Do you give yourself the same kind of love you so generously give to others? The kind of love that lights you up from the inside out and makes happiness possible? While unfortunate to note, many people do not. This is where this 30-day self-love challenge can come in handy.
Every challenge is designed to help you develop true and lasting self-love and how to love yourself more.
The 30-Day Love Yourself Challenge Activities
Day 1: Write 3 positive affirmations and recite them out loud.
Choose 3 loving affirmations about self-love that resonate with you and write them down.
Tape them on your mirror and any place where you see them often.
Then commit to reciting them every morning for the next 30 days.
Day 2: List down 10 things you love about yourself.
Think of 10 things that make you unique.
What do you love about your body?
What are your strengths?
What do you appreciate about yourself?
Day 3: Say thank you to 5 of your body parts in the mirror.
Many people, especially women, beat themselves up by criticizing their bodies non-stop.
Today, choose not to criticize yourself in any way or form.
Give your body the love it deserves.
And don’t just say “Thank you.”
Give a reason as to why you are thankful.
For instance, “Thank you, legs, for allowing me to do yoga, chase babies, taking me to where I want to go.”
Day 4: Say no.
Give yourself some respect by saying no to something you don’t want to do.
Having boundaries protecting you and your peace of mind is okay.
So don’t hesitate to say no.
Day 5: Do something you are very good at.
Maybe you are good at solving math problems.
Or maybe you are a genius at painting.
Whatever it is that you are exceptionally good at, do it today.
Then marvel at your strength and talent!
Day 6: Engage in loving exercise.
Here’s the deal: today’s exercise should be done to make you feel good.
Have no expectations.
No hitting unrealistic goals.
Move your body because you enjoy how happy and alive it makes you feel.
Day 07: List down 5 things you love about your life.
Write down 5 great things you have going for you.
What are you grateful for?
What do you love about your home?
Your family?
Your job?
You created and manifested those, so pat yourself on the back!
Day 8: Change your environment to a happier one.
Today, do something that can make your environment happier and better.
Add a plant, light a candle, post gratitude quotes, or do something kind.
Regardless of what you will do, at the end of the day, you have one additional thing that brightens your day.
Day 9: Turn off your mobile phone and take a hot shower.
Give your body and mind the love it needs.
Turn off your phone an hour early and shower to unwind.
You can also crawl into the bathtub and read or strategize how you can create the life you want.
Day 10: Do an act of kindness.
Love others, and you will love yourself too.
There’s no shortage of kindness acts you can do.
Thank someone for being in your life, compliment someone, give your significant other a thoughtful gift; you get the drift.
Day 11: Have a digital break.
Social media is wonderful, but it can also lead you to compare your life to the small and seemingly perfect snippets of other people’s lives.
Unfortunately, this is a trap many have not been able to avoid.
So do yourself a massive favor and take a digital break.
No social media.
Instead, spend the time connecting with friends and family that mean the most to you.
Day 12: Forgive yourself.
Have you made a mistake or two this week?
If you have been living fully, it’s a possibility.
Now, sit on your bed and repeatedly tell yourself, “I forgive myself for my mistake. I let them go.”
There is no use holding on to past mistakes.
Forget the mistakes and take note of the lessons learned.
Day 13: Eat a nourishing meal.
Just like exercise, don’t aim to hit some goal today.
The idea is just to make a salad, smoothie, or anything that’s healthy and nutritious for your body.
Exercise and healthy, nutritious food are not punishments.
They are self-love.
Teach yourself to see things that way.
Day 14: Buy yourself flowers.
Because you deserve beauty in your life.
Because you are special.
Because you deserve it.
Day 15: Write down 3 hard things you did today.
Often, you don’t give yourself the credit you deserve.
Today, acknowledge the hard work you have been putting in and celebrate it!
Day 16: Answer the following questions in your journal.
- What activities bring me joy?
- When am I most confident?
- Am I letting go of the mistakes I have made?
- Have I shown my body the praise and love it deserves? How?
- What inspires me?
- What makes me feel complete?
- When was I last respecting myself by saying no and setting a boundary?
When you get your thoughts down on paper, you can dig deeper into what truly brings you joy and how well you treat and show yourself, love.
Day 17: Compliment yourself in the mirror.
Better yet, say I love you to yourself while looking at yourself in the mirror.
This exercise will only take a few seconds, but it works like magic.
The mirror technique can help shift your focus to self-love and praise.
If you can, do this challenge from day 1 to 30 until it becomes a part of your day.
Day 18: Set aside 30 minutes each day for self-care.
Make today a non-negotiable self-love meeting with yourself.
Then do something that makes you feel amazing.
You can listen to your favorite podcast, read a book, or nap.
Day 19: Create a playlist of your favorite songs.
When creating your special playlist, include songs that inspire you to love and appreciate yourself more.
Here are a few fun and empowering ones you can include:
- Beautiful by Christina Aguilera
- Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
- Feeling Myself by Beyonce and Nicki Minaj
- Born This Way by Lady Gaga
- Confident by Demi Lovato
Day 20: Read a Self-Help book.
Choose an empowering self-help book that inspires self-love and self-care.
Or you can also go for one you have wanted to read but never really got the chance to do.
Day 21: Create a vision board.
What are your hopes, dreams, and aspirations?
Think about what you truly want.
Then create an epic vision board that represents everything you want to accomplish.
Day 22: Design a Sunday self-care routine.
At the end of each week, do something to help you reconnect, recharge, and prepare you for another week ahead.
Think of self-care activities that help you appreciate yourself and boost your self-love.
Your routine can be as short as 10 minutes or as long as an hour (or even two!).
You call the shots!
Below are some great self-care Sunday ideas you can try:
- Take a long walk nature walk
- Have a spa day (Do your nails, have a facial, shade, take a long shower, etc.)
- Drink a relaxing cup of your favorite tea and read a few chapters of your favorite book
- Have a “cuddle time” with your kids, significant other, or pets
- Take a long and relaxing nap
- Get a massage
- Bake or cook something you love
- Call a friend or family member and check on them
Day 23: Connect with nature.
Today, get outside for a few minutes.
Visit a place where nature’s beauty is exceptional.
Then touch a tree.
Observe the local animals.
Breathe in the fresh air.
Admire all the beauty around you and bask in it.
You will come home better, happier, and more grounded.
Day 24: Stretch for 10 minutes before going to bed.
Stiffness and pain will often respond well to regular stretching.
Tonight, look for a short YouTube video or create your stretches.
Observe how much your body feels before you lie down.
Day 25: Get a gratitude notebook.
List down at least 5 things you are grateful for.
No matter how seemingly trivial, write them down.
Gratitude can turn your life around once it becomes a part of your daily life.
Day 26: Write yourself a love note.
Better yet, write yourself a full love letter!
What do you appreciate about yourself?
What do you love about yourself?
Write everything down.
Then place it in a drawer.
The next time you feel low and doubt yourself, you can reread that letter to shift your mindset.
Day 27: Connect with someone you love.
People who love us see our best qualities and remind us of them.
They also provide support on days when we feel down in the dumps.
So spend quality time with someone who cares about you.
If they are far away, get on a call with them or send them a text or an email.
Day 28: Do one thing that makes you feel good.
Anything at all.
Anything that you have been meaning to do.
You can watch your favorite rom-com.
You can watch the sunset at your favorite resort.
You can do something that challenges you.
Or you can just relax and do nothing.
It’s all up to you.
The idea is to do whatever your body, mind, or spirit needs today.
Day 29: Declutter.
When you declutter, you make space for something new.
You make space for yourself.
Whether cleaning out your email (or your closet) or tackling your backlogs at work, do it!
Things feel way different (and better) when things are tidier.
Give that gift to yourself.
Day 30: Reframe something negative into something positive.
If you have made it this far, congratulations!
You have shown yourself so much love in the last 29 days!
Finally, pay attention to your thoughts today.
When you think of something negative, don’t dwell on it.
This can be tricky, but it becomes easier the more you do it.
Over to You
Now that you have experienced how good it feels to love, appreciate, and look out for yourself, consider doing this 30-day self-love challenge for the rest of the year. It is time that you recognize your worth. Be your soulmate. Be your own best friend. Commit to loving yourself no matter what, and watch your life change magically.