30-Day project

[thyme4change]

So, I'm thinking of doing a 30-day project. I'm not sure what the internet rules are, so I was going to make my own rules. Basically, for 30 days commit to doing something.

Here are some of my ideas. Please add to the list, or pick one for yourself.

1) Try a new recipe every day for 30 days
2) Watch a movie every day for 30 days (I already watch 90 minutes of television, including re-runs and crap I don't care about.)
3) Listen to a new album or band each day for 30 days
4) Only positive comments every day for 30 days (yeah, right!)
5) Play a different board game every day for 30 days
6) Research a different historical event every day for 30 days
7) Do something active (dare I say...work out) every day for 30 days

What else....if I come up with 12, I could really pressure myself and do a different challenge every month for a year. (If I do that, I would make it a 28-day challenge, and take a couple days off each month.)

[swasat]

Ok, I'll play. And this might sound ridiculous but it would be big for me to sleep on time. I am horrible at reading in bed and end up sleeping quite late because of it. So:

8) Go to bed and SLEEP on time every night for 30 days.

[Sum Dum Gai]

- Talk to at least one person that you've never met before everyday for 30 days.
- Spend at least 1 hour a day learning a second language everyday for 30 days. (not sure if I worded that right. You'd pick the language at the beginning of the month, not like a different language everyday)

[thyme4change]

Those are good ones. I actually thought of a variation of those, Dark, but I can't figure out where I would come across 30 people in my daily life. I guess I could just ring random doorbells in my neighborhood, or go to the grocery store and wait until the homeless guys ask me for money. I'm kinda contained here.

[Bob Ross]

Here's one:

Eat only McDonalds for 30 days. ;D

[NoNamePerson]

May 15, 2012 16:33:17 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Those are good ones. I actually thought of a variation of those, Dark, but I can't figure out where I would come across 30 people in my daily life. I guess I could just ring random doorbells in my neighborhood, or go to the grocery store and wait until the homeless guys ask me for money. I'm kinda contained here.

[/b]

Heck you could just PM 30 different on the boards. Would that count. Might have some really interesting conversations.

[Malarky]

Keep track of every bite of food that passes my lips every day for 30 days.

[Sum Dum Gai]

I'm kinda contained here.

Most of us are, that's the whole point. You'd have to go out and meet new people. Talk to strangers at your local bar. Stop by a soup kitchen. Sit at a bus stop for a while. Go to your community center. Accost strangers in the super market and ask them for help picking out melons. Get creative.

[thyme4change]

I guess I need some ground rules...

It has to be something that I can fit into my normal life. I know the point is to change - but I can't just abadon my family obligations. It will have to be something that I can do either with my kids (not sure I want to drag them to the local bar) or from my house.

It also has to be something that would be less than an hour - maybe an hour and a half, tops. I just don't have that much free time. The music thing I could do while I'm cooking, and the movie thing, I could do instead of watching re-runs (or baseball - I hate baseball.)

[Sum Dum Gai]

Alright, I'll modify the talk to one new person thing. Meet one of your neighbors each day for 30 days. Find some time during the weekend to bake cookies or something, and each day you knock on a new door, introduce yourselves, and hand out some of the cookies. Unless you live somewhere that each house is on a couple acres, you should be able to do that on foot without taking up too much time.

And the kids could do it with you.

[thyme4change]

I could do that, and our neighborhood is the type that it wouldn't even seem totally weird. Although, I bet the block watch would send an email about me.

[Sum Dum Gai]

Hell, I might do that one. I only know a couple of our neighbors.

[shanendoah]

Read a poem by a different poet every day for 30 days
Compliment a different person every day for 30 days

[Deleted]

Write 30 letters to elected officials on your favorite social or economic issue.

[swamp]

Try 30 different drinks.
Work out everyday but do a different type of exercise every day
Wear something different everyday, pull thenstuffmoutnof your closet you haven't worn in eons.

[raeoflyte]

Not to go all EE over here, but have relations each day with your spouse. ;D That's one I need to implement.

[taz157]

May 15, 2012 20:06:38 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

Not to go all EE over here, but have relations each day with your spouse. ;D That's one I need to implement.

;D

The other suggestions are great too!

[Tired Tess]

Do you play an instrument? Practice 30 min a day for 30 days.

Take one picture a day for 30 days. It will kind of force you to show an interest in something.

[hoops902]

Con $1 out of someone every day for 30 days. It will teach you to manipulate people and you'll be $30 richer.

[Formerly SK]

I know I could never commit to doing something that takes an hour every day for a month. I just don't have the time/schedule/lifestyle. The sex idea is a great one, but we are spending this weekend at a friend's house (share room with kids) and camping over Mem Day in a tent trailer with the kids. I refuse to do the deed in either of those situations.

How about doing a random act of kindness for a stranger every day? If you have a bad habit, giving it up for 30 days? Sometimes it is easier to purge an activity then to add one.

[whoisjohngalt]

I can't come up with any decent ideas bc I've been brain-dead after my last final exam, but I gotta tell you, Thyme, you come up with some cool stuff. I am thinking of coming up with 12 ideas and doing it for a year.... I just don't know when I will be able to start

Lena

[lexpenguin]

I've wanted to try a 30-day meditation "challenge" i.e stopandbreathe.com/2011/03/04/meditation-101-a-10-step-beginners-guide/

I did a 30 day 6:00 am yoga challenge a couple of years ago and felt fantastic.

Thanks for the inspiration thyme!

[motherto2]

I like the idea of complimenting someone every day. I read a book a couple of years ago where the lady gave away something every day for 29 days. She had developed MS or some similar illness, and as the days went on and she found things (not expensive things) to give to people - sometimes strangers, other times friends and family, she noticed the shift in her thoughts and some of her physical limitations went away.

This is a great idea! Where do I sign up and when do we start? I still have to decide on what I'd like to do.

[Peace77]

Here are a few more to consider:
Track your spending every day for 30 days. Write it all down even if just a candy bar or change in the parking meter.

Declutter - get rid of things that you no longer need, love or use. You can sell them or donate to charity or someone you know. Work on it 15-20 min at a time.

Organize what you have. You can do a lot in 15 nin. Segments of time over 30 days.

Write 30 letters or cards. Tell the people that you care about how you feel about them.

[Waffle]

More possibilities (some are pretty specific to me)
1. No Chocolate for 30 days (probably not) ;D
2. Write in a journal every day for 30 days - include a gratitude section
3. Be on time for work (after about 10 years of working for bosses who were habitually late and didn't care what time I came to work - I am now hardly ever on time)
4. Add at least one item to my eBay store every day.
5. Stop wasting time with stupid online games (except the Smart Spending daily secret word game) for 30 days. - maybe read instead.

I like the declutter idea.

[Deleted]

I could have a long list of things that would be good, but I think I'll just try 2: Spend 10 minutes every day decluttering the house, and to say something nice about someone every day.

[kimber45]

I like the declutter idea.

I do too. My house is in total disarray as we are remodeling, now is the perfect time to declutter. A box a day for 30-days!!

[findingdeadbeats]

Lex- thanks for posting the link to the meditation information. That is high on my current list of things I want to learn how to do.

I was going to mention gratitude, but someone above beat me to it. I am also working on this. I want to try and think of thinks I like/love in my life every day, instead of the things I don't. It's a process.

[Waffle]

I think I'm going to commit to two - declutter for at least 15 minutes each day and add at least item to my eBay store each day.

I'm going to work on the gratitude journaling too (I have an online journal at Penzu), but I've never been successful with doing that everyday - so I'm going to make a lesser goal on that one.

Are we going to start together and post progress?

[findingdeadbeats]

I think a monthly goals thread is a great idea. Maybe everyone's first post is about what they want to accomplish and then a daily/weekly post of how it is going for you. I know I always find those types of threads helpful and motivating.