We can do anything for 30 days! Right? Yes, we can! A 30 day challenge can be the gateway to lifelong habits. We all have something that we would either like to add to our life or subtract from our life – something that is going to make a better you! What are you waiting for?!?!
It’s important that the challenge you pick is not so big that it can’t be sustained. The idea behind a 30 day challenge is that when you reach day 30 you have made sufficient progress and/or experienced enough positive results that you want to continue and; thus, it becomes a habit.
I am on Day 8 of drinking 80 ounces of water every day and already feeling the benefits of healthier skin and more energy. I have also found that I am not as hungry in the late afternoon when normally a food craving may attack. With Arizona temperatures outside reaching over 110°, this is a great time to fuel your body with water and make it a habit. I also used a 30 day challenge to get back on track with getting to work on time. Somehow I found myself arriving to work 5 to 15 minutes late almost every day. While no one made a big deal of it, I was not happy with myself. Punctuality is very important to me. I knew I would never be late to a workout session. So, I enlisted the help of an accountability partner. I needed to call him from my work phone by 8:30 every work day. Hey, it worked! Not wanting the stress of having to beat the clock I planned to be at work at least 5 to 10 minutes early. I went for 30 days in a row of not being late and now it’s back to being routine.
Here are some steps to get started on your 30 day challenge:
- Pick something that you really want to change or something new that you want to try.
- Tell yourself, “I can do anything for 30 days!”
- Enlist the help of an accountability partner or make it public on social media.
- Document the activity on a calendar for the 30 days.
- Report how you feel and the benefits obtained at the end of the 30 days.
Here are some examples of things you might try for 30 days in a row:
Add:
- Play a musical instrument for 20 minutes.
- Read 10 pages in a book that you’ve wanted to read.
- Drink 80 ounces of water starting each morning with warm lemon water.
- Write down at least 3 things that you are grateful for.
- Walk 10,000 steps or 5 minutes of planks or 10 minutes of stretching
Subtract:
- No added sugar.
- No caffeine or alcohol.
- No TV.
- No eating out.
- No negative self-talk
At the very least you could just spend each day being present and grateful to the simple and routine tasks that you can do every day. This alone will make you feel happier and more fulfilled and ready to take on a bigger challenge. And, finally, don’t wait for the 1st of the month. You can start tomorrow! What will you do for 30 days in a row for a better and stronger you?
Amy