Modeled after the Daily Stoic’s “New Year, New You Challenge”, this is a working accountability group. Each month, we will meet, discuss the monthly challenge and then spend the rest of the month investigating the challenge. At the next meeting, we will report our progress, what we learned, what we liked and what we didn’t. Don’t worry about missing a session or joining late. You’ll be able to pick right up!

More Info:Want to join us? Click the green 1stUUPB Zoom Meeting button on our home page: www.1stuupb.org.

Month One: February – Introduction
In this session, we will overview the group’s work including: Outline of Sessions (Including our Covenant); Introduction to Stoicism; we’ll watch a video to explain Stoicism, which forms the root base of this work and we’ll have a Group Discussion

Month Two: March – The Word
In this, our second session, we’re each going to pick a word to define your year. You don’t have to have it all figured out at this session. You may change your mind. But you’ll pick a guiding word.

Month Three: April – The Burn
In this, our third session, we’re going to report back to the group on your word choice. Did you change your mind? How are you finding your guiding word? Then, we will set up for next month. This month, we will choose some words, thoughts or ideas that were dominant in our prior year and send them up in flames. You don’t have to have it all figured out at this session. You may change your mind. In the with new, out with the old.

Month Four: May – The Time
In this, our fourth session, we’re going to report back to the group on your burning session. How hard was it to decide what to burn? Did you actually burn it? How did you feel after the burn? How about your word…how is that going? Then, we will set up for next month. This month, we will be time mapping…like a diary, but for your time. What insights can we learn about ourselves from how we spend our time?

Month Five: June – The Money
In this, our fifth session, we’re going to report back to the group your time diary and any other insights from ongoing work on prior months. How hard was it? Did you learn anything by doing it? Did you make any changes? Then, we will set up for next month which is a spending diary. Just like the time diary, but for spending time instead of money. What insights can we learn about ourselves from how we spend our money?our time?

Month Six: July – The Body
In this, our sixth session, we’re going to report back to the group your spending diary and any other insights from ongoing work on prior months. How hard was it? Did you learn anything by doing it? Did you make any changes? Then, we will set up for next month which is a big change. Next month, we’ll be focused on our bodies and setting fitness goals. What we do with our bodies is important. What changes would you like to make to improve or change your physical condition?

Month Seven: August – The Flies
In this, our seventh session, we’re going to report back to the group on your body challenge and any other insights from ongoing work on prior months. Were you able to make any changes? How did it feel? Then, we will set up for next month which centers around distraction…flies. Next month, we’ll be focused on what takes up our attention outside of our intention? What things are time-wasters that just need to go?

Month Eight: September – The Rhythm
In this, our eighth session, we’re going to report back to the group on your “flies” and any other insights from ongoing work on prior months. Did any of your distractions bother you? What activities were you able to substitute en lieu of your “flies”? Then, we will set up for next month which centers around our rhythms. Next month, we’ll be focused on the when and how our days begin and end. What if we were to modify our wake and sleeping times?

Month Nine: October – The Start
In this, our ninth session, we’re going to report back to the group on any changes we made to our day’s rhythm and any other insights from ongoing work on prior months. Were you able to make any changes? How did it feel? Then, we will set up for next month which centers around the start of each day Next month, we’ll be focused on what we do during the first thirty minutes of each day. How we wake up. What we do next, and so on.

Month Ten: November – The Choice
In this, our tenth session, we’re going to report back to the group on your first 30 minutes as well as any other insights from ongoing work on prior months. Were you able to make any changes to those important first thirty minutes? How did it feel? Then, we will set up for next month which mood and our ability to influence it. Our choices. Next month, we’ll be focused on taking more ownership about how we react to events and other stimulus. To what extent do we let ourselves run wild and to what extent do we command control over our emotions, reactions and feelings?

Month Eleven: December – The Wrap
In this, our eleventh and last session, we’re going to report back to the group on your choices of mood. Were you able to convince yourself that you had control? Were you actually able to will a change in your mood? Then, we will wrap up our work. What did you find helpful? What were you able to integrate into your life? What did you find challenging? What do you think you might carry with you going forward? How could this work group be better?

Resources: (more to be added here as time goes on)
Working Group Covenant (may be amended by the group as time goes on)
Video from Session 1 (you can re-view or preview the overview of Stoicism)
The Daily Stoic Site (you can sign up for daily e-mails, watch videos, etc)
150 Word of the Year Ideas (handout for Month Two)