These 30-day challenges may or may not change your life, but it’s always worth a shot, right?
Let’s face it, there is a competitor in all of us. Whether it’s to have the cleanest house, best behaved kids (notice how everyone’s kids are saints on Facebook?), smartest kids, newest car, biggest house, best spouse, latest gadget, etc… That’s what makes 30-day challenges so popular.
The great thing about 30-day challenges are you make 1 small change in your life at a time. The only person you are competing against is yourself. These two things combined really make it easy to complete the challenge and stick to it after the challenge has ended.
There is an old saying; it takes 2 weeks to make or break a habit.
Hopefully, you will find these 30 day challenges useful and life changing or at least life altering.
1. Quit Smoking
Let the groans begin! Hey, I get it! I am a smoker too (currently trying to quit for good this time!) Smoking is so bad for you, even us smokers don’t deny that. Vaping is just as bad, so you truly haven’t quit smoking if you are vaping. I vaped too, it almost killed me, so please no comments about how it is so much better for you! It’s still bad!
Take 30 days and just quit! Do it with the help of family and friends. Quit cold turkey or use nicotine replacement therapy if you have to. Go for a hike, walk, or run when you feel a craving (bonus points for also getting in shape at the same time).
2. Quit/Reduce Drinking
Alcohol that is, or at least cut-down. I know the studies show that a glass of wine a day is good for you and for you 1 glass a day peeps, this isn’t for you (unless you have health issues from it of course).
If you binge drink, do stupid stuff when you have had too many (that is me! hello mrs. I must take my clothes off), or you cannot hold your liquor maybe it’s time to give it up or cut way down on that alcohol consumption!
If you are an alcoholic, please seek treatment!
3. Up your step count
If you are just starting out tracking your steps, start with a goal of 5,000 per day. If you already meet that goal, up it to another 1,000. Eventually, try and reach a goal of 10,000 steps per day. I love my UA Band (aff link) for this!
4. Go Outside
It’s amazing what fresh air can do for the mind, body, and soul! If you spend most of your days indoors, make it a point to go outside and enjoy the fresh air for at least 10 minutes each day!
5. Give up Social Media
Yikes! What!? How will you ever live without social media? Simple, the same way you lived without it growing up or even 10 years ago!
If your a youngin’ I understand this may be more difficult as you may have had social media for most of your life. It will be ok though! There is so much more you could focus on, than the latest selfie or status update!
6. Give up T.V.
But how will you live without the tube? How will you get the news? Simple, there is a thing called the newspaper. Yes, newspapers still exist! Imagine that!
Give up television for 30 days and see what kind of impact it has on your life!
7. Exercise once a day
If you’re just starting out, aim for 10-15 minutes a day and work your way up. You will be amazed at how much more energy you have throughout the day!
8. Keep a journal/diary
Women prefer to call it a diary and men tend to like the word journal. Whatever you choose to call it, spend at least once a day writing in your journal. Jot down what you did that day, how you felt. Did someone make you mad? What do you hope to accomplish tomorrow?
It’s amazing how freeing this can be for the mind and soul. Plus, you can pass it down to your children or grandchildren when they are older. What a great keepsake for them to see how life was lived back in our day.
9. Read a book
I love to read, so for me, this would be an easy challenge. My husband on the other hand, unless it’s about cars, guns, hunting, or golf AND has pictures, he won’t touch it.
Reading a good book can inspire you and leave you feeling refreshed and knowledgeable. It relieves stress and can help you get to sleep easier. Need some ideas? Check out some of my book reviews.
10. Keep a gratitude journal
Every day, write down at least one thing you are thankful for. It’s amazing how you can change your way of thinking when you start thinking positively instead of constantly thinking about the “bad” things in your life.
When you start feeling sad or that nothing is going your way, you can always pull out your gratitude journal to remind you of everything you have to be thankful for!
11. Pay it forward
At least once a day, do a good deed for your fellow human being. Whether it is saying thank you to a stranger for their hard work, paying for a stranger’s meal, or simply opening a door, try and do a good deed at least once a day!
12. Write your dreams down
Writing your dreams down is a good way explore what may really be bothering you, especially if you believe that certain dreams mean certain things. Even if you are not into that kind of stuff, it would make one heck of a story book!
13. Take a photo
Spend the next 30 days taking a picture a day of something you love or intrigues you. Bonus points if you turn it into a storybook saying why you took each picture.
14. Compliment someone
Find someone at least once a day to hand out a compliment to; whether it’s your spouse, child, loved one, friend or just some blow joe on the street! Ok, you might want to be cautious with strangers, as a simple compliment can set some people off for one reason or another, but you get the idea.
15. Take up a new hobby
Spend the next 30 days exploring and learning a new hobby. Maybe you have always wanted to learn to sew, quilt, draw, or build a table.
16. 30-Day Minimalism Game
I just found this online and you can read the full details here. The point is to help rid your home of clutter within 30 days by getting rid of something every day. Everyone in your home is supposed to participate. Basically, on day 1 you each get rid of 1 item. On day 2 you each get rid of 2 items, etc..
17. Use only cash
When you use cash you will find that you typically spend less (lets face it we hate physically seeing money go from our pocket to someone else). This doesn’t mean you need to go back to writing checks. You can still use your bank card to pay the bills or get gas. Instead try using cash for all the other stuff, like groceries, eating out, clothing, etc… I know when I use cash at the grocery store I tend to spend a lot less. Not only am I saving my wallet, my waist is thanking me too!
Do you have suggestions to add to this list?
Do you have any ideas or suggestions to add to this list? Comment below and let me know!
What a great list! I’ll have to give some of these a try soon!
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing! #monsterlink
What a great list! I’m in the “read a book” phase – a book for me, not the kids. But it is hard to stay awake!
#momsterslink
I think the read a book challenge is the one I do everyday. I may need to challenge myself to do a few new things. Thanks for linking up with #momsterslink
Great list, may have to give a few of these a try x
#Momsterslink
These are great ideas. There are a few that I should try.. not sure I’m ready to give up social media just yet though.
#momsterslink
fantastic list, I will try to do a few but i think I can’t quit social media and tv for now because those are my little escape when I have free time #momsterslink
I love all of these ideas! I do most of them anyway so that’s a good sign. I won’t ever give up television or social media but other than that I feel like I’m pretty solid
I need to exercise more each day. I used to be a competitive athlete so it was easy to get my daily exercise in – but after I stopped competing I just got lazy! Suddenly my time was filled with a hundred other things to get done! I like the idea of a challenge though. A goal is motivating.
Giving up social media is hard when your career is freelance writing and social media management, haha. But this is definitely a life-changing list. Hoping many take charge of their futures with this 🙂
Great ideas! I’m doing NaNoWriMo next month so that will be writing every day. I’m not sure if it will change my life but it will certainly challenge me 🙂
Great ideas, 30 day strategy is great for so many things, definitley sharing this
no way, how do you give up social media? Even tougher than smoking))))
This is a great list of challenges to inspire change. The best thing about it is that usually after the first 30 days, it becomes routine, especially when the challenges make you feel good!
These are all great ideas for getting out of a rut and making some positive life changes! The hardest things for me are sticking to a good diet and exercise plan. I successfully dropped soda, but have trouble sticking to a workout plan for more than a month at a time. As far as things I am trying to do right now, reading a new book every month is up there! I like the idea of just reading a little bit every single day to keep the excitement going. 🙂
Great challenge! I need to go see the outdoors more often 🙂 xo, sharon
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I have never tried to challenge myself before.But after reading the article, I think that I must to try
Thank you!)