Lately, I have been stuck in a rut when it comes to eating healthy. My schedule is overflowing with work, an internship and school. Time just slips away from me, so I end up picking up food from a drive-thru on my way to one of my many activities. As weeks went by, I could see myself start to slip into a cycle of headache after headache, and I knew it was time for a change.

After lots of planning, my family and I decided to begin a 21-day challenge to eat food only from home. If I’m being honest, I wasn’t happy about it. I enjoy eating healthy food, but the motivation to wake up early and make myself a meal, or give up the Doritos Locos taco I so desperately wanted just wasn’t there, but I knew it was time for a change.

About two weeks ago, my family and I started the challenge. The first few days were simply annoying. I wanted my iced vanilla latte in the morning, I didn’t want to waste time coming home to get a snack before going to my endless line of meetings and I definitely didn’t want to eat leftovers that had been in the fridge for a week for dinner that night. However, after the first few days, things seemed to get better, and I started to look forward to coming home to a meal my mom cooked for me.

Even though I do feel healthier, I think something I’ve gained from this challenge, other than the will to cook and eat at home, is the satisfaction that seems to come along with it. Not only do I feel healthier and more awake, but I also feel proud of the achievement I’ve made. While sometimes I mess up a little and eat something I know isn’t very healthy, I feel accomplished for coming as far as I have. Even just a few small steps toward your goal is something worth being proud of and will help you feel both happy and healthy.