So many of us find ourselves swirling in mundane routines, day in, day out. We let the clock tick our way through habitual, familiar instances. Wake up, go to work, run errands, come home, make a meal, sleep. Go at it again, and again. And sometimes its just necessary, isn’t it? We need to keep our bills paid, our tummies full, and each other cared for.
What can we do to shake things up in our routines without breaking away from responsibility? Maya and I have been doing…
30 Day Challenges!
We are committed to trying new ways of lifestyle or a change of habits, each for 30 days, on a daily basis. Besides the obvious, we chose the 30-day time period so to allow ourselves time to discover, adjust, and learn. Also, some challenges may significantly change how you feel physically, mentally, or emotionally over time.
Maya and I have learned about one another in ways we haven’t before by which these challenges elicit. I especially appreciate learning about Maya’s experience with each challenge, since they often differ from my own. Doing these challenges with a buddy also provides you with a teammate who can hold you accountable. A coach if need be.
Now, before I share what these challenges can look like, let me tell you that it is OKAY if you don’t fulfill your 30-day challenge, whether you have a cheat day or don’t complete the time-period. You’re not doing this for anyone else other than for each other. You’re doing this to experience novelty and shake up your routine together. To have fun. To experience. In fact, the first challenge Maya and I did, we didn’t complete. We made to Day 17. Got distracted. Laughed about it. Moved on. What is most important is that you allow yourselves to begin again. Start anew.
Now to the actual challenges: what are some examples you could try? The following list is just a fraction of suggestions, some of which Maya and I have done, plan to do, or pulled out of the hat. Please drop in any other ideas in the comment box to share.
Remember, these suggestions are based on one thing you can maintain on a daily basis for 30 days, together. However, you can get pretty creative with some of these, so create away. Be your own artist to your routine. Add your own twist. Also, before I forget, I created a free, downloadable 30-day challenge tracker for you to keep record of each day you complete!
- Go Vegetarian
- Meditate for 5 minutes in Silence
- Share 1 Thing You Admire About One Another
- Go for a Walk
- Don’t Drink or Buy Alcohol
- Read a Chapter
- Sit Outside with No Phone/Distractions for 20 Minutes and Talk
- Complete a Puzzle
- Do an Exercise Routine
- Go Vegan
- Get Rid of Something You Don’t Need/Don’t Use (Donate, if you can!)
- Set Aside $5/Day for Vacation
- Share About Someone You Appreciate and Why
- 10 Minutes of Yoga/Stretching
- Take A Selfie Together with A New Background/Pose/Facial Expression
- Drink Homemade Juice for Lunch
- Write Down 1 Thing You’re Thankful for Before Dinner
- Draw A Picture Representing How You Felt Today
- Send a Funny Meme to One Another for a Laugh
- Say/Sign: “Goodnight” and “Goodmorning”
The Ariel Series 