Newsletter #13

When I completed 75 Hard the first time, I celebrated it by drinking some whiskey and eating chocolate. A strange combination, maybe, but it tasted great. My body was less happy, and I got diarrhea. The following day, I decided to start with Phase 1. 75 Hard is not just 75 days; there are three other phases as well.

Phase 1 includes all 75 Hard rules, plus three additional tasks: 10 minutes of visualization, three additional critical tasks (I don’t recall what they were; my diaries are in a box somewhere), and a five-minute cold shower for 30 days. Phase 2 is a mini 75 Hard for 30 days. Phase 3—this is the phase I never got to—is Phase 1 with a daily act of kindness and talking to a stranger for 30 days.

I remember that Phase 1 was quite challenging. The cold shower was the easy part. Visualization was something new for me. I used a timer to make sure I visualized for at least 10 minutes. The three extra tasks were the hard part. My days were already packed. I managed to do everything every day; time management is a great skill, but I lost it within months after completing it. Time management is something I need to focus on more; it is part of my vision for 2026. I completed Phase 1 twice, the second time with a change.

After completing 75 Hard for the second time, I started directly with Phase 1. During my second attempt at Phase 1, I stopped drinking a gallon of water. I had barely any energy, and I went to my doctor for an extended blood test. The blood tests were fine; the only thing that could have been wrong was that the massive amounts of water were messing up my electrolytes. I was already adding salt to my water, so I decided to reduce the amount of water I drank. This resolved the issue, and within a day, I had plenty of energy. Now I know that when you pee water-colored, you are overhydrated, but back then, I did not realize this. When you are overhydrated, you lose electrolytes, and your kidneys have to work harder. Light yellow to yellow pee is optimal hydration. Dark yellow is underhydrated, except for your first pee of the day. Please see: https://www.healthline.com/health/hydration-chart for more information on the different colors.

To be continued.