85 Awesome 30-Day Challenges to Improve Your Life

Have you been wanting to work on self-improvement?  30-day challenges are one of the best ways to form new healthy habits that will improve your life.  Get started today with inspiration from this massive list of 30-day challenge ideas.  From fitness to mental health to finances and more – we cover it all in this post!  

At the beginning of this year, I decided that I wanted to do a better job of meal planning and prepping so that I’d be more inclined to eat healthily.

Although I eat a pretty well-balanced diet, I was finding myself giving little thought to what I was eating on a daily basis. This was especially true as I was working throughout the day.  

I’d become accustomed to grabbing whatever was available to me for lunch, which was often leftovers from last night’s dinner, and mindlessly overloading on processed snacks as I sat at my desk typing away. 

As a result, I had been feeling sluggish during the day and noticed that my clothes were starting to fit more snuggly too.  Ugh…

So once the holidays were over, I challenged myself to start planning out my 3 daily meals, and even my snacks, every day for the next 30 days.  After 30 days I would see if I felt better physically and if my jeans were fitting better!  

Rather than deciding that I’d completely overhaul my eating habits for the rest of time, I told myself to simply try making some small changes for the next 30 days and then reassess at the end of the month.  

It felt like way less pressure this way and if it wasn’t working for me after 30 days, then I’d be okay with going back to my old habits or trying something else.

Well, as I write this post, we’re 3 months down the line and I’m still planning out all my meals and snacks each day.  Not only do I feel more energized, but I’ve lost over 10 lbs and it’s actually been pretty easy!  

All it took was a little planning on my part and a little 30-day challenge to myself.  I’ve stuck with it much longer at this point and my new eating habits have certainly helped me to feel better physically and mentally. 

If there’s a change you’ve been wanting to make in your life, challenge yourself to do it for the next 30 days.  Once you stick with it for 30 days, you’ll find that it becomes easier and easier to keep it up.  

Read on to learn what exactly 30-day challenges are, why they work, and choose from a massive list of 30-day challenge ideas to get started on the best version of you!

Oh, and spoiler alert – it’s not a coincidence that 30 days is the perfect amount of time to form a new good habit (or break a bad one). 😉

What are 30-day challenges?

30-day challenges are a great way to make a fresh start or try something new that has the potential to become a lasting lifestyle change that can improve your life. 

As the name implies, a 30-day challenge is when you challenge yourself to implement small changes in your daily routine for a period of 30 days.  

Either guided or self-directed, a 30-day challenge is an excellent personal development tool that can be used to kickstart positive changes you’ve been wanting to make in your life.

You can start at any point, there is no need to wait for the 1st day of the next month, but the challenge is to do it for the full 30 days without skipping a day.

As you stick with your new routine, you will find that each day gets easier and before long, you just might form a new lasting habit that can change your life for the better.  

Do 30-day challenges work?

You may have heard that it takes 21 days to form a new habit.  

In actuality, researchers have found that it takes anywhere from 18 days to 254 days for a person to form a habit with the average being over 2 months.

However, it will vary widely depending on the person, circumstances, and type of habit you are trying to adopt.  

I like to be positive so let’s choose to believe that 30 days could be just enough time to form a new habit that is based on small changes.  Of course, if you are looking to create a drastic change in your life, it’s likely it will take longer than that so it’s important not to get down on yourself when it does.

The key point to keep in mind is that if you do something consistently every single day for 30 days, especially if that something involves small steps towards a larger goal, you will be on your way to building behaviors and healthy habits that stick long term.

And once the 30 days are up, you’ll most definitely have learned something new about yourself and maybe even acquired a new skill that you didn’t have before. 

You might also have gained the confidence to implement bigger changes in your life or try something even more challenging.

Related:  “How To Create Routines And Habits That Stick”

Why are 30-day challenges effective?

When it comes to self-improvement, it’s too easy to get discouraged by the “do it forever” mentality that most people have.

Think about my challenge to do a better job of meal planning in order to encourage healthier eating habits.  

If I had told myself that I had to meal plan every meal and snack for the rest of my life, I never would’ve started!  That would have felt too overwhelming and I would have given up on the idea before even trying it out.

When you know you only have to commit to something for a short amount of time, such as a week or a month, even if your end goal really is to turn it into a long-term habit, it’s still much easier to find the motivation to start.

Committing to doing something new and different for just 30 days versus the rest of your life feels much more manageable, right?

So think about something you’d like to improve in your life and try it for 30 days!

Related:  “5 Legit Reasons You’re Feeling Stuck in Life (+ 25 Affirmations for Motivation)”

Tips for how to complete 30-day challenges successfully:

Sometimes it’s not enough to simply say you’re going to do something.  You might need a little extra help to stay the course.

As such, I’d like to offer you the following tips to be successful with whatever 30-day challenge you choose.

1.)  Get accountability

An effective way to get accountability is to announce that you’re doing the challenge to family and friends and/or on your social media.  If you want, you can even post status updates on your social media accounts that show your progress for added accountability.

Another idea is to ask your partner or a friend to do the challenge with you so you can help hold each other accountable.

2.)  Track your progress

There may be days when you’re not motivated to stick with your challenge or you may feel like you’re not making any progress.  That’s why it helps to track your progress in a journal, chart, or habit tracker so that you have a record of your efforts and data proving that you are indeed making progress (even if it’s slow).

Try my FREE Habit Tracker below for added accountability.  Print out a sheet for each week of your 30-day challenge to stay on track.  If you’re anything like me, you’ll find a certain satisfaction in checking off the boxes each day! 😉

3.)  Set a reward

You could also promise yourself a certain reward at the end of the 30-day challenge or a little mini-reward at the end of each week that you complete.

However, you don’t want your reward to sabotage the actual goal of the challenge so if you are doing a food or fitness challenge to lose weight, it’s best not to make your reward food-related.  Instead, buy yourself a new outfit or treat yourself to a massage!

4.)  Remember your WHY

This just might be the most important way to stay motivated in your new 30-day challenge.  It’s important to be clear on why you wanted to do this challenge in the first place and to keep this reason at the forefront of your mind.

Write out your “why” in one sentence and make sure to include the biggest benefit you gain from adopting this new behavior in your life.

Once you have the statement written, post it on your mirror, keep a photo of it on your computer or phone, and put it anywhere else you’ll see it often.

What are some good 30-day challenges?

A good 30-day challenge can really be anything you want.  What matters is that it involves creating a new behavior that will benefit you.  

This behavior could turn into a new long term healthy habit that you’d like to adopt or it could also help you break an existing bad habit.

85 Awesome 30-Day Challenge Ideas to Improve Your Life:

Finally we’ve come to the part where I offer you this extensive list of 30-day challenge ideas.  I hope you will find a lot of inspiration here to choose a challenge (or a few) that you feel will improve your life in one way or another.

30-day challenges for physical health

The following 30-day challenge ideas are focused on fitness and nutrition and can help you gain more energy and focus, eat healthier, manage your weight, and/or improve your physical fitness.

1. Eat at least one home-cooked meal a day

You don’t have to completely forgo take-out or restaurant meals, but try eating at least one home-cooked meal a day.

2. Cook your own meals

If you want to take it a step further, challenge yourself to only eat home-cooked meals for 30 days.  That means no Chinese take-out and the only pizza you’ll have for Friday pizza nights is the kind you can prepare yourself (and yes, frozen pizza is cheating!).

3. Try a healthy food only diet

This means no junk food will touch your lips for 30 days!  A paleo diet or mediterranean diet could be good options if you’d like to try this as your 30-day challenge.

4. Give up fast food

If you’re not interested in completely overhauling your diet but would still like to eat healthier, try giving up fast food for a month.

5. Focus on weight loss

A 30-day challenge that is focused on weight loss could include tracking your calories and exercise with a tracker app like MyFitnessPal (I use this app and love it) or MyPlate Calorie Counter.  

You could also join a weight loss program like Noom or Weightwatchers for 30 days and then decide if you’d like to continue with it.

6. Make a new recipe each night for dinner

One way to encourage healthier eating is to try a new recipe each night for dinner, but make sure it’s a healthy one!  I love the recipes on CleanFoodCrush and Skinnytaste for inspiration.

CleanFoodCrush offers 33 recipes for free when you sign up for their mailing list.  That could be all you need to try a new recipe each night of your 30-day challenge.

7. Work with a personal trainer

If you can afford it, sign up with a personal trainer for a month and see the kind of results you get.  You can hire a personal trainer to come to your home or sign up with a trainer if you belong to a gym.

8. Track your daily steps

Set a daily goal of 10,000 steps or whatever feels manageable (but still challenging) for you.  Use your Apple Watch or Fitbit to track your daily steps for 30 days.  You could also try incrementally increasing your steps goal after each week you complete.

9. Drink a smoothie for breakfast

A great way to increase your daily greens and fruit intake is to drink a smoothie for breakfast.  

I make my favorite breakfast smoothie with almond milk, 1 cup baby spinach, ½ banana, ¼ cup frozen pineapple chunks, ½ mini cucumber, and 1 scoop of vanilla flavor Orgain Organic Protein + Superfoods Powder. 

It took me some time to figure out what combination of fruits and vegetables I preferred in my smoothie so I suggest experimenting to find what you like best.

10. Eat a salad each day

Another easy way to eat more veggies is to simply eat a salad each day.  You can add a salad as your veggie side at dinner or mix one up for your lunch.  

If you do choose to eat a salad as a meal, make sure it includes some healthy protein like grilled chicken, sliced-up hardboiled eggs, beans, nuts, or cheese, otherwise it won’t keep you full for very long.  

11. Add vitamins and/or supplements to your diet

At a minimum, it’s a good idea to take a daily multivitamin.  If you’re not already doing so, challenge yourself to add a multivitamin each day.

Also, supplements like Magnesium, Calcuim, and Vitamin D to support bone health, especially as you get older, are important to consider, or a combination pack of supplements.

12. Exercise every day

You don’t have to do a full-blown workout every day, but try to at least do 15-30 minutes of physical movement each day.  This could include a combination of activities like walking, running, yoga, stretching, dancing, or any other movement you might enjoy.

13. Brush your teeth 3x’s a day

Most of us already brush our teeth when we wake up in the morning and before going to bed at night, but how about adding a third time like after breakfast or lunch as well?

If you’re looking to improve your oral hygiene, this is an easy way to do so.

14. Wear sunscreen

It’s important to protect your skin from the sun, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors and/or live in a warm climate.  At a minimum, you want to protect your face by wearing sunscreen with at least 30 spf.  

We all know those dark spots and added wrinkles from spending time in the sun don’t do us any favors as we age.  Try switching to a daytime moisturizer and/or foundation that has spf protection built in.

15. Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night

I’m sure you know the importance of getting enough sleep, so if this is an area you’d like to improve in your life, set your intentions to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night for the next 30 nights.

This might mean getting into bed earlier and turning off Netflix, even if you’re dying to find out what happens on the next episode of your favorite show.

16. Do a 30-day fitness challenge

If you’re looking for a 30-day challenge to improve your physical health and even feel better mentally, consider trying one of the many fitness challenges out there. 

Fitness challenges should push you outside of your comfort zone, you definitely want it to be challenging, however, it’s important to find a fitness challenge that aligns with your abilities.

Do a quick search on google and you’ll find many fitness challenge ideas to consider like this one from Women’s Health.

17. Bring a healthy lunch to work

If you work outside the home and usually find that you’re buying lunch, try bringing a healthy lunch to work for the next month.  This will help you eat healthier and save some money too.

18. Keep a food diary

Keeping a food diary is a great way to keep track of what you eat on a daily basis.  You will simply write down everything you eat for the next 30 days. 

This could be a good challenge for you if you’ve been struggling to lose weight or have been gaining weight, or if you’re trying to identify particular foods that could be making you feel unwell or contributing to health issues.

Keeping a food diary should not be about judging yourself for your choices, but instead, use it as a tool to help you identify which foods might be contributing to weight gain or health issues and to notice any patterns that you can change for the betterment of your health and nutrition.

19. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day

I’ve heard the recommendation that you should drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day and it’s also recommended to drink at least eight 8 ounces glasses (or 64 oz total).  So which one is it?

If your goal for your 30-day challenge is to up your water intake, I’d suggest you start with whichever amount from the above recommendations is less and then work your way up from there.  

20.  Cut out soda and other sugary drinks

One way to help you drink more water is to challenge yourself to cut out soda and other sugary drinks like juices, lemonade, Gatorade, etc.  It will also help you lose weight if that is something you’d like to do.

By drinking soda and other drinks full of sugar, we consume a large number of unnecessary calories with zero nutrition.  Those calories could be much better spent on a healthy snack or even a treat like a few cookies.

I’d much rather eat a small dessert after dinner than waste 200 calories on a glass of soda.  What do you think?

21. Stop eating after dinner

It’s not good for your digestion to eat within 3 hours of going to sleep.  So if you normally go to bed somewhere around 11 pm, make sure you are finished with dinner, dessert, and anything else by 8!

It’s important to note that you should not forgo a meal in order to adhere to this rule of thumb, so if this is the 30-day challenge you choose, make sure you support it with proper planning of meal times that fit your routine and schedule.

22. Try a new exercise each day

If you’re looking to mix up your workout routine, you could challenge yourself to try a new exercise each day.  Add things into the mix that you’ve never tried before like yoga, pilates, barre, HIIT, or even new singular exercises like planks, situps, pushups, or squats if they’re new to you.

Make a list of 30 new exercise activities and select one from your list to try for the next 30 days.

23. Don’t consume added sugar 

We all know that foods with added sugar are not the best for us.  Therefore, if you’re looking to make a small change that will help you eat healthier, try cutting out all foods with added sugar.

Check out food labels for hidden sugars like maltodextrin, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, barley malt, and high fructose corn syrup.

24. Give up alcohol

Similar to soda and sugary drinks, consuming alcoholic beverages, especially those fruity mixed cocktails, beer, and wine, contribute to extra caloric intake that you might not even think about.

If you are trying to lose weight or just want a bit of a healthy reset, try giving up alcohol for the next 30 days.

25. Give up ___________ (dairy, caffeine, carbs, etc.)

Sometimes we’re making food choices that are not helping us to feel our best.  You might try giving up dairy, caffeine, fried foods, white bread, pasta, or anything else you’d like to do without for 30 days.

26. Stand up at your desk every hour you work

As I’ve been sitting here writing this post for a few hours now, my back is aching from sitting at my desk for too long.  It’s a great idea to stand up every hour, and even to do a few stretches, as a way to give your body a break from sitting and to get your circulation going.

You might also want to walk up and down the stairs a few times if you’re at home or take a stroll around the office for a couple of minutes each hour.

27. Stretch every morning

Doing some stretching exercises when you wake up is a great way to start your morning and get yourself going.

28. Practice breathing exercises

Practicing breathing exercises helps to alleviate stress and reduce anxiety, which is beneficial to your body and mind.

Take a few breaths deep into your belly by inhaling for 4 seconds, then exhale for 4 seconds, and repeat it 7 times.  Do this at least once a day for 30 days and that is your 30-day challenge!

29. Drink 2-3 glasses of water as soon as you wake up

The 7-8 hours that you’re sleeping overnight is a long period for your body to go without any water.  If you didn’t drink water for that amount of time during waking hours, you’d probably feel pretty dehydrated.

Drinking 2-3 glasses of water right when you wake up is a good way to quickly rehydrate your body first thing in the morning.  Try it out and see how you feel.

30. Walk or bike to work instead of driving

Obviously, you’re only going to elect to do this as your 30-day challenge if it’s physically possible, safe, and feasible for you to walk or bike to work instead of driving.  You can also choose any other place you visit daily like a favorite coffee shop. 

31. Wait 20 minutes before taking  “seconds” at meals

It takes at least 20 minutes from when you start eating for your brain to trigger feelings of fullness (source:  WebMD).  Thus, wait 20 minutes from the time you start your meal before helping yourself to a second serving.

32. Always take the stairs

Challenge yourself to always take the stairs instead of an elevator whenever you have the option.  It’s an easy way to burn a few extra calories each day and keep yourself more active.

33.  Eat at least 3-4 servings of fruits and vegetables

Make sure you have vegetables at every meal.  You can easily add a salad as a side dish or add some leafy greens like spinach or kale to a smoothie for a quick snack during the day or choose fruit for a snack or dessert instead of sugary processed food items.

30-day challenges for mental health

These 30-day challenge ideas will help you to foster a more positive mindset, reduce stress and anxiety, and support your mental well-being.

34. Start the day with positive affirmations

Repeating short, encouraging statements to yourself, called affirmations, can help you cultivate positive thinking and boost your confidence, happiness, and overall well-being. 

Choose 2-3 affirmation statements that resonate with you and write them in a journal each day or say them quietly or out loud to yourself.  

I have compiled numerous affirmations to choose from in these posts: 50 Powerful Morning Affirmations, 140 Positive Monday Affirmations, and 160 Positive Body Affirmations. 

35. Keep a gratitude journal

A 30-day challenge focused on gratitude will help ensure your intentionality in recognizing all the good things in your life for which you are grateful.  

For the next 30 days make sure to write down three things for which you are grateful in a gratitude journal or notebook. Try to write something different each day.  It can be something as small as the warmth of your coffee cup in your hands that morning.

36. Do at least one act of self love

It’s not always easy to love oneself, but it is certainly possible to develop self love.

A great way to do this is by challenging yourself to do one act of self love each and every day for the next 30 days.  After this time, you will likely feel a greater sense of love for yourself and will want to continue fostering it in your life.

37. Step outside for at least 15 minutes of fresh air 

If you spend most of your time inside an office or working at home, you might want to challenge yourself to go outdoors for at least 15 minutes a day.  It will help relieve stress and anxiety and there’s just something about filling your lungs with fresh air that rejuvenates your spirit. 

38. Set your phone to ‘do not disturb’ mode for 1 hour

Most of us always have our phones within our reach all day long and they can be a major distraction that keeps us from being present in our lives.  

Choose a 1 hour time frame each day to set your phone to ‘do not disturb’ mode and you’ll quickly see how you benefit from being “unavailable” to the outside world for a short period of time each day.

39. Start a morning routine

A morning routine is an excellent way to foster more intentionality, calm, and productivity in your life.  Start your day on a positive note by creating a morning routine that aligns with your goals.  

Consider adding exercise, journaling, meditation, or reading to your routine, but keep in mind that your morning routine can really include whatever combination of things you feel would benefit you.  

40.  Listen to an inspiring podcast 

There are so many motivational, inspiring, and encouraging podcasts that can help with mindset work and personal growth.  Make it your mission over the next 30 days to find a few podcasts that resonate with you and listen to 1 episode each day.

41.  Read 20 pages of a book daily

Reading is a great way to stimulate your mind and expand your knowledge and view of the world.  Whether it be fiction novels or personal development books, choose something that you enjoy and read at least 20 pages of a book daily.

Choosing to read instead of watching TV or scrolling on your phone is also much more conducive to winding down before bed and it promotes better sleep.  

42.  Set a screen time limit

Another excellent 30-day challenge idea for you or for the whole family is to make an effort to cut down on screen time by setting a daily limit.  

You can set this within your phone settings and even select specific apps on your phone for which you want to apply the screen time limit.  Your phone will automatically deny access to those apps once you reach your limit for the day.

43.  Follow a bedtime routine

Creating and following a bedtime routine can help you end your day with more intention and calm.  Select a mix of activities and routines that you’d like to include leading up to your bedtime and follow it for 30 days.

44.  Make a “happy list” and do 1 item each day

Knowing what makes you happy and finding ways to infuse as much of that into your daily life is critical to your mental wellness.  

Challenge yourself to make a list of everything you can think of that makes you happy and then choose at least 1 item (ideally more) to incorporate into your schedule each day.

For help, check out my post “How to Create a ‘What Makes You Happy List’”.

45.  Spend 30 minutes on a hobby you enjoy

Spending time doing hobbies we enjoy is how we connect with ourselves, but sometimes we get so busy that we neglect to find time for our hobbies.  

If this sounds like you, try this 30-day challenge and spend at least 30 minutes daily on one of your hobbies – knitting, cooking, reading, drawing, or anything else that you love doing.

46.  Meditate for at least 5 minutes 

Meditation has many proven benefits including stress management, self-awareness, improved mood, creativity, and imagination.  

Try just 5 minutes a day of meditation to feel more connected and grounded.  If you’re unsure how to meditate, there are plenty of apps you can download for guided meditations to help get you started.

47.  Start a daily journaling practice

Journaling is the practice of regularly getting your thoughts, feelings, desires, and more, out of your head and onto the page.  There are many types of journaling to choose from, which can help with anxiety, decision-making, tapping into your intuition, and much more.

If starting a journaling practice is the 30-day challenge you choose, be sure to download my FREE journaling guide with 50 journaling prompts to help you get started.

48.  Set a daily intention

A daily intention is a guidepost for how you want to show up each day. When you decide from the get-go how you want to be and feel throughout your day, you’re actually more likely to get what you want out of each day.  Try setting a daily intention each morning and see how it benefits your day!

49.  Do a self-care act

Whether you’ve been neglecting your self-care or just want to add more self-care into your life, try a 30-day self-care challenge.

Start by considering what type of self-care you need more of and then make a 30-day self-care plan that includes at least one self-care act each day.  

I have many ideas you can choose from in “60 Simple Acts Of Self Care For Busy Moms” and “50 Super Simple Ideas for Self Care Saturdays”.

50.  Reframe negative self-talk

Have you been noticing that your inner dialogue is veering toward the negative more often than you’d like?  If so, choose to make an effort to stop that negative self-talk in its tracks the second you notice yourself doing it.  

For 30 days, you will make a conscious effort to reframe your negative thoughts into something more positive that is also true, and hopefully, by the end of this challenge, you’ll find that you’re speaking to yourself much more kindly.

51.  Write 1 good thing about your day every night

This challenge can be helpful if you’re looking to foster more gratitude and positivity in your life.  At the end of each day, try writing down 1 good thing about your day.  It could be something good that happened to you, something positive that you did, or a happy moment that made you smile.

52.  Journal on a self-reflection question daily

Self-reflection journaling is a meaningful way to get to know yourself better.  Give it a try if you are seeking more connection with and understanding of your inner workings.

Check out these FREE Questions for Self-reflection and select one to journal on each day of your 30-day challenge.

53.  Spend at least 10 minutes a day enjoying your own company

Learning to enjoy your own company is necessary for a happy and contented life and has many benefits.   

If you’re not comfortable spending time alone and would like to work on that, try spending just 10 minutes a day enjoying your own company and work up from there.

54.  Say “no” to something non-essential

We say yes to things too easily most of the time for fear of disappointing others and instead often disappoint ourselves. Work on your boundaries in this 30-day challenge by saying “no” to one non-essential request or task each day and see how you feel.

55.  Call or text a friend or loved one

This 30-day challenge helps cultivate more connection with loved ones.  Call or text a friend or loved one each day in order to strengthen your relationships.

56.  Give yourself a daily compliment

Try giving yourself a compliment each day and see how it helps your self-love and confidence grow.  Write down or tell yourself one thing you did well or like about yourself each day.

57.  Find at least one thing that makes you laugh

If you’re looking to lighten things up a bit, challenge yourself to find at least one thing that makes you laugh each day.  You could try reading jokes online, watching a funny sitcom, dancing around your living room, involving your kids and making silly faces at each other, or anything that will bring more laughter to your life.

58.  Start a yoga practice

Yoga provides many physical benefits like helping to improve posture, flexibility, and balance, but there are also a multitude of mental health benefits as well when you start a yoga practice.  Yoga can help you feel more centered, calm, and grounded.

If you’ve never done it before, start with a beginner’s class that will help you understand the fundamental principles of yoga, as well as how to properly move through the postures.

59.  Watch the sunrise and sunset daily

There is something very calming about watching the sunrise or sunset as it makes you feel connected to the earth and the world around you.

What a gift it would be to yourself to see both the sunrise and sunset as your 30-day challenge.

60.  Wake up 30 minutes earlier 

There is nothing worse than feeling as if you’re playing catch-up all day long and this is exactly what happens when you wake up and immediately have to jump into your day.  

You start your morning already feeling as if you’re behind, rushing to get out the door to work or to get the kids off to school and you wind up carrying that frenzied energy with you throughout the day.

For this challenge, try waking up at least 30 minutes earlier than you have to so that you can give yourself a little space in the morning and time to acclimate before you have to switch into “go mode”.

61.  Take a walk outside

Even when it’s cold out, go outdoors for at least a 10-minute walk each day and you will feel your stress and anxiety levels release from your body.

62.  Practice mindfulness

In this 30-day challenge, you will make a conscious effort to practice mindfulness.  Simply take a few moments each day to pause and notice your surroundings, take them in, and absorb what’s around you without judgment.  

Take a few deep breaths and reset.  Do this multiple times throughout the day for 30 days and you will feel the difference.

30-day challenges for personal growth

The below 30-day challenge ideas are for supporting your personal growth and development.  They focus on expanding your knowledge, improving your confidence, and helping you to grow as an individual.  

63.  Start learning a new language

Obviously you can’t completely learn a new language in 30 days, but you’ll surely get a handle on the basics in this 30-day challenge. Babbel and Duolingo are two great apps for learning a new language at home or you could opt to sign up for a language class.

64.  Explore a side hustle

Is there something you’ve always wanted to try as a side hustle?  Perhaps you have a business idea that you’ve been scared to pursue?

Take the next 30 days to dive in deep and learn all you can about this potential side hustle and then at the end of the challenge, decide if it makes sense for you.  

65.  Do one thing outside of your comfort zone

Pick one thing each day that is a little outside of your comfort zone and give it a try.  Maybe it’s a new class at the gym, striking up a conversation with that mom you always say hi to at the playground, or something bigger like finally asking your boss for a raise.

Big or small, do one thing outside of your comfort zone each day and see how your confidence begins to soar.

66.  Try a different act of kindness each day

Make it your mission to do a different act of kindness each day.  This could mean paying for an extra cup of coffee for the car behind you in the Starbucks drive-through line, giving someone an unexpected compliment, slowing down so someone can merge in front of you in traffic, or a number of other kind gestures.

67.  Read each night before bed

If your normal routine is to get into bed each night and watch TV for an hour, try this 30-day challenge in which you read each night instead.  Reading before bed will help you wind down and sleep better.

68.  Limit social media use

We often waste a lot of time scrolling social media when we could be doing something much more worthwhile.  

This 30-day social media challenge is a great way to reduce the amount of outside noise that’s influencing your life and help you better focus your energy on more productive tasks.  

69.  Learn a new skill

Learning a new skill can boost your self-confidence and broaden your horizons.   Pick something you’ve always wanted to learn and challenge yourself to start mastering it in the next 30 days.

70.  Go to bed one hour earlier

Maybe you’re already getting your 7-8 hours of sleep and you’d like to maintain this while also being able to wake up earlier in order to feel more productive during the day.  If so, your 30-day challenge could be to shift your bedtime earlier by one hour.  

71.  Write a manifestation list

Write a manifestation list that will help you effectively define, focus, and work towards bringing your greatest dreams into your reality.  

Each day, write down 10 dreams or goals you want to manifest in your life.  Writing them down every day will help you focus your energy on what you want to bring forth in your life.

72.  Dedicate one hour to learning

In this 30-day challenge, you will dedicate one hour per day to learning.  You could do this by reading books or other publications, watching TED talks, talking to a mentor or coach, listening to podcasts, or even taking a class on a topic you’d like to learn more about.  

73.  Make an ‘enough list’

If you’ve been feeling like you always need to be doing more and your best is never good enough, try making an ‘enough list’ for each key area of your life.  

An ‘enough list’ is where you lay out your minimum requirements of what feels like enough effort for you in your current season as it pertains to each important area of your life like relationships, career, parenting, health and fitness, etc.  Then spend the next 30 days trying to meet your minimum requirements and nothing more.

74.  Be intentional 

This is a good 30-day challenge if you want to make more of an effort to stop living on autopilot and start being more intentional with your time.  

In order to be more intentional during this challenge, make sure you have a plan for each day that aligns with your goals and check in with it multiple times throughout the day in order to stay on track.

75.  Set monthly goals

If you don’t already do so, challenge yourself to set 1-2 personal or career-related goals for the next month and list out the tasks or action items you need to do in order to accomplish them.  

Make sure to also support your goals by adding each action task to your calendar, putting reminders in your phone, blocking out the appropriate time to work on your goals, and anything else that will help you meet your monthly goals by the end of this 30-day challenge.

Grab my FREE Monthly Goals Worksheet to help.

76.  Get creative

Looking to tap into your creative side?  Try this 30-day challenge in which you do one thing that is creative each and every day.  You could use this challenge to explore anything creative that you’ve been interested in trying like photography, drawing, painting, sculpting, or writing.

30-day challenges for organization, productivity, & finances

These 30-day challenge ideas will help you organize your life, increase your productivity, and better manage your finances.

77.  Set 3-5 ‘must do’ daily priorities

This is something that we all should do as it makes us much more productive.  Each morning, list out the top 3-5 most important things that you need to get done that day.

You probably will have other items on your to-do list as well, but knowing your top 3-5 priorities will help you feel more focused and accomplished each day and will also help to reduce the overwhelm that comes from feeling like you have to do it all.  

78. Follow a meal plan

Besides helping you to eat healthier, creating and adhering to a meal plan will also help you organize your grocery shopping and reduce spending and food wastage.

79.  Don’t use credit cards

If you are looking to get a better handle on your spending, try this 30-day challenge in which you refrain from using credit cards. Using debit cards or cash only for 30 days will hopefully stop you from buying things you don’t need.

80.  Create a chores chart for your family

Creating a family chores chart in which every family member is assigned age-appropriate chores to complete is a great way to share the responsibilities in your household.  If you’ve been feeling like the weight of household chores is all on your shoulders, give this one a try.

81.  Donate one item every day

If you’ve been looking to declutter, this could be a good challenge for you. Keep a box out in plain sight and over the course of 30 days, fill it with clothes, toys, knickknacks, or anything else from around the house that you’d like to donate to charity or give away.

82.  Declutter 

On a similar note, try selecting specific areas of your home to declutter and work on decluttering a little each day.  Sure, this one takes some effort, but at the end of this 30-day challenge, you will have a less cluttered home and mind.

83.  Complete unfinished projects

Make a list of a few unfinished projects that you’d like to complete by the end of the month and a plan to work on them daily.  If they are small little projects, you could possibly tackle a project a day and then work on the larger ones on a weekly basis until they are complete.

84.  Create a monthly budget

Use this 30-day challenge to get a better handle on your finances and planning for the future.  List out all of your monthly expenses and income and then come up with a plan for a monthly budget that you will follow for the next 30 days and hopefully beyond.

85.  Track your spending

If creating a monthly budget feels too overwhelming for you, start by simply tracking your spending over the course of the next month. 

Get a handle on how much money you spend by logging any and all expenditures you make for the next 30 days in order to better understand your spending habits and see where you might be able to cut back.  

Maybe by next month, you’ll be ready to create a monthly budget that could help you start saving each month.

I wish you the best of luck with whichever of these awesome 30-day challenges to improve your life you decide to do!

Let us know in the comments if you’ve tried any of these and what your experience was.

Did you like this post?  Check out some others along these lines:

New Month, New Goals: How to Set Monthly Goals (+ FREE Worksheet)

30 Purposeful Sunday Habits for a Great Week (+ FREE Worksheet)

7 Ways to Find Time to Unplug (and Take Back Your Life)

How to Plan Your Week to be Productive (9 tips that really work)