2020 Monthly Challenges

Happy New Year! 

I spent mine at a 4-story speakeasy in New York City. 

I think it’s important to reflect on the old year before rushing into a new one – but it’s tough. Reflection takes time, patience, and the sparkling new decade is full of excitement and unknown. However, without reflection, our days and months go by forgotten. So if you haven’t already, grab a family member or friend, and recall what 2019 held for you. Here’s a few questions I like to ask for reflection:

  • If you had to title your 2019, as if it were the title of a movie or book, what would it be?
  • What were some major themes, or story arcs of your year? 
  • What were the highlights? Lowlights?
  • What are you proud of this past year? What were some areas of growth?

In 2017 and 2018, instead of a cookie-cutter New Years Resolution, I assigned a different 30 day challenge to each month of the year. I don’t know why I didn’t do it for 2019, but we’re bringing it back for 2020. Having various monthly challenges works well because it breaks up the year. There is a start and an end. You can put directed effort into each day. My challenges are listed below, play along or choose your own adventure! If you join me, let me know in the comments or on Instagram and we can track our progress together 🙂 

…

If you search ‘30 day challenges,’ you’ll be gifted with lists and lists of options. There’s a few links at the end of this post. Should you choose to design your own (like I usually do), it’s important to think about balancing ‘adding’ and ‘removing’ challenges. ‘Adding’ challenges involves, well, adding something to your daily living. For example, doing 50 pushups a day. ‘Removing’ challenges take things out, for example, removing dairy from your diet. When assigning challenges to months, consider what’s going to be happening in your life each month. If you’re traveling, it might be harder to meal prep, etc. Ok enough advice. Here is the list!

 

January – A question a day

For this challenge, grab a partner and make them commit to answering a single question a day with you. The goal is to improve communication as well as getting to know the other person (and yourself) better. This is a list of a bunch of great questions.

Here’s my 31 questions for January:

  1. What are we? (interpret this how you will)
  2. What makes you happier than anything else? (things, people, activities that really bring you joy) Alternatively, what activity never fails to bring you joy?
  3. What expectations do you have of yourself? Are they realistic?
  4. To your best knowledge, how do other people perceive you?
  5. Where do you consider home? Why?
  6. What are some of your personal “rules” that you never break?
  7. How would you spend your last day on earth, knowing that there was no tomorrow?
  8. What is one way you would change about how your parents raised you?
  9. What is your biggest self-limiting belief?
  10. What chance encounter changed your life forever?
  11. What is 1 problem you see in the world?
  12. What would be some of the most annoying things about having yourself as a roommate?
  13. Do you believe that everything in your life happens for a reason?
  14. Do you think we have a purpose in life? 
  15. What have you created that you are most proud of?
  16. What would you consider to be your biggest failure?
  17. What areas of your life do you often compare to others? Job, appearance, etc.?
  18. What is your relationship with money?
  19. What is your highest core value?
  20. How do you make difficult decisions? (What is the process)
  21. Where do you feel the safest?
  22. What makes you unique from other people?
  23. If you had to give a TED talk, what would it be about?
  24. If your room was on fire and you could only take 3 items, what would they be and why?
  25. What are you avoiding?
  26. What’s the best thing about you?
  27. What’s something you’re self-conscious about?
  28. What is something you will NEVER do again?
  29. What is one responsibility you wish you didn’t have?
  30. What stat of your life would you most like to see?
  31. What does love mean to you? Have you ever felt it before?

 

February – Pescatarian, be the fish

I typically do a health-related challenge every year. So far I’ve done a good job of reducing meat and animal products. For this month, though not too extreme, I will be pescatarian – and perhaps continue it throughout the year if it feels right. 

February also happens to be a heavy tournament month for ultimate frisbee. This health-centered challenge will help me focus on performance – which is why I’m coupling it with drinking lots of water every day.

 

March – No sugar

I’ve done this one before too, and it’s easier than you think! There is sugar in everything, so by ‘no sugar’ I mean no added or processed stuff. Nix the dessert. Ex-nay on the Croissant-ay. Also fits in with frisbee season (clearly I’m going ham on it). 

 

April – Read a chapter a day

I really miss reading. This challenge will force me to read again. If I read a chapter a day (minimum), depending on the book I can probably get through two or three. If you have any recommendations I would greatly appreciate.

 

May – Create a short film

School will be coming to a close. If all things work out, I’ve scheduled my spring quarter in a way that leaves a lot of space for creativity, fun, and shenanigans. One thing I’ve always wanted to do in another life is direct films. I’ll take this month to take a small bite out of that dream. The ‘daily’ part of it will be simply working on it every day in some shape or form – with a finished creation on the last day of the month.

 

June – Write a letter to someone

This is graduation month! Crossing my fingers I’ll be graduating 🙂 

With this chapter coming to a close, I’m going to pick a new person every day and write them a letter. Then I’m going to give it to them/send it to them at the end of the month. Might be a good way to express gratitude, or even reconnect with an old friend. 

 

July – Learn about something new every day

This month, I’ll be graduated, and still have time before work starts. So I’ll probably be traveling and have a lot of free time! Well, that’s the hope anyways. 

You know those things that you think, “hey what IS that about,” or “I’ve been meaning to get around to looking that up”? Like, wtf is a 401K? This month, I’m going to learn about a different thing every day. Here’s my list. I’ll link to relevant articles later. I recommend this Wiki page for other interesting topics.

Protip, if you can’t think of something one day, or just really don’t want to, watch a TED talk. 

 

August – Kanji

It’s been a while since I’ve studied language. I’m fluent in Japanese, but I definitely could improve my reading and writing literacy (thank you Rikai-kun). I will review 10 important kanji every day. By the end, that’s 300 kanji fresh in my brain!

 

September – 3 daily joys

A friend once shared her practice of logging three things that brought her joy each day. It could be anything, from the cup of coffee you had in the morning, to a nice conversation with a stranger. Whatever those three things are, I want to take that minute at the end of each day to recall. This will be my first month at a new full-time job after graduating from college. I think it’ll be a great way to stay grounded, and lighter challenge during a busy time.

 

October – Launch

I have an odd habit of starting a bunch of entrepreneurial projects, then never finishing them or showing someone. Enough of that. I’ve had a particular on in the works for a while, so I’m going to launch it in October. Stay tuned.

 

November – Novel

Oof. This is a doozie. I’ve told myself that I was going to do National Novel Writing Month before, and never did it. It’s kind of a lot! I’m going to try it this year. Since I’ll still be starting a new job, I won’t be too hard on myself if I slip a bit. So, if I get to November and know it’s not realistic, my backup will be 50 pushups a day. Bang.

 

December – Entrepreneurial brainstorm practice

Every day, write down 10 problems or 10 solutions. This is a great exercise in getting your creative juices flowing, particularly for business-related ideas. Also, it can be crazy! No limiting. I’ve had some of my best ideas doing this, and it’ll be a nice way to end the year.

 

…

This year I’ll also have a list of year-long themes that I want to touch back on. Every month I’ll check-in and see how I’m doing on them. They are:

  • Prioritize sleep
  • Reduction (things I own)
  • One blog post a month minimum
  • Honesty

If you want some more information on challenges from someone who actually knows what they’re talking about, check out this TED talk on trying something new for 30 days: 

Here are a few posts with lots of 30 day challenge ideas:

http://hackerella.com/30-day-challenge-ideas/

https://daringtolivefully.com/30-day-challenges

https://www.mindfulproductivityblog.com/blog/101-30-day-self-care-challenge-ideas

…

That’s it for now. I hope your New Years was a great one! Let’s goooooo 2020.