Scientists have suggested that, with a little
willpower, it takes roughly 30 days for a person to form a new habit. As
with mastering anything new, the act of starting and getting beyond the
preliminary stage where everything feels awkward is 80% of the battle.
This is precisely why it’s important to make small, positive changes every day
over the course of at least a 30 day period.
It’s like the old
saying: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” The
same philosophy holds true for making changes in your life. Trying to
bite off more than you can chew will only make you choke. But taking
smaller, manageable bites, one at a time – eating a little healthier,
exercising a little, creating some simple productive habits, for example – is
an amazing way to make positive changes and get excited about life.
And when you start small
like this, you won’t need a lot of motivation either. The simple act of
getting started and doing something will give you the momentum you need, and
soon you’ll find yourself in a positive spiral of changes – one building on the
other. When I started doing this in my life, I was so excited about it
that I started this blog to share it with the world.
Below you will find 30
challenges to be accomplished over the course of 30 days. If carried out
diligently each of them has the potential to create a new positive habit in
your life. Yes, there is some slight overlap between a few of them.
And no, you don’t have to attempt all at once. Pick 2 to 5 and commit the
next 30 days, wholeheartedly, to successfully completing the challenge.
Then once you feel comfortable with these habits, challenge yourself with a few
more the following month.
1.
Use
words that encourage happiness. –
Typically, when I ask someone “How are you?” they reply, “I’m fine” or “I’m
okay.” But one lazy Monday afternoon last month a new colleague of mine
replied, “Oh, I am fabulous!” It made me smile, so I asked him what was
making him feel so fabulous and he said, “I’m healthy, my family is healthy,
and we live in a free country. So I don’t have any reason not to be
happy.” The difference was simply his attitude and his choice of
words. He wasn’t necessarily any better off than anyone else, but he seemed
twenty times happier. Spend the next 30 days
using words that encourage a smile.
2. Try one new thing every
day. – Variety truly is the
spice of life. You can see or do something a million times, but you can
only see or do it for the first time once. As a result, first time
experiences often leave reflective marks in our minds for the rest of our
lives. Make an effort to try something new every day for the next 30
days. It can be a whole new activity or just a small experience, such as
talking to a stranger. Once you get the ball rolling many of these new
experiences will open doors to life changing opportunities.
3. Perform one selfless act
every day. – In life, you get
what you put in. When you make a positive impact in someone else’s life,
you also make a positive impact in your own life. Do something that’s
greater than you, something that helps someone else be happy or suffer less.
I promise, it will be an extremely rewarding experience. One you’ll
likely remember forever. Obviously your options here are limitless, but
if you’re looking to assist an ordinary person in need without leaving your
chair, check out GoFundMe.
4. Learn and practice one new
skill every day. – Self-reliance
is a vital key to living a healthy, productive life. To be self-reliant
one must master a basic set of skills, more or less making them a jack of
all trades. Contrary to what you may have learned in school, a jack of
all trades is far more equipped to deal with life than a specialized master of
only one. And besides, learning new skills is fun. Check out this article, this article, and this book
.
.
5. Teach someone something new
every day. – We all have natural
strengths and talents that can dramatically help those around us. What
comes easy for you is no doubt challenging for others. We tend to take
these gifts for granted, often hardly noticing what we have to offer, and thus
we rarely share them with others. Inner happiness and zeal come from
using these inherent gifts on a routine basis. What do people thank you
for? What do people routinely ask for your help with? Most people’s
passions and talents help others in one way or another. Perhaps for you
it’s painting, teaching math, cooking a good meal or leading an exercise
class. For the next 30 days devote some time each day to sharing your
talents and expertise.
6. Dedicate an hour a day to
something you’re passionate about.–
Take part in something you passionately believe in. This could be
anything. Some people take an active role in their city council, some
find refuge in religious faith, some join social clubs supporting causes they
believe in and others find passion in their hobbies. In each case the
psychological outcome is the same. They engage themselves in something
they strongly believe in. This engagement brings happiness and meaning
into their lives. (Angel and I discuss this in detail in the
“Passion and Growth” chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do
Differently.)
7. Treat everyone nicely, even
those who are rude to you. –
Being nice to someone you dislike doesn’t mean you’re fake. It means
you’re mature enough to control your emotions. Treat everyone with
kindness and respect, even those who are rude to you – not because they’re
nice, but because you are. Do this for 30 days and I guarantee you’ll see
the rudeness around you dissipate.
8. Concentrate on being
positive at all times. –
The real winners in life cultivate optimism. They have the ability tomanufacture their own happiness and drive. No
matter what the situation, the successful diva is the chick who will always
find a way to put an optimistic spin on it. She knows failure only as an
opportunity to grow and learn a new lesson from life. People who think
optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities,
especially in trying times. Try to spend the next 30 days looking at the
bright side of things.
9. Address and acknowledge the
lesson in inconvenient situations. –
It’s important to remember that everything is a life lesson. Everyone you
meet, everything you encounter, etc. They’re all part of the learning
experience we call ‘life.’ Never forget to acknowledge the lesson,
especially when things don’t go your way. If you don’t get a job you
wanted or a relationship doesn’t work, it only means something better is out
there waiting. And the lesson you just learned is the first step toward
it. Over the next 30 days keep a written log of all the lessons life
taught you.
10. Pay attention and enjoy
your life as it happens. –
When I watched the Academy Awards a few months ago I realized that most of the
speeches actors and actresses make when they accept an award go something like
this: “This means so much so me. My whole life has been leading up
to this moment.” But the truth is, our whole lives have been leading up
to every moment. Think about that for a second. Every single thing
you’ve gone through in life, every high, every low and everything in between,
it has led you to this moment right now. Ask yourself this: How
much of life are you actually living? If you’re like most people, the
answer is likely: “Not enough.” The key is to concentrate on a
little less on doing and a little more on being. Remember, right now is
the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. Spend the
next 30 days living in the now, for real.
11. Get rid of one thing a day
for 30 days. – We have so
much clutter surrounding us at any given moment (at the office, in our cars, in
our homes) and we’ve become so accustomed to it that we no longer notice how it
affects us. If you start cleaning up some of this external clutter, a lot
of internal clutter will disappear as well. Choose one needless item each
and every day and get rid of it. It’s that simple. It might be
difficult at first, so expect some resistance. But after some time you
will begin to learn to let go of your packrat tendencies, and your mind will thank
you for your efforts.
12. Create something brand new
in 30 days or less. –
Creation is a process like none other. Putting to use your innovative
faculties and constructing something with your own two hands will leave you
with an indescribable sense of wholeness. There is no substitute for
it. The only caveat is that it must be related to something you actually
care about. If you are creating financial plans for clients all day and
you hate it, that doesn’t really count. But if you can find something you
love, and create something related to it, it will make all the difference in
your life. If you haven’t created something in a while just for the sake
of creating, do so. Take the next 30 days and let your creativity run wild.
13. Don’t tell a single lie for
30 days. – With all the
seemingly innocent, white lies that trickle out of us, this is way harder than
it sounds. But you can do it. Stop deceiving yourself and others,
speak from the heart, speak the whole truth.
14. Wake up 30 minutes early
every morning. – Get up 30
minutes earlier than usual so you don’t have to rush around like a mad
man. That 30 minutes will help you avoid speeding tickets, tardiness and
other unnecessary headaches. Give it a legitimate try for 30 days
straight and see how it impacts your life.
15.
Ditch
3 bad habits for 30 days. –
Do you eat too much fast food? Do you play too many video games? Do
you argue with your siblings? You know some of your bad habits.
Pick 3 and quit doing them for 30 days. Period.
16. Watch less than 30 minutes
of TV every day. – Entertain
yourself with real-world experiences. Great memories are the product of
interesting life experiences. So turn off the television (or the computer
if that’s how you watch your TV programs) and get outdoors. Interact with
the world, appreciate nature, take notice of the simple pleasures life has to
offer, and just watch as life unfolds in front of you.
17. Define one long-term goal
and work on it for an hour every day. – Break your goal down into bite-sized pieces
and focus on achieving each one piece at a time. It really is all about
taking baby steps, and taking the first step is often the hardest. Spend
an hour every day for the next 30 days working toward something you’ve always
wanted to accomplish. Take a small dream and make it a reality. ReadGetting Things Done.
.
18.
Read
one chapter of a good book every day. – With the Web’s endless stream of
informative, easy-to-skim textual snippets and collaborative written works,
people are spending more and more time reading online. Nevertheless, the
Web cannot replace the authoritative wisdom from certain classic books that
have delivered (or will deliver) profound ideas around the globe for
generations. Books open doors, in your mind and in your life. Read an online book list and find a good book
to grab at the library today. Then spend the next 30 days reading at
least one chapter a day until you reach the end. Here’sanother book
list. And another.
And another.
19. Every morning, watch or
read something that inspires you. –
Sometimes all you need is a little pep talk. For the next 30 days, before
you eat breakfast, or leave the house, watch amotivational video or read something (quotation, blog post,short story, etc.) that inspires you.
20. Do something every day
after lunch that makes you laugh. –
Watch a funny video clip on YouTube, read your favorite comic strip, or find a
good joke online. A good chuckle stimulates the mind and can give you a
renewed level on energy. The best time for this laugh is during the lull
in the mid-afternoon, when you need it most.
21. Go alcohol and drug free
for 30 days. – This
challenge depends on your individual circumstance. If you are a heavy
user of alcohol or a particular drug it is not recommended that you quit cold
turkey. You need to see a physician and ease off of the substance
slowly. But if you are a casual user, quit right now for 30 days.
If you’re looking for a natural energy boosting alternative to a substance,
check out 50 Natural Ways To Boost Your Energy.
22. Exercise for 30 minutes
every day for 30 days. –
Your health is your life. Don’t let it go. Eat right, exercise and
get an annual physical check-up. The 4-Hour Body is
an insightful and entertaining read on this topic.
is
an insightful and entertaining read on this topic.
23. Get uncomfortable and face
a fear every day. –
With a strategy of continuous small steps into uncomfortable territory we are
often able to sidestep the biggest barrier to positive change:
Fear. Sometimes we’re afraid we’ll fail. Sometimes we’re
subconsciously afraid we’ll succeed and then we’d have to deal with all the
disruption (growth) and change that follows success. And other times it’s
our fear of rejection or simply our fear of looking like a fool. The best
way to defeat fear is to stare it down. Connect to your fear, feel it in
your body, realize it and steadily address it. Greet it by name if you have to:
“Welcome, fear.” Fear can be a guiding friend if you learn how to swallow
it, and listen to it only when it serves its true purpose of warning you when
you are in danger. Spend an hour every day for the next 30 day’s
addressing a fear that is holding you back.
24. Cook one brand new, healthy
recipe every day. –
Cooking is fun, challenges your mind, and if done correctly, provides vital
nutrients to your body. Win-Win-Win. How to Cook Everything by
Mark Bittman is great tool for this challenge. Packed with 900 pages of
simple instructions on how to cook everything you could ever dream of eating,
it’s pretty much the greatest cookbook ever written. Prepare one new,
healthy recipe every day for the next 30 days.
by
Mark Bittman is great tool for this challenge. Packed with 900 pages of
simple instructions on how to cook everything you could ever dream of eating,
it’s pretty much the greatest cookbook ever written. Prepare one new,
healthy recipe every day for the next 30 days.
25. Spend 10 minutes every
evening reflecting on what went well.– For the next 30 days spend 10 minutes every
evening pondering the small successes that occurred during the course of the
day. This process of positive reflection will remind you of all the tiny
blessings in your life, and help you to celebrate your personal growth.
26.
Have
a conversation every day with someone you rarely speak to. – People are
interesting creatures, and no two people are exactly alike. Interacting
with different people will open your mind to fascinating ideas and
perspectives. So for the next 30 days strike up a conversation daily with
someone you rarely speak to, or someone you’ve never met before. Find
out what makes them tick.
27.
Pay
down debt and don’t create any new debt for 30 days. – Live well below
your means. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need. Sleep on big
purchases. Create a budget and savings plan and stick to them. For
the next 30 days pay for things in cash and micro-manage every cent you make
and spend. Read I Will Teach You To Be Rich.
.
28. Let go of one relationship
that constantly hurts you. –
Keep people in your life who truly love you, motivate you, encourage you,
enhance you, and make you happy. If you know people who do none of these
things, let them go and make room for new positive relationships. Over
the next 30 days, if relevant to your situation, gradually let go of one person
in your life who has been continuously hurting you and holding you back.
29. Publicly forgive someone
who deserves another chance. –
Sometimes good relationships end abruptly because of big egos and arguments
based on isolated incidents. If there’s someone in your life who truly
deserves another chance, give it to them. If you need to apologize too,
do it. Over the next 30 days give your story together a new chapter.
30. Document every day with one
photograph and one paragraph.–
For 30 days bring a camera with you wherever you go. Do your best to take
one photograph that represents a standout experience from each day. Then,
before you go to bed each night, write one paragraph in a notebook or journal
that highlights your day. If you do it all digitally you can unite your
daily photograph and paragraph in one digital space (like a personal blog),
which can be easily reviewed in the future. Many moons from now these old
photos and journal entries will ignite your recollection of interesting
memories you would have otherwise forgotten.
As you progress
through these challenges remember, personal growth is a slow, steady
process. It can’t be rushed. You need to work on it gradually every
day. There is ample time for you to be who you want to be in life.
Don’t settle for less than what you think you deserve, or less than you know
you can be. Despite the struggles you’ll face along the way, never give
up on yourself. You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem,
smarter than you think, and twice as capable as you have ever imagined.
I highly recommend you this site:
PORTAL DA
LÍNGUA INGLESA has no responsibility for the
persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-partly internet websites
referred to in this post, and does not guarantee that any context on such
websites are, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.
In some
instances, I have been unable to trace the owners of the pictures used here;
therefore, I would appreciate any information that would enable me to do so.
Thank you very much.
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