Ready to invest in YOU? Try this 30 day self care challenge, commit to daily small acts of self-love and watch your well-being transform.
Although I am a personal development blogger by profession, I am in no way a mental health professional. See my disclaimer for more info.
Trying to start your self-growh journey, but have absolutely no idea where to start?
I get it. This whole personal growth thing sounds exciting, but it’s not all that great if you have no clue how to handle any of it.
But that’s where I can step in and help. If you didn’t know, self-care is a huge part of personal development. You can’t grow if you don’t spend time nurturing yourself.
That’s why I decided to create this 30-day self care challenge. I designed this challenge with the goal of making it easier for you to embark on your self-growth journey.
In this post, you’ll find activities that cover all aspects of your health, including finances, physical health, social self-care, and everything in between.
Are you ready? Let’s get into it!
This post is all about a 30 day self care challenge!
Why should you do a 30 day self care challenge?
So, before we get into the actual challenge itself, let’s take a second to think about why you should participate in it. I designed this month-long self care challenge to help you foster self-care every single day.
Why? Because no matter how busy our lives we get, we must prioritize self-care. If we don’t take care of ourselves, it’s hard to thrive and continue to improve every day.
I encourage you to try this challenge if you’re looking to start prioritizing “me-time” and building a positive, healthy environment.
Maybe you have no idea where to start when it comes to self-care, but that’s where I come in to guide you.
Free Self Care Activities List
Would you like a free self care activities list?
I know it can be difficult to think of different self care ideas, so I did the work for you! I created a FREE list of 81 self care activities that you can enjoy.
To get the list, simply click here.
30 Day Self Care Challenge:
day 1 | write in a journal
Let’s start easy. For day 1 of the challenge, I encourage you to do some writing in a journal. There are tons of benefits of journaling, including:
- It improves your writing skills — By writing in your journal on a regular, you are constantly improving your writing skills, which is great if you’re still a student or if your career demands intensive writing.
- It allows you to tap into your emotions — When you’re journaling, you’re practially forced to dig deep into your emotions and write about how they’re making you feel. This is a great self-reflection activity!
- It improves your mental health — Journaling improves your mental health, as it serves as a way to get your thoughts on paper and process them.
If that’s not convincing enough, I have a full guide telling you everything about journaling. It’s the perfect guide if you’re looking to get into journaling, but have absolutely NOWHERE to start.
READ THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE: Ultimate Guide: How to Start Journaling for Personal Growth
day 2 | call a loved one
No matter who it is — whether a friend, family member, counselor — give them a call.
I don’t care if you just talked to them yesterday or if it’s been a few months since the last time you held a conversation with them.
Call them and have a good chat. Update each other on your lives and even consider planning a day to hang out together!
day 3 | make a goal
We’re all about setting (and achieving) goals around here.
So for day 3, I want you to make a goal. Any goal — big, small, long-term, short-term.
Here are a few goal ideas if you can’t think of any:
- Read for 30 minutes every day — This is actually considered both a short- and long-term goal. You can achieve it in a very small amount of time, but it’s also something you want to work on forever!
- Get out of credit card debt — Unlike the previous goal, this one is definitely more long-term. This is a smart goal to set if you’re looking to improve your finances.
- Attend therapy — Here’s another goal idea if you want to foster self-growth.
Later in the challenge, you’ll start working on this goal. But before then, it’s obviously important to get a good idea of what you want your goal to be. So make sure you don’t skip this day!
day 4 | read 10 pages
Whether you’re an avid reader or the type to only read if you have to, reading will always be a great self care activity.
It allows you to tap into your imagination, get away from your devices, increase your attention span, and so much more.
I really don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want to read (besides the concentration thing, but that’s solvable). Just in case you aren’t an avid reader, though, I’ll keep it simple and have you read 10 pages.
You can read a non-fiction or fiction book — as long as you read 10 pages (and enjoy them), that’s what matters most.
day 5 | drink a gallon of water
Before you say, “Hold up… a gallon is a LOT of water,” I want you take a second to think about the benefits. Yes, I agree that 16 cups (double the normally recommended 8 cups) is a lot of water.
But, when you consider the benefits like healthier digestion and hydration, it kind of makes sense.
To make it seem less daunting, you can just keep refilling a reusable water bottle until you reach 128 ounces.
Or, if you want to drink it all from one bottle, you can buy one of those gallon water bottles that has the motivational messages for each hour. Those are great for giving you hourly reminders to hydrate yourself.
Check this one out on Amazon. I’ve been eyeing it for a while and I’m probably going to buy it soon.
Not only does it have a straw (which is a MUST for me), but there’s some pretty nice colors and I’d only pay a fraction of the cost of my 30oz Stanley!
day 6 | de-clutter
You can’t thrive in a messy environment. There’s just too much going on and it’ll make it hard for you to concentrate. You know what they say: “A clean space makes a clear mind.”
For day 6, I want you to de-clutter just one area of your environment. That could be a desk drawer, your nightstand, your closet, your bathroom, or any other space that needs to be organized.
I know you may not feel like it, but I PROMISE you’ll feel so much better afterward.
day 7 | do a digital detox
A digital detox, as I assume you’d imagine, is a detox from social media. And let me just say, I think we could all use a good digital detox.
Doing a digital detox allows you to disconnect from the world and focus on activities that don’t involve comparing yourself to others, people constantly influencing you to buy things, or content creators pushing you to get into digital marketing.
Okay, that last one may have been a little personal… sorry!
You don’t realize how much you need a digital detox until you do one. When you finally do, you’ll feel like doing more and more. So, start today and learn how big of a difference it can make in your life.
CHECK-IN: hey, you made it through the first week of the challenge. how do you feel?
day 8 | watch a nostalgic movie or TV show
Something about watching a movie or TV show that you always watched when you were younger just feels so nostalgic.
Some of my favorite nostalgic movies are Home Alone, White Chicks, 16 Wishes, Let it Shine, and Are We There Yet? There are also a lot of shows that make me feel nostalgic like SpongeBob SquarePants, Sam & Cat, Jessie, and so many more.
Whenever I don’t have anything current to watch or I want to revisit my childhood, I’ll watch one of these movies or TV shows.
day 9 | deep clean something
The focus for day 9 is environmental self care. Today, I encourage you to deep clean something in your environment.
Usually we’ll clean the surface of things like our stoves, refrigerators, toilets, and so many other things in our homes.
But, sometimes you need to need to get down and dirty, take things apart, and give them a nice deep clean. It definitely takes more time and effort, but in the end, it’s totally worth it. So today, deep clean something in your environment.
day 10 | create a daily mantra
A daily mantra is an affirming phrase that you say aloud or in your head every day to set a positive, motivating tone for the day. Ideally, it should be, memorable, catered to your goals, and meaningful.
Today, I want you to create one of these expressions and start saying it. To do so, think about your goals and the kind of person you wish to become.
For example, say you want to be a financially stable, physically healthy, and positive person. With all these goals/factors, you can create something like:
“I am working to become financially, physically, and mentally well.”
Feel free to use this one or take time to create your own. Once you do, make sure you start saying it today!
day 11 | learn something new
Just like with setting and achieving, we love learning over here. I always say that learning should be a life-long experience rather than something that comes to an abrupt ending when you graduate high school or college.
If you want to continue to grow as a person, you have to be willing to continuously learn. No, I’m not talking about school-related things like how to solve an algebraic expression or how to write the perfect literary analysis.
While those are important, I’m talking about all things personal growth, like how to set and enforce boundaries with others, how to be a better person, and how to improve your mental health.
With this blog, I can’t help but to constantly learn. Heck, I recently learned about a dopamine menu, which I previously didn’t know existed. But now I know what it is and I’m looking forward to making one.
So for day 11, I want you to learn something. It could be a mind-blowing fact that changes the projectory of your life or a simple fact that makes you think a little bit.
If you need somewhere to learn: Reddit, TikTok, and blogs are good places to find all sorts of information to digest.
day 12 | eat 3 balanced meals
Part of taking care of yourself is eating regularly. But it doesn’t stop there; you should also eat balanced meals that don’t make you feel like crap.
I’m no dietician by any means, so I’m not giving you any specific meal ideas. I’m sure you can think of some meals that’ll give you energy and keep you feeling good throughout the day. And if you can’t do that, try to eat some healthy snacks.
That’s what I do sometimes if I’m not in the mood for a full meal! Oh, and make sure you stay hydrated as well. That’ll help suppress your appetite and not feel the need to eat every other hour.
day 13 | do something fun
I admit, one of these activities so far have been particularly fun.
So, today we’re going to do something fun. Your definition of fun may be drastically different than mine, so remember to do what excites YOU.
If you need some ideas, here are a few:
- Have a beach day
- Jump in an indoor trampoline park
- Enjoy a game night with your friends or family members
- Sing your heart out at a karaoke place
- Attend a cooking class
day 14 | have a do-nothing day
Yep, I said it: do nothing all day. Too often we’re caught up in all kinds of things from school to work, relationships to personal life, and everything in between. We usually don’t get the chance to just sit in the house and do nothing.
Now, I don’t literally mean NOTHING. What I’m talking about is giving yourself a day where you’re not trying to tackle some to-do list with 15+ tasks.
I know the inner workaholic in you doesn’t like that idea at all, but trust me: your brain and body will definitely appreciate it. Don’t be so shy to try it!
CHECK-IN: You made it to the second week. And guess what? You’re already halfway done. Look at you go! Let’s finish challenge off strong.
day 15 | take a long bath
Baths are so relaxing. From sitting in a tub full of hot water to the relaxing activities you can do while you’re in there, baths are simply unmatched.
day 16 | do something out of your comfort zone
You can’t grow if you’re constantly stuck in the same place.
I mean, we have comfort zones for a reason: they’re familiar and you can almost 100% predict what’s going to happen. But, like I said, staying in your comfort zone doesn’t exactly get you very far in the long run.
So, I want you to do something out of your comfort zone. For you, it might be walking up to someone and sparking a conversation with them. For me, that’d be, well, the same!
day 17 | mark something off your to-do list
I know you have a few things on your long-term task list that you have yet to even start thinking of. Don’t worry; I’ve got quite a few things I need to take care of also.
See? I’m with you in this challenge! I could definitely benefit from doing it, and I’m feeling really motivated just writing this.
Take a look at your to-do list and find something you can mark off today. You can tackle this in one of 2 ways: pick the hardest, most time-consuming task to get it out the way or pick the easiest, least time-consuming to feel relief sooner and then focus on the other tasks.
Whichever way you do it, I want you to mark SOMETHING off your list so you can feel good and productive!
day 18 | create an action plan for your goal
Remember that goal you created on day 3? I hope you did! You’ve made the goal, and now it’s time to create an action plan to achieve that goal.
When making this action plan, you want to consider a few things. Think about how long the goal will realistically take you to accomplish the goal, your purpose for setting it, how it’ll impact your life, the exact steps you need to take in order to reach it.
day 19 | watch an episode of your favorite series
It’s time for another fun activity! Who doesn’t love a good series?
I’m currently hooked on Grey’s Anatomy. I had heard of it before, but I never felt inclined enough to sit down and give it a watch. But I finally started watching it just a few months ago and I don’t know how I lived without this show!
Okay, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch.
But I really do love the show and have gotten so close to all of the characters. Plus, it’s a medical drama so that makes it especially interesting.
day 20 | listen to your favorite album
Ah, another thing I can’t live without: music. There are so many albums that I love. Here are a few that I can think of right now:
- Crash by Kehlani
- COWBOY CARTER by Beyonce
- eternal sunshine by Ariana Grande
- TROUBLE IN PARADISE by Chloe
- TORI. by Tori Kelly
I have tons of other albums that I’ve run to the ground, but these are some of my current favorites.
day 21 | do a random act of kindness
Doing something nice for someone makes you feel good inside. Plus, what goes around comes around, so with that in mind, you should aim to always spread nothing but positive energy.
CHECK-IN: Hey, you’re almost done — just one more week left! I’m proud of you for getting this far.
day 22 | do a 30-minute workout
Today, I encourage you to do a 30-minute workout. This can be a jog, a cardio exercise, a pilates session, a dance class — anything that you feel comfortable doing, but also something that’ll get your body moving.
day 24 | list 5 things you’re grateful for
Gratitude should be another essential aspect in your personal growth journey. Expressing gratitude reduces stress, calms anxiety, and even improves your sleep!
For day 23, I want you to list 5 things (or people) you’re grateful for. This could be anything or anyone, big or small. Nothing is too big or small to be grateful for.
Here are some examples if you’re having trouble:
- Having a job with a consistent, livable income
- Having a strong sense of community
- Having hobbies to look forward to doing
- Important people in your life like friends and family
- Having healthy drinking water
- Having the ability to grow and heal
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 23 Crucial Things to Be Grateful For, Every Day of Your Life
day 24 | write a letter to yourself
Today, I want you to write a letter to yourself. This could be your past self, your current self, or your future self. This is a personal activity, so I don’t exactly want to tell you how to go about writing the letter.
Just remember to write from the heart and don’t force yourself to keep writing once you start to feel tired of writing. If you have no idea how to write a letter to yourself or why you should do it, read this blog post.
day 25 | watch a TED Talk episode
I don’t really watch them on my own time, but when I was in high school, I watched a good amount of TED Talks. I like them because they’re usually motivating and relatable in some way.
Go on YouTube and find a TED Talk to watch. There are tons of topics to choose from, so I’m more than sure you’ll find one you’re interested in.
day 26 | update your TBR/TBW/TBL
I can already imagine you going, “What the heck do those mean?” Allow me to explain what each of these acronyms mean:
- TBR: To Be Read | a list of books or articles that you plan on reading in the future.
- TBW: To Be Watched | a list of TV shows, series, movies, and documentaries that you plan on watching in the future.
- TBL: To Be Listened | a list of albums, songs, audiobooks, and podcasts that you plan on listening to in the future.
I have all 3 and I must admit that it’s been over a year since I updated any of them. They’re definitely sitting in my Notion just collecting dust. I need to update them because there so many books I want to read, series I want to get into, and albums that I want to listen to.
day 27 | do something you’ve been avoiding
If you have something you’ve been avoiding (or in other words, procrastinating), I want you to tackle that thing today. I know it may seem daunting or even scary, but you have to do it.
I’ve been avoiding filling out my FAFSA for my second semester because I know it’s a long, boring process. But, I have to remind myself that I have to complete it so I can afford this semester!
day 28 | get something nice for yourself
Get something nice for yourself. After all, the challenge is almost over and you might need a small push to keep you motivated.
My version of “something nice” may be totally different from yours, so just make sure that item fits your interests and budget.
day 29 | go for a jog
Today, I want you to go for a jog. Feel that breeze and get your heart rate up!
day 30 | celebrate finishing the challenge!
And just like that, you finished this 30 day self care challenge! I’m so proud of you.
Whether you’re at the beginning of your self-growth journey or have been going at it for a while, I hope this challenge was fun, insightful, and helpful. Now that you’re done, feel free to do anything you’d like to celebrate.
I definitely suggest repeating one of the activities that you enjoyed throughout the challenge. But if you don’t want to do that, I’m sure you can find something to do!
WRAP-UP: Would you look at that — you finished the challenge! Give yourself a pat on the back.
want to extend the challenge? here’s some more ideas:
- Try a technology-free weekend
- Go grocery shopping
- Practice mindful eating
- Have an at-home spa day
- Walk barefoot to be one with nature
- Create a vision board
Let’s recap!
We made it to the end of the post!
Today, we talked about a 30 day self care challenge.
I hope you try this challenge and experience the growth that can happen from doing so. Let me know how it goes!
Please remember to take time to take care of yourself!
I know, in this economy, it can be hard to find free things to do that are fun. That’s why I put together a list of 7 free self care activities to enjoy today!
In the midst of chaos, don’t forget to smile,
DeMarcus – your self care buddy
PIN IT FOR LATER:
This post was all about a 30 day self care challenge.
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