all happened at the end of the day. It’s not ideal, but the boxes are checked, and that’s what matters.

Honestly, I don’t have much more to say about today. It was just one of those days I’m ready to have behind me. I’m hopeful things won’t always feel this hard and that better, lighter days are ahead.

Day 34 Recap: Office day! And honestly, this challenge is getting really hard for me right now. Work has been so intense and chaotic lately, and it’s becoming tougher each day to keep up with all the 75 Hard tasks.

Today was packed with meetings and calls, which meant I didn’t get in my 45-minute walk or my reading during the day. Everything had to happen at night—within the last four hours before bed—and that was rough.

The silver lining? I got to play laser tag with my boys, and it was such a fun way to move and unwind after a long workday. That little bit of laughter and bonding was exactly what I needed. I finished the night with a 45-minute walk on my walking pad, read my 10 pages, and wrapped it all up with my progress picture.

Some days, it’s just about pushing through and finding the bright spots—and tonight, that was my win.

References & Links:

📘 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
🎧75 Hard Daily Podcast by Jonathan McLean
🏋️‍♀️Growingannanas — YouTube Channel
💪MadFit — YouTube Channel
🧘‍♀️Yoga with Adriene — YouTube Channel
🏃Couch to 5K App — App Store
🎧REAL AF Podcast by Andy Frisella
🎧Steal Like an Artist Audiobook by Austin Kleon

Day 33 Recap: Today was one of those days where life threw in an unexpected time-consuming task. My daughter needed to go to the doctor, and since we live out in the country, that meant a 30-minute drive each way—plus time in the waiting room and another wait at the pharmacy. Altogether, it ate up nearly three hours of what would’ve been my 75 Hard time in between meetings. Definitely not ideal!

Even with the disruption, I still got all my tasks done—it just meant both workouts happened after 6pm. Not my favorite timing, but I made it happen.

The day wasn’t all chaos, though. I started the morning strong by getting my reading done first thing and kept my meals simple and clean with salad and soup. Despite the hurdles, I’m genuinely proud of how I handled the day. It’s a reminder that 75 Hard is as much about flexibility and mindset as it is about discipline.

References & Links:

📘 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
🎧75 Hard Daily Podcast by Jonathan McLean
🏋️‍♀️Growingannanas — YouTube Channel
💪MadFit — YouTube Channel
🧘‍♀️Yoga with Adriene — YouTube Channel
🏃Couch to 5K App — App Store
🎧REAL AF Podcast by Andy Frisella
🎧Steal Like an Artist Audiobook by Austin Kleon

Day 32 Recap: The beginning of the week always feels like a reset, and I needed it. Weekends can be tough to manage with all the 75 Hard tasks—they tend to feel a bit unorganized and overwhelming. Having the kids at school and the house to myself brings me so much calm and focus to get things done.

I’m still really enjoying The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I’ve realized I especially like the son’s added sections—it gives the book a more modern, relatable touch.

The one area I’m still struggling with? Water. I just can’t seem to get used to it! My body isn’t adjusting, and I’m still drinking most of it in the second half of the day, which I don’t love.

Today’s win, though, was being proactive—I had a packed schedule of meetings, so I knocked out my outdoor walk at 9am. That, paired with a killer 45-minute strength workout from Growingannanas on YouTube, made for a solid workout day.

Food was simple and satisfying thanks to the whole chicken my husband cooked over the weekend. I used some for a salad at lunch and had more with BBQ sauce and peas for dinner. Easy, delicious, and on plan.

References & Links:📘 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
🎧75 Hard Daily Podcast by Jonathan McLean
🏋️‍♀️Growingannanas — YouTube Channel
💪MadFit — YouTube Channel
🧘‍♀️Yoga with Adriene — YouTube Channel
🏃Couch to 5K App — App Store
🎧REAL AF Podcast by Andy Frisella
🎧Steal Like an Artist Audiobook by Austin Kleon

Day 31 Recap: Even though it was the weekend and I technically had all the time in the world, I still ended up finishing my water around 9pm and knocking out both workouts later in the day. Not ideal, but done!

Food-wise, I kept things light and simple—and made a mindful choice by skipping the highly processed nacho cheese on my homemade chili fries. That’s a quiet win I’m claiming proudly.

I’m still working through The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, but sticking to just 10 pages a day because it’s definitely a longer, more in-depth read. I’ve also made a new decision: I won’t look at my progress pictures until I reach the halfway point (Day 37/38) to compare with Day 1. But I’m reminding myself—this isn’t a weight loss program. It’s a mental toughness challenge. Even if physical changes aren’t dramatic yet, I can’t let that derail my momentum or define my success.

References & Links:

📘 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
🎧75 Hard Daily Podcast by Jonathan McLean
🏋️‍♀️Growingannanas — YouTube Channel
💪MadFit — YouTube Channel
🧘‍♀️Yoga with Adriene — YouTube Channel
🏃Couch to 5K App — App Store
🎧REAL AF Podcast by Andy Frisella
🎧Steal Like an Artist Audiobook by Austin Kleon

On Day 30, the mental battle is real. I found myself deep in a spiral of wanting to quit—crafting in my head how I’d even announce it on the podcast. The idea of switching to another program or something “more flexible” felt incredibly tempting, especially because this challenge forces me to leave my comfort zone daily. It’s uncomfortable, it’s repetitive, and it requires discipline when I just want ease and freedom.

But that discomfort is exactly why I know I still need this challenge. Day 30 reminded me that the voice urging me to quit is the same one that has always held me back from long-term progress. So, even with the negative thoughts weighing me down, I chose not to quit today. I showed up. I did the work. And sometimes, that’s the win. Today wasn’t extraordinary in terms of tasks—but mentally, it was a huge test.

📚 Daily References & Resources

📘 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — Stephen R. Covey
🎧 75 Hard Daily Podcast — Jonathan McLean (Apple Podcasts)
🏋️‍♀️ Growingannanas — YouTube
💪 MadFit — YouTube
🧘‍♀️ Yoga with Adriene — YouTube
🏃 Couch to 5K App — App Store
🎧 Andy Frisella — REAL AF Podcast (Apple Podcasts)
🎧 Steal Like an Artist Audiobook — Austin Kleon

It’s that time of the month again, and today came with fatigue, headaches, and cramping — basically the perfect combo for not wanting to tackle 75 Hard. But here we are, still doing the thing.

I kept my workouts light: an outdoor walk and then another walk on my walking pad with some stretching. Couch to 5K will have to wait for a day when my body isn’t waging war against me. 😅

Food was a bright spot — I made a chicken orzo skillet that was both healthy and genuinely delicious. I even managed to finish my water early (finally!) and got my reading done before bed.

I did step on the scale since we’re four weeks in, and I’m down 11.5 lbs total. Part of me wishes I had seen more progress this week, but I’m reminding myself — progress is still progress. I didn’t gain it overnight, so I can’t expect to lose it overnight either.

All in all, given how crappy I felt today, I’d say I still showed up pretty dang well.

References & Links:

📘 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
🎧75 Hard Daily Podcast by Jonathan McLean
🏋️‍♀️Growingannanas — YouTube Channel
💪MadFit — YouTube Channel
🧘‍♀️Yoga with Adriene — YouTube Channel
🏃Couch to 5K App — App Store
🎧REAL AF Podcast by Andy Frisella
🎧Steal Like an Artist Audiobook by Austin Kleon

Four weeks down—hooray! 🎉 But real talk… it’s starting to feel a little monotonous. I’m not someone who thrives in repetitive routines for too long, and right now, I can feel that boredom creeping in.

Water is becoming the biggest struggle. I’m tired of thinking about it. I don’t enjoy drinking it anymore, and I always end up distracted during the day, which leads to chugging a ton at night. Not ideal, but I’m pushing through since the rules are the rules. 😅

I’m also having trouble focusing on my current book. I love what I’m reading, but my mind keeps wandering—to chores, dinner plans, things I need to remember later… everything except the words on the page. I might need to reintroduce morning meditation to reset my brain before I read.

Workouts were simple and manageable: an outdoor walk and some time on the walking pad plus stretching. And food? Chili leftovers from my husband—better the next day as always. 🙌

📚 Resources & References

📘 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
🎧75 Hard Daily Podcast by Jonathan McLean
🏋️‍♀️Growingannanas — YouTube Channel
💪MadFit — YouTube Channel
🧘‍♀️Yoga with Adriene — YouTube Channel
🏃Couch to 5K App — App Store
🎧REAL AF Podcast by Andy Frisella
🎧Steal Like an Artist Audiobook by Austin Kleon

Day 27 landed on an office day, which I love for the social energy—but wow, it does NOT always love me back when it comes to staying on top of 75 Hard tasks. I totally slacked on my water and completely ran out of time to get my outdoor workout in before heading home. By the time I walked through the door at 6pm, I still had two full 45-minute workouts to get done. Not ideal.

So, we improvised. I grabbed the kids and played laser tag outside to knock out my outdoor workout (and let me tell you, running around dodging fake bullets in the dark is surprisingly intense). For my second workout, I hit the walking pad and got some laptop work done before bed—while still making it in time to watch Survivor with my husband because that’s sacred time.

I started diving deeper into The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and I can already tell it’s going to take more focus than my last book. I definitely need total quiet if I’m going to actually absorb this one. But I’m excited—it feels like one of those books that sticks with you long after you finish it.

Food-wise, I kept things clean but flavorful. I grabbed a healthy Greek meal for lunch near the office, and for dinner, my husband made his famous chili, which always hits just right.

Key Lesson of the Day: Life won’t hand you perfect timing, so sometimes you just have to get creative, adapt, and make it work—even if it involves laser tag and late-night treadmill sessions.

References & Links

📘 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
🎧75Hard Daily Podcast by Jonathan McLean
🏋️‍♀️Growingannanas— YouTube Channel
💪MadFit — YouTube Channel
🧘‍♀️Yoga with Adriene — YouTube Channel
🏃Couch to 5K App — App Store
🎧REAL AF Podcast by Andy Frisella
🎧Steal Like an Artist Audiobook by Austin Kleon