I’m a big fan of challenging myself. Whether it’s something like doing a daily exercise routine, or a no-spend month. It could be because I’m a little competitive (ok a lot!).
Doing a 30 day personal growth challenge can really help to reinforce positive habits and behaviors. Thinking about how you want to grow as a person is an excellent way to set goals for yourself that may otherwise seem too broad and overwhelming.
Whatever your reason might be for embarking upon a challenge, setting a goal for yourself that focuses on improving one thing can really help to improve other areas in your life as well.
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Why 30 days?
It’s really not that long, so it’s very achievable. It’s also long enough to see results, but it’s not so long that you’ll get sick of doing the same thing.
30-day challenges can be especially helpful when trying something new instead of sticking with what you’re already familiar with. A challenge helps to change your mindset and can help to get you out of a rut.
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- What is personal growth?
- How does a personal growth challenge benefit us
- How does the 30 Day Challenge work
- 30 day personal growth challenge
- Day 1: Wake up early
- Day 2: Clean out one drawer or cabinet
- Day 3: Practice being more positive
- Day 4: Take the stairs
- Day 5: Learn something new
- Day 6: Get some exercise
- Day 7: Get good sleep
- Day 8: Practice patience
- Day 9: Make your bed
- Day 10: Get off social media
- Day 11: Make a tough decision
- Day 12: Go out alone
- Day 13: Reorganise your closet
- Day 14: Make a list of your accomplishments
- Day 15: Do something spontaneous
- Day 16: Get outside
- Day 17: Make your favourite meal
- Day 18: Practice meditation
- Day 19: Clean out your desk
- Day 20: Write down everything you're grateful for
- Day 21: Clean out your purse/wallet
- Day 22: Make a vision board
- Day 23: Clear out your expectations
- Day 24: Let go of grudges
- Day 25: Start a new book
- Day 26: Do something you love
- Day 27: Practice mindfulness
- Day 28: Write down your goals
- Day 29: Try something new
- Day 30: Think of three things that went well today
What is personal growth?
Personal growth means different things to different people
For some, it’s doing something they never imagined themselves capable of doing. For others, personal growth is about making changes in their lives that benefit them in the long-term instead of just focusing on short-term gratification.
It could be moving past a fear or flaw that you have. It could also be something positive, like a new goal or a skill you’ve always wanted to learn.
Personal growth is as individual as the person seeking to grow. However, there are some common themes we all experience in life and we can use these for our personal growth challenges.
Self-direction – how to direct yourself toward your goals and make changes in your life without the need of others (i.e. self-discipline)
Self-control -how to be in control of yourself and what you’re doing when it comes to personal growth (i.e. patience, exercise, healthy diet)
Self-enrichment – knowledge that you can gain on any topic that interests you
Self-understanding – being able to have an understanding of your thoughts, ideas, actions,etc
Self-acceptance – being able to accept who you are, your strengths and weaknesses without judgment or regret
How does a personal growth challenge benefit us
Personal growth challenges are great because you can start seeing results almost immediately.
Setting goals for yourself in the long term can be difficult when there’s no immediate feedback or gratification that comes with it.
However, personal growth challenges allow us to see progress in just 30 days, which helps us to learn how our choices directly affect our lives and what it is that we may have to change in order to achieve our goals.
30-day challenges are also great because they’re challenging enough that achieving them feels rewarding. Without too much time, you’re able to set goals for yourself that are difficult enough to challenge yourself, but not so hard that you’ll never be able to complete them.
There are many benefits associated with a personal growth challenge, and there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to why you might want to engage in one
Some of the most common reasons include:
Gain confidence – Whether you’re facing your fears due to self-acceptance or challenging yourself against someone else’s ideas of what you’re capable of, a growth challenge has the potential to make you feel more confident in your abilities.
Gain self-respect – A personal growth challenge can help you understand yourself better and take control over how you think and feel about yourself
Growth mindset – You’ll begin to view challenges as something positive rather than something to be feared
Goal setting – Learning how to set and achieve goals, will help you pursue other personal growth challenges in the future.
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How does the 30 Day Challenge work
The key to any challenge is consistency. If you’re just starting out with the 30-day challenge, then it’s important to start slow and build up.
Instead of committing to something like running for an hour every day, I recommend choosing something simpler like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or simply going for a 30 minute walk each day.
Once you’ve gotten started and are seeing improvement with these simple changes, it’s okay to push yourself a little further.
Just remember: consistency is key!
Don’t forget about challenging yourself in areas that are important to you. It can be easy to stay on track with things that are directly related to your goals, but try challenging yourself in areas outside of what you find enjoyable or comfortable.
30 day personal growth challenge
Day 1: Wake up early
Whether it’s just 30 minutes earlier than usual or two hours, try waking up earlier than usual for a day and take advantage of the quiet time to set your intentions for the day. A good morning routine can really set you up for the day.
Day 2: Clean out one drawer or cabinet
Even if it’s just cleaning out one drawer in your kitchen, clearing off a spot on your dresser, etc., just focus on putting things away that you don’t need anymore.
Read also: How To Declutter Your House In One Day: Room To Room
Day 3: Practice being more positive
For today, try to catch yourself whenever you’re thinking negative thoughts and turn them into something positive instead.
Day 4: Take the stairs
Even if you have to take the stairs one at a time, focus on making it up or down 5 flights of stairs for a day.
Day 5: Learn something new
What’s something you’ve wanted to learn or improve upon? Try practicing it for a day. It doesn’t have to be anything huge, but the point is that you’re challenging yourself to become better.
Day 6: Get some exercise
Go for a walk outside or do some light stretches at home. It doesn’t matter how little you do, just try to move around for a day.
Day 7: Get good sleep
If you’re tired today, it’s okay not to do anything too challenging. Instead, make sure that you get 7-8 hours of sleep tonight and feel refreshed when you wake up.
Day 8: Practice patience
Patience is something that rarely comes naturally to people. Today, try practicing it by completing one small task at a time without rushing through anything.
Day 9: Make your bed
This morning, make your bed after you’ve gotten up. It’s a simple task that can help you start and end each day on a positive note.
Day 10: Get off social media
If you spend too much time scrolling through Facebook or Twitter, today is the day to get away from it all. Turn your phone off if you have to, but put your device away and focus on spending time with yourself.
Read also: Disconnect to Reconnect: The Significance of a Digital Detox
Day 11: Make a tough decision
There are times in life where we’re given difficult decisions that can change the course of our lives forever. Today, try making a decision that will require some sacrifice from you.
Day 12: Go out alone
Being alone can be scary at first, but it’s a great way to learn more about yourself and feel comfortable with your own company. Try going out alone for the day- even if it’s just a quick trip to grab coffee or a walk around the neighbourhood.
Day 13: Reorganise your closet
Take half a day and clean up all of your clothes by donating things you don’t wear anymore, reorganising things so that everything is clean and organised, etc.
Read also: How To Be Ruthless When Decluttering Clothes: An Essential Guide
Day 14: Make a list of your accomplishments
We’re often our own worst critics when it comes to what we’ve done right in our lives. For today’s challenge, write down all of the things you’re proud of yourself for achieving over the past few years.
Day 15: Do something spontaneous
Spontaneity is something that we often don’t allow ourselves when we’re in a routine with our lives. Today, try doing something different than what you would typically do and see how it goes!
Day 16: Get outside
Even if it’s just to sit in your back garden and read, try to get outside for a little bit today. The fresh air will do you good.
Day 17: Make your favourite meal
Cooking is simple and can be an easy way to focus on something other than work or other stressors. Try cooking up one of your favourite meals tonight!
Day 18: Practice meditation
If you’ve never meditated before, try it for a day. Many people don’t make the time to do this simple task which can have amazing effects on your life. If you have tried it before, do it today anyway!
Day 19: Clean out your desk
Today, take some time to clean off your desk/work area at home or in your office. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to get work done after this.
Day 20: Write down everything you’re grateful for
It can be easy to focus on all the negative things that are going on around us every day. It may sound cheesy, but try writing down everything that you’re grateful for today – whether it be big things like your family or little things like the food you’re planning on having for dinner tonight.
Read also: How To Be Happy With What You Have: 7 Secret Steps
Day 21: Clean out your purse/wallet
Take a few minutes to clear out your purse or wallet today. You’ll feel better knowing exactly where everything is and that you have enough space for new things that come your way.
Read also: The Perfect System: Never Have To Declutter Your Purse Again
Day 22: Make a vision board
A vision board is a fun way to remind yourself of what you want in life. Try making one with pictures or quotes that inspire you.
Day 23: Clear out your expectations
Expectations can often hold us back in life. Today, practice letting go of all of the expectations you have for yourself and others to see how it makes you feel.
Read also: The Importance of Letting Go of Expectations
Day 24: Let go of grudges
Sometimes we get stuck on small things that don’t matter anymore- like holding onto grudges with people who are no longer in our lives. For today’s challenge, try letting go of grudges with people you’re still holding onto for whatever reason.
Day 25: Start a new book
Reading is a great way to reduce stress, focus on your goals and make your brain work in ways that visual stimulation doesn’t allow. Pick up a new book today and put aside some time to enjoy it.
Day 26: Do something you love
We all have things that we love and that make us feel like we’re on top of the world. Try doing one of those things today and see how it makes you feel!
Read also: Don’t Take Life for Granted: 15 Ways To Enjoy The Simple Things In Life
Day 27: Practice mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness can be a great way for your mind to take a break from everything else going on in life. Refresh yourself with a mindfulness practice today.
Day 28: Write down your goals
Goals are an essential part of life, but many people don’t take the time to think about what they want out of life or write it all down. For this challenge, try writing down and expanding on one goal that you have for yourself!
Day 29: Try something new
Try something new today – whether it’s a new food, a new activity or something else entirely! Pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone can be a great way to grow as a person.
Day 30: Think of three things that went well today
If you’ve ever been so busy thinking about what could have gone better in your day, try thanking the universe for all of the little things that really did go well. Try to focus on these three things tonight before you go to bed.
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Congratulations – you’ve completed the 30 day personal growth challenge!!
If you were able to do everything on the list (or switched some of the ideas out for ones that suit you better), you may be ready to take it one step further. Try taking 3-5 ideas from this list to do every day for the next month! You’ll be amazed at all of the positive changes that you’ve made.
In conclusion, setting yourself any kind of self-improvement challenge can help you grow as a person and accomplish your goals. Remember to start small if this is your first go-around with the process, but don’t be afraid to push yourself further than you’ve gone before!
Would you embark upon a personal growth challenge? What are some other ideas you have for your own personal development?
