The beginning is always today.
– Mary Shelley
You’ve probably seen my 23 challenge ideas I posted a while ago.
Since the post, I’ve taken up many more challenges. I’ve further discovered several challenge ideas I’d like to attempt.
Turns out there’s no shortage of challenge ideas when we look for them.
Makes total sense: there’s no limit to improving ourselves, after all.
I was wary of listing all 100 ideas as they might cause you the paradox of choice: too many choices leading you to no action.
But after several months of taking up these challenges, I’ve learned it doesn’t have to be that way.
If you feel the list is overwhelming and can’t decide where to start, I suggest you pick the easiest one from the list.
Trust me: one or two are enough for you to build momentum.
In no time will you be hooked on this way of life, living intentionally and purposefully.
I’ve completed most challenges listed below.
I’ll continue to use these challenge ideas as a primary tool to improve myself.
I hope it does the same for you.
If you’re sitting on the fence whether you want to give it a go, let me repeat the benefits of 30-Day challenge from my previous post and why you’ll want to start now instead of waiting around for a new year to begin.
A 30-Day is More Achievable Than a Year
How many times have you felt like a loser at the end of the year?
Your new year starts with tons of ambitious goals you want to achieve by the year-end.
More than half of them were unfulfilled goals from the previous year because, well, things didn’t work out as you had planned (again).
They’ll likely be on your Next Year’s Resolutions list yet again.
Bummer.
You know the feeling, right?
But when you start a monthly challenge, you only have to look back 30 days.
Not happy with your progress in the past 30 days? You can start afresh fairly quickly, pick yourself up and say:
Come on, it’s only a month – let’s do it!
And you get to work the following month (or the following day), not the following year.
Monthly Tracking is Far More Effective
….. for our focus and productivity.
It’s also more fun.
You can replace your current challenges or add a new one at the beginning of the month.
And by reviewing how each challenge helps you improve yourself regularly, you get more motivated to follow it through than otherwise.
Tracking progress regularly and celebrating a small win (or several small wins) is a cornerstone to achieving goals.
I have a Google calendar print out where I can see every day and draw 5 stars each day I complete the challenge.
Nothing makes you more motivated than seeing your calendar filled with stars after stars!
You Learn to Make Good Choices
Every time you think about challenges to take on and commit to them, you make a conscious decision.
You’re attuned to thinking about the areas of your life that need improving.
You become self-aware and make wise choices with your time and energy.
At the end of each month, you feel happier and more fulfilled.
Coasting through life is no longer you.
With each challenge idea, living proactively and intentionally is where you’re at.
More Confident You
With continuous self-improvement, you grow to be a super confident person with a healthy dose of self-esteem.
You act proactively and positively towards life’s challenges.
You become healthier and bolder, feeling empowered, achieving your dreams and creating the life you want.
100 30-Day Challenge Ideas
It’s good to have a baseline when we take up a new challenge: 30 days is a good baseline, hence a 30-Day Challenge.
Depending on the challenge and the level of your commitment and abilities, you can change the length of the challenge.
Or lump a couple of challenge ideas into one!
There’s no hard rule.
The only rule is to pick at least one and commit to it every day over the course of 30 days.
Let these challenge ideas help you live consciously by improving whichever area of life you want to improve.
You can do the most of the challenges below for 30 days straight.
For example, meditate for 20 minutes every day or get up at 5 am every day.
In order to avoid repetition, I’ve excluded “every day”.
(Note that fasting for 30 days straight isn’t recommended! It’s an idea that you can adapt, say, for 1 day a week or 2 days a week in the next 30 days.)
Let’s get to it.
1. Get up at 5 am
2. Take 10 deep breaths in and out in the morning and before bed
3. Make the bed first thing in the morning
4. Start morning with one positive affirmation
5. Stand in front of the mirror in the morning, smile and say:
It’s going to be a great day!
6. Look in the mirror and say out loud what you love about your body
7. Make a wish and let the feeling of happiness wash over you as if it’s already happened
8. Visualise your ideal day
10 Write down your top 3 most important things to do in the morning or the night before
11. Sleep for 8 hours
12. Set a bedtime and stick to it
13. Keep the devices outside the bedroom
14. Stay off the internet in the evening
15. Turn off all electronics after 7 pm
16. Do fasting
17. Study nutrition, diet, or exercise for 30 minutes
18. Drink half a gallon (2 litres) water
19. Go without sugar
20. Give up alcohol
21. Give up coffee
22. Quit buying sugary snacks: chocolates, cookies and cakes
23. Quit drinking soda
24. Read non-fiction for 30 minutes
25. Research and make a list of books you want to read
26. Play Sudoku
27. Play the piano for 30 minutes (replace the piano with a musical instrument you want to learn)
28. Pick one side hustle and work on it
29. Read your favourite blog posts for 30 minutes
30. Start a blog, write and publish a blog post
31. Take up a new hobby
32. Learn a new language
33. Set a reminder every few hours to check in on yourself
34. Keep house/car keys in the same place
35. Commute to work without your car or park a few blocks from work and walk
36. Clean up the workspace after use
37. Skip watching TV
38. Quit Social Media
39. Take a walk for 30 minutes, rain or shine
40. Take a walk without your phone
41. Clean up digital clutter
42. Wear the same clothes
43. Go a month without makeup
44. Throw away one item from the wardrobe, garage or attic
45. Donate one item to a charity shop
46. Keep track of your expenses
48. Use cash only
49. No fast food, takeaway or eat out
50. Quit buying brand new stuff
51. Schedule time to do absolutely nothing
52. Learn to cook
53. Cook a homemade meal
54. Cook a new recipe
55. Pack your lunch for the day the night before
56. Log what you eat
57. Eat meals without your phone or TV
58. Stop drinking any caffeine after 5 pm
59. Talk to a stranger
60. Be the first to smile and say hello
61. Give a compliment to someone
62. Show a random act of kindness
63. Quit complaining
64. Quit cursing
65. Quit gossipping
66. Quit smoking
68. Quit making excuses
69. Write a journal
70. Say one thing you’re grateful for every time you brush your teeth
71. Write down 3 things you’re grateful for
72. Write a thank-you note to yourself or/and someone
73. Write down one thing you love about yourself
74. Write down one thing that made you laugh
75. Spend 10 minutes writing down ideas (life goals, side hustle ideas, personal growth and so on)
76. Write down a quote or something powerful you heard each day
77. Write down something you did that made you feel proud
78. Write down negative thoughts and cross them out
79. Keep a list of what you accomplished
80. Watch a TED Talk
81. Listen to audiobooks or podcasts
82. Learn a new word – write down a sentence using the new word
83. Sit up straight, walk straight and stand taller.
84. Sit in nature
85. Take a photo of something that makes you happy
86. Drive somewhere new / Visit a new coffee shop/store/area of your town
87. Go to a park
88. Visit the library
89. Go to the gym
90. Do 100 jumping rope
91. Do 100 squats
92. Do 100 push-ups
93. Do 100 sit-ups
94. Do 100 flutter kicks
95. Do planks for 5 minutes
96. Do the stomach vacuum (you can do it anywhere, sitting or standing)
97. Stretch
98. Do a tree post for 30 seconds to 1 minute for each leg
99. Walk 10,000 steps
100. Take the stairs
Final Thoughts
I hope you make the most of the challenge ideas in this post.
When you start out each challenge, you’re making a promise to yourself.
Keeping a promise you make to yourself is a surefire way to boost self-confidence.
That’s why, with each challenge completed, you feel good about yourself and become more confident.
30-Day challenge ideas are a superb tool for continuous self-improvement, winning over daily temptations, overcoming limitations and mastering yourself.
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