Welcome back! If you’ve been following along with Parts 1 and 2, you’re probably well on your way to forming some powerful new habits.
But we’re not stopping here — there’s always some more room to grow.
Also — important notice — please don’t do all these challenges at once. It won’t work.
Instead, just choose up to 3 challenges that you like, or that apply most to you personal goals — and go with these for 100%. It’s better to do something at full capacity than many things at half capacity, right?
In this third part, I’ve got five more challenges that will push you to be more mindful with your money, take control of your mornings, eat healthier, invest in your future, and keep your body moving.
Let’s dive in!
Track progress!
P.S. don’t forget to track your progress by using a journal or app to note what you’ve read each day. It’s motivating to see how much you’ve accomplished! Alternatively, you can just print out a sheet of paper with 30 to 90 circles on it. Every day when you’ve accomplished a challenge, colour 1 circle.
1. 30-Day Mindful Spending Challenge
Do ever look at your bank account and feel like: “Where the hell did all my money go?!”
You’re not alone. It used to happen to me quite often in the past.
This challenge is about gaining control over your spending by making every purchase count.
The Goal
For 30 days, track every single purchase you make and reflect on whether it was truly necessary.
Did you NEED it, or did you WANT it?
Actually.. better would be to think BEFORE you spend.
Here are a few tips on HOW To Do it:
- Pause before you purchase: With every single item you buy — both essential or non-essential — take a few seconds and think about it. Do you really need it at this point, or is it more a desire? Or perhaps there are cheaper brands / options available? Of course be mindful of the quality. I’m not telling you buy crap, but spend in a “mindful way”.
- When you’re about to buy something non-essential (like clothes, electronics, entertainment things, subscriptions…), give yourself 24 hours to decide if it’s really worth it.
- You might think that getting takeaway dinner is a necessity, because, well, you need to eat. However, compare that cost to buying some ingredients and making food yourself. You’ll save a couple of bucks. So, this categorizes as a “WANT” in my eyes.
- Compare prices of grocery stores. Here in Belgium, where I’m from, there’s a VERY BIG price difference between stores. Sometimes it’s worth it to drive a little further to a cheaper store and stock up on food. And I’ve heard that it’s not so different in other countries.
- Create a budget: Outline your essential expenses — like rent, groceries, and bills — and set strict limits for non-essentials. E.g. max $1000 for Essentials, and max $500 for non essentials like entertainment, movie theatres, bars, holidays…
- Daily review: At the end of each day, review your spending. Ask yourself: “Did I spend money on what truly matters?”
To help you with this challenge, I’ve created a financial tracker (for Google Sheets AND Excel). You can find it here for just 1 buck.
By the end of the month, you’ll have a much clearer picture of your spending habits and, more importantly, a deeper understanding of what truly brings you joy.
2. 30-Day Early Riser Challenge
Imagine you had an hour extra every day. What would you do with this extra time?
The possibilities are endless.
This challenge is about waking up one hour earlier than usual every day for 30 days and using that time to set a positive tone for the rest of your day.
The Goal
Wake up one hour earlier each day for 30 days and dedicate that time to a productive morning routine.
How to Do It:
- Plan your bedtime: Ensure you’re getting enough sleep by going to bed earlier. Aim for 7–8 hours of rest each night.
- Prepare for your morning, IN THE EVENING: Prepare your clothes, workout materials, reading materials,… whatever it is you wanna do.
- Design your morning routine: Decide how you’ll use that extra hour — whether it’s for exercise, meditation, reading, or planning your day.
- For me, I use this extra hour as follows:
1) I wake up
2) I drink a glass of water with vitamins
3) I lay down on a yoga mat and do some foamrolling (quads, calves, TFL, piriformis, upper back).
4) I do some stretching of the same muscles including my hip flexors, cuz I’m stiff there.
5) I have healthy breakfast, like avocado’s, eggs, salmon, burrata cheese, salad…
6) I take a cosy shower, brush teeth, toiletries..
7) get ready to leave for work - Ease into it: If waking up an hour earlier seems daunting, start with 15-minute increments until you reach your goal.
By the end of this challenge, you’ll likely feel more energized and accomplished, and you’ll have established a morning routine that sets you up for success every day.
3. 30-Day Meal Prep Challenge
It’s SO, SO SOOOOO important to eat healthy.
Your mind, motivation and energy levels are purely the result of the stuff (fuel) you put into your body.
I know that eating healthy can feel exhausting, or even impossible these days with the busy lives we live, right? We’re ALWAYS short on time.
So what’s the solution? We have a 3 options:
- Planning. This is the basis of everything.
- Meal prepping
- Buying nutrition/breakfast shakes (as backup)
This challenge is all about planning your meals in advance, so you can enjoy nutritious, home-cooked food every day without the stress.
The Goal
Spend time each week planning your meals for 30 days. The focus is on creating healthy, balanced meals that save you time and money.
Tick a box on your checklist for every day you’ve completed this healthy eating challenge.
How to Do It
- Plan your meals: Choose a day each week to plan your meals. Make a shopping list based on your plan and stick to it.
- If I do meal prepping — I usually cook on Sundays.
- Mindful grocery shopping: Focus on buying healthy foods only, leave those cookies in the store. What you don’t have, you can’t eat.
- Prep ingredients: Chop vegetables, cook grains, and marinate proteins in advance to make daily meal preparation quick and easy.
By the end of this challenge, you’ll have a solid meal routine that simplifies healthy eating and helps you avoid the temptation of takeout or fast food.
4. 30-Day Investment Challenge
If you’ve never looked into investing before, I realize this challenge can be scary.
But, don’t worry!
This challenge is about taking small, consistent steps to start or enhance your investment journey, helping you build a more secure financial future.
The Goal
The goal of this challenge is a combination of financial effort with educational effort.
You don’t need to invest money into something every day, but you need to be busy with it at least. Whether it’s studying, reading or indeed, setting purchase & sell order — every single bit helps.
How to Do It
- Educate yourself: Start by spending some time learning about different investment options. There are plenty of books, podcasts, and articles that can help you understand the basics.
- Choose your platform: Start with a user-friendly investment platform, especially if you’re new to investing.
- Set aside a small amount of money each week to invest in stocks, bonds, or mutual funds. Set up an automatic money transfer to not miss any opportunities.
- Start small: Even if you’re only investing $10 a week, the habit of regular investing will set you on the right path.
- The key is to learn as you go and make consistent progress.
By the end of this challenge, you’ll have gained valuable knowledge and confidence in investing.
Plus, you’ll have made tangible progress toward your financial goals.
5. 30-Day Daily Stretching Challenge
Everyone always talks about “going to the gym, working out, staying active…” etc, right?
However, it’s not all about building muscle & physique, but there is something that’s perhaps even more important: Flexibility.
We often overlook flexibility in our fitness routines, but it’s crucial for overall health and well-being.
Trust me — not paying attention to your mobility & flexibility will seriously impact your health as time progresses. As we age, this will get more and more important.
Muscles must stay strong, but also supple & flexible.
This challenge is about incorporating stretching into your daily routine to improve flexibility, reduce stress, and prevent injury.
The Goal
Spend at least 10 minutes each day stretching for 30 days. Focus on different muscle groups to ensure a balanced routine.
How to Do It
- Set a time: Dedicate a specific time each day to your stretching routine — whether it’s first thing in the morning, after exercise, or before bed.
- Mix it up: Focus on different muscle groups each day — hamstrings, back, shoulders, etc. You can find millions of guided stretching routines on YouTube.
- It might sound stupid, but even try some yoga. This stuff really helps.
- Track your progress: Notice how your flexibility improves over time and how daily stretching helps you feel more relaxed and less tense.
By the end of this challenge, you’ll feel stronger, better, will be more resistant to injuries & pains, and more in tune with your body.
It’s a simple habit that can have a big impact on your overall well-being.
Most importantly: Your future self will thank you!
Thank you!
That wraps up Part 3 of our 5 Effective Personal Growth Challenges.
Actually, it’s been 15 challenges already, but hell, who keeps track? 🙂
Which challenge will you take on next? Let me know in the comments!
P.S. Remember, consistency is key! Extend your 30 days into 60, and then 90, to truly embed these habits into your daily life.
If you’ve got questions or thoughts, drop them in the comments and I’ll get back to you! Follow or 👏 if you’d like to see more content like this. Or buy me a coffee, this stuff is magical 😉
Did you know? I also write about different passive income streams like Print on Demand, YouTube Automation, investing tips, healthy habits and just keeping yourself motivated to keep going every day!
P.S. did you claim your copy of my Income/Expense Tracker or FREE E-Book yet?
