Now the days are becoming colder and the evenings darker, motivation can sometimes lack if you’re anything like me. Try one of these 30 day challenge ideas especially for Autumn/Winter.
Pick your 30 day challenge — do it every day for 30 days — change your life in a month (or at least take the first few steps)
20 30 day challenge ideas for the Autumn/Winter months
1. Start each day laughing
If you live with a stand up comedian, then great. If not, practise laughter yoga for a few minutes every morning — it’ll make you feel so much better now the days are darker. When I lived in northern Finland I should have done this rather than just eating loads of chocolate to feel good!
2. Knit a scarf in 30 days
Or if you’re knitting skills are pretty advanced, make it a jumper and give it away as a Christmas present. The scarf option isn’t particularly demanding (and it’ll make you feel more productive when you’re watching TV). Pour yourself a glass of wine and you’re sorted.
Image source: Me wrapped in a very long scarf that I knitted!
3. Don’t eat out for a month
This includes buying shop bought sandwiches at lunch and coffee from Starbucks. Get yourself a small cafetiere and cook at home. You’ll be eating more healthily and saving your money.
Read self improvement blogger, Simona rich’s post: My 30 day no eating out challenge
4. Do a drawing a day
Take a sketchbook, or be resourceful and use old receipts, wrapping paper, newspaper… and do a drawing a day. If time is your concern, limit yourself to just 10-15 minutes per drawing. Each piece does not have to be a perfectly finished work of art.
5. Switch cold water drinks for hot
Hear me out with this one. My housemate Connie inspired me to start drinking hot water and I have to say, as the days are getting colder, I’m enjoying my hot water (with a slice of lemon sometimes) much more than just a regular cold glass of water. At least try it for 30 days and see how you feel.
6. Try a Hot Yoga challenge
Start your day off with a hot workout. Hot Yoga isn’t as hot as Bikram, but the routines are more varied and you’ll still be left sweating at the end. Many Yoga schools also significant discounts if you’re new.
7. Practise Yoga Nidra before bed every day for 30 days
If you’ve never tried Yoga Nidra and you sometimes have trouble unwinding or dropping off to sleep, please give this a go. Just search ‘Yoga Nidra’ in Youtube or SoundCloud. It’s a 30-60 minute guided meditation that will take you into a deep state of relaxation.
8. Write 500 words a day
Now the days are shorter and the evenings darker, it makes it easier to write. Set your mood lighting, get comfortable and write. Whether you’re writing a book, you want to get out of writers block, or you just want to improve your writing, this will get you back into the flow of writing regularly.
9. Learn a new skill at home
I’m being vague with this one, but 30 days is the perfect amount of time to learn something completely new. Plus, many things you can learn in the comfort of your own home. Learn how to video edit, teach yourself animation,start that DIY project you’ve been putting off, make jewellery…
10 Start to learn a new language
There’s no need to feel guilty for not being outside in the sun, now the days are getting colder. Live Mocha is a free online language learning community with resources available to learn 100s of different languages for free. Plus, you can actually team up with people and test out your speaking skills.
11. Ditch the TV during weekdays
I was going to say ditch TV for a month, but I know how much everyone in the UK is hooked on Saturday night TV. Without TV see how much time you’ve freed up. Do something else to unwind, like reading, meditating, treating yourself to a hot relaxing bath.
12. Try the 2 minute ab workout
This one is perfect for this time of year and I can promise that you will see a noticeable difference. Start by doing 10 leg raises on the first few days, gradually working up to 20-30 by day 20. You can have short breaks in between. To do this, lie flat on your back and lift both legs straight up to the ceiling on the inhale and lower them to a fem cm off the floor on your exhale.
13. Keep a ‘thought’ journal
We live in an age where our lives are constantly been instagrammed, tweeted and updated online. But, try recording your daily thoughts in a small notebook — for no one else’s eyes but your own. The process might be therapeutic. After each day, you could even tear each page out and throw it away if you’re releasing negative thoughts.
14. Do one good deed a day
When it’s not as hot and the sun isn’t as bright, people often aren’t as nice. Cheer up someone’s day every day for 30 days, by doing one small thing for someone — stopping to let another car or bike go past on the road, making someone a cup of tea, giving a stranger a compliment…
Image source: Karma Yoga in the kitchens of Alexander Palace when Amma came to visit London.
15. Keep a gratitude diary
This 30 day challenge can be done all year round, but colder darker days can make many of us a bit more negative. Every day for a month, write down 10 things you’re grateful for. They can be simple things like the cup of tea you’re drinking, having a bed to sleep and fresh water to drink.
16. Take turmeric every day
If you live a big city, chances are you might be feeling a bit run down at this time of year. Try taking turmeric supplements or putting it in your food to boost your immune system. The health benefits are endless. It’s a natural anti-inflammatory, it’s full of antioxidants and it improves brain function — to name just a few things. Read more benefits of turmeric.
17. Start cycling to work
I’m trying hard not to be a fair weather cyclist this Autumn/ Winter. When I lived in northern Finland, the temperature was sometimes as low as minus 25 degrees, but people still cycled everywhere. The more I did it, the more it became a habit. Plus, the colder it gets, the more natural light we get, so this might just give you an extra boost of energy.
18. Ditch the news
Why make yourself feel bad. Depressive news on top of cold, dark days won’t do anything for your state of mind. At least try this one for 30 days and see how you feel afterwards. Chances are, you’ll still know what’s going on because everyone talks about the news anyway and you can still read good quality journalism.
19. Take a photo a day
Create a theme, such as photographing the sky, your food or your walk to work. By the end you’ll have a full collection photos or you’ll find inspiration to start a new project.
20. Treat yourself and/or others well for 30 days
Whoever you are — whether you have a demanding job and kids or not, you deserve a bit of time every day to treat yourself, even if it’s just 10 minutes.Spend time preparing a meal that looks and tastes good, buy yourself a new book, relax…Do something little each day to appreciate yourself or someone close to you.
Top image source: The Art of Looking Sideways
