Self-care! We are so busy with our work, kids, home, and friends that we never have time for ourselves. In case you are wondering what’s self-care, I like the definition from PsychCentral. Check it out. The best way to explain self-care is to make for your physical, emotional, and mental health.

There are many ways of going about it. I’m sure you know a few of those ways yourself. To make it easy for you I’m going to share a 30-day self-care calendar in this post, and I challenge you to follow this calendar this month.

You’ll love this self-improvement challenge. Taking care of yourself will uplift your whole life. Just like any other challenge it might not be easy but perseverance is the key to a successful self-care journey.

You can take this challenge and personalize it as well, be flexible, and fit it into your budget. Need alternative ideas and you are stuck. Leave a comment below and I’ll help brainstorm with you! 😊. Also, I’d love to hear how you feel during and after! Comment below or on IG and FB.

Self-Care Challenge

Read on for 30 uplifting self-care challenge items, day by day.

Day 1: Go on walk alone

I love nature and I have talked about it in my blogs how research shows that nature benefits us in many ways. So, let’s kick off the challenge by getting out in nature. Find a trail nearby and take a stroll on it. Go alone and try bringing your attention to your breath and notice the surroundings. This walk will sync your body and mind. Inhale the colors of the trees around you and exhale the soft earthy feel of the trail under your feet.

Day 2: Drink water often

Drink water as much as you can. You can follow the 8 X 8 rule, drinking 8 oz every hour for 8 hours. Make it a habit to have a glass of water in front of you. Drinking water first thing in the morning has many health benefits so keep a fresh glass of water on your bedside table.

Day 3: Be kind

Show kindness and share your love. Give a gift, a thank you note, or words of appreciation to someone. Oscar Wilde said: “The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.” Your kind act doesn’t have to be big. 

Day 4- Unplug social media

Social media accounts are a great distraction and that’s why it is so tempting to engage on social media. Studies show that social media increases depression and loneliness. It’s best to take a break from social media. Unplug yourself from social media. Ask your family member to change the password for you. You don’t have to go all in but, starting with one day of social media detox would give you a good start. See how you feel and how much time you gain back today.

Day 5- Read

I don’t have to say much here. Do I? I never get tired of reading. Pick a book and immerse yourself in the words. Books have the unique ability to convey knowledge and inspire action. You will learn something new, and you will be doing something for yourself. 

Day 6- Talk to an old friend

Memories of days past can cheer anyone up. Nostalgia is good. So, try to get in touch with an old friend. 

Day 7-Cook something new

Try a new recipe, maybe from a different culture. Cooking for yourself is distressing and eating nutritious home cooked meals make you feel better. 

Day 8- Organize

Try to organize one drawer or closet. Pick one bite-size area in your home and try to spend just an hour. Don’t overthink it. Find the items you aren’t using and donate them. Organizing will make you feel productive, and you will be able to enjoy the cleared-out drawer or closet for days to come.

Day 9- Play

Stop being serious. Play a prank at work or with your family. Watch a funny movie or TV show. My favorite show is “Friends”. 

Day 10- Get a massage

Schedule a massage for yourself and make sure that you go for it. Research shows that low pressure massage reduces depression, anxiety, and heart rate.

Day 11- Practice gratitude

Want a life hack? Practice gratitude. Take just five minutes today write down the names of three people and three things you are grateful to have in your life.

Day 12- Simplify

Take an inventory of what’s the most stressful area in your life. Meals, work, kids’ schedules, or home projects. See if you can rearrange just one area. Maybe hire help for home projects. Set aside a weekend to conquer the project yourself which has been on your mind. Often we make things more complicated than they are. Delegate some work or rethink the process and it will open up your mind’s real estate for other work that you need to tackle.

Day 13- Go for a Mani/Pedi

Take care of yourself today. 

Day 14- Eat Clean

Okay, I know you love processed food. Those Doritos and Oreo cookies are the best aren’t they. Well, they are not the best for your wellbeing! Today’s challenge is to ditch the snacks and eat whole foods just for a day. Give it a try.

Day 15- Meditate or pray

Today’s challenge is to give yourself 10 minutes of silence. Just focus on your breath or say a prayer. Evaluate where you can make a 10-minute space in your day to continue this practice.

Day 16- Attend a fitness class

Go to your favorite group-ex class or maybe try a new type of class. Try Piloxing, or Zumba toning if you have never taken these before. Can’t leave the house, we got you covered. Try a virtual group-ex class.

Day 17- Watch a Ted-talk

Instead of watching TV or spending hours on social media, listen to a Ted Talk today. Learn something new and get inspired. 

Day 18- Meal prep

Meal planning and meal prep do seem like a lot of work upfront, especially if you’re deep in a busy season, but they truly are the best forms of self-care. Planning for your meals (and meals for your family) and doing some weekend prep means that you can eat well without a lot of extra planning and thought each day.

Day 19- Donate

Look in your closet. Are there outfits in good condition that you haven’t worn in a while? Pick three things and donate them.

Day 20- Air out the house

Today let fresh air into your home. The breeze will feel good and freshen up your whole home. 

Day 21- Practice yoga

Yoga is a great way to practice self-care because it slows down the breathing and relaxes your body. Try a virtual Yoga class.

Day 22- Date yourself

First, plan this date so it actually happens. What makes you happy? Write down three activities that make you smile. Set aside 3-4 hours in the day to make those things happen. I know for me it would be going for a run on a trail, eating a yummy cupcake, and taking a hot bath.

Day 23- Eat outdoors

Being home all the time during pandemic made me realize that eating at home all the time gets boring. It’s easy to break monotony by taking your meal outdoors. Sit out on the deck or pack a picnic meal and drive to the park. 

Day 24- Get a hairdo

Get a blow dry or freshen your hair cut. Enjoy the scalp massage while the stylist shampoos your hair.

Day 25- Affirmations

How you speak to yourself dictates how you live your life. Write down three affirmations for your-self and say them out loud to yourself during the day. Show yourself some love and encouragement.

Day 26- Take a bath

Anything can be fixed with a long soak in the bath or under a hot shower. 

Day 27- Listen to music

Listen to your favorite playlist for as long as you can. Charles Darwin said, “If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week.”Recent research shows that listening to music improves our mental well-being and boosts our physical health in surprising and astonishing ways.

Day 28- Watch a sunset

Next, either get outside early or step out in the evening to watch the colors of the sun as it moves. Really notice the waves it makes in the sky and the beauty of a simple sunrise or sunset.

How lucky we are to know the sun will be there for us every single day.

Day 29- Write a love letter

Write a love letter to yourself. I know it sounds silly. Talking from experience, it’s very hard to do. When you write it, you will find out a lot of your strengths. You will get to know yourself better. Self-love is important. 

Day 30- Reflect

It’s the final day of our self-care challenge. Time flies! Right? This day is for reflecting upon the last 29 days. What did you like in this challenge? What habits will you continue going forward?