Opening your mind to all that is possible guarantees you’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore the world around you, learn tons of new information, and try lots of new things. When you open your mind to all that is possible, you take advantage of everything life has to offer you.
Mentally preparing yourself to open your mind to all that is possible can seem a little intimidating – even scary. For the next thirty days, try these daily challenges to help open your mind and embrace more opportunities around you.
Day 1: Do something different that deviates away from one of your usual routines.
Routines can be helpful; they give your daily life some predictable structure. However, routines can also make you feel like you’re stuck in a rut. Today, challenge yourself to break up one of your normal routines by doing something differently.
For example, if you normally drive to work using the same route, try a new one. If you have the same lunch every day, try something different instead. These small deviations from routine can open you to lots of new information and opportunities – often in the most unexpected places!
Day 2: Say “yes” to something someone asks you to do today.
If you find yourself routinely declining invitations or opportunities from others, break that cycle by saying “yes” to something you’re asked to do today. Whether it’s going on an outing, helping with a task, or giving your opinion, say “yes” to it and participate.
Getting involved with other people is an excellent way to expand your horizons and see new possibilities that are open to you.
Day 3: Visit the local library and check out a variety of books to peruse.
Reading is a great way to open your mind – especially if you are reading a wide variety of different titles. Visit your local library and check out a stack of books that appeal to you.
Try to browse different sections and leave with some fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and even children’s titles – you’ll be surprised how much you can learn about the world around you through books.
Day 4: Visit a place you’ve never been before.
You don’t need to hop a plane and Apply to a foreign country to accomplish this challenge. Instead, consider visiting a place you’ve never been before that is also in your city. Many people visit the same places over and over again, never exploring outside of what is most familiar to them. Visit some of these unfamiliar places to open your mind to new possibilities and discover new places you can enjoy on a regular basis.
Day 5: Expose yourself to something that irrationally scares you so you can begin to work through some of those limitations.
Having an irrational fear can limit you. Today, practice exposing yourself to something you fear so you can begin to work through some of those feelings.
For example, if you are afraid of bugs, try watching a nature documentary about insects. Learning more about what frightens you is an excellent way to open your mind to that fear and begin to process it in a healthy way.
Day 6: Try looking at a controversial issue from someone else’s perspective.
In today’s world, there are tons of controversial issues that divide us all. Think about some of your own stances on any number controversial issues. Today, challenge yourself to read more about the other side of the controversial issue.
Try to gain an understanding about why people may have different opinions from yours. You don’t have to agree with other people’s opinions, but learning more about what they believe and why they believe it helps open your mind to all the possibilities and information that is available for you to understand.
Day 7: Strike a conversation with someone you normally don’t speak with.
Think about all the people you encounter on a daily basis. For example, you may wave to your neighbor who lives three doors down when you pass their home, but never actually speak to them. Instead of giving them the normal friendly wave, stop, say hello, and get to know them a little bit better.
Building relationships with new people is an excellent way to open your mind to everything that is possible. Talking to new people will teach you lots of new things about the world around you.
Day 8: Cook a dish from another culture’s cuisine.
An excellent way to open your mind to all that is possible is to learn more about other cultures. A fun way to learn more about other cultures is to learn more about their cuisine.
Famous dishes from any culture will teach you a lot about the people, the country, and the traditions that shape those foods and flavors. as a bonus, you will expand your culinary skills and your personal palate.
Day 9: Make an effort to step outside of your comfort zone.
Taking the plunge to exit your comfort zone is a great way to open your mind to everything that is possible to you. If you always stay in your comfort zone, you never challenge yourself to learn or experience anything new. It’s hard to know what is possible for you when you don’t put yourself in the position to experience it.
Today, challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone. For example, you can do something that makes you feel a little uncomfortable, like dining alone in a restaurant or striking up a conversation with someone you don’t know very well.
Day 10: Practice being a good listener during your conversations with other people.
One of the biggest mistakes a person can make during a conversation is being a bad listener. Think about the way you talk to other people: do you really listen to what they’re saying, or do you think more about what you want to say next?
If you care more about your response, you’re probably not really listening to what the other person is saying. You’re missing out on the story, information, and details they are giving you.
Today, think less about what you want to say and focus more on what the other person is really saying during the conversation. You will probably be surprised at what you learn from them.
Day 11: Challenge your judgments and assumptions of other people.
You may cause yourself to miss a lot of great opportunities and possibilities in life because you judge or assume things about people before you really get to know them.
Today, challenge yourself to put your judgments and assumptions aside. Have an honest conversation with a person, listen to what they have to say, and then make your judgments after you speak with them. Doing so will give you an opportunity to really get to know them without your own judgments and assumptions getting in the way.
Day 12: Challenge yourself to ask lots of questions.
Some people do not like asking other people questions, even if they really need to ask them. This is because some people think that asking questions makes them sound unknowledgeable or foolish. However, asking questions is a great way to understand more about what is possible for you. If you don’t ask, you may not get the information you want or need.
Today, challenge yourself to ask plenty of questions.
Day 13: Challenge yourself to talk to someone who leads a very different life from yours.
People come from many different walks of life. If all of your friends and family members are very much like yourself, you are missing out on learning about the world around you.
Today, make a point to talk to someone who leads a very different life from yours. Perhaps they follow different religious beliefs, come from a different familial background, or have a different nationality from yours. Taking time to talk to new people who lead different lives from yours open your mind to all that is possible and everything that is happening in the world around you.
Day 14: Challenge yourself to get started learning something you’ve always wanted to learn more about.
Have you always wanted to learn how to be a great cook? Do you want to know how to sell your own clothing? Do you wish you could finally learn how to ride a bike? If so, challenge yourself to get started learning something you’ve always wanted to learn more about.
Take the first steps by gathering your supplies, watching instructional videos, or talking to someone who knows more about the skill or topic you want to know more about. Taking the first step toward learning something helps you open your mind to all that is possible.
Day 15: Order something different than your usual at your favorite restaurant.
When you visit your favorite restaurant, you probably order the same dish over and over again. Today, visit your favorite restaurant and challenge yourself to order something different off the menu.
Give yourself bonus points if you order something different from the menu that you’ve never actually tried before from any restaurant.
Challenging yourself to try new things, even in familiar places, is a great way to open your mind to all that is possible. As a bonus, you may discover your new favorite meal.
Day 16: Practice taking criticism gracefully.
Nobody particularly enjoys receiving criticism. Sometimes, receiving criticism can even hurt, leaving you feel like you’re making bad choices or that other people I think your ideas are dumb. However, learning how to take criticism gracefully is a great way to open your mind to all those possible.
When you really listen to someone else’s criticism, you may learn crucial information you need to improve yourself.
Today, you can challenge yourself to practice taking criticism by asking someone to criticize something of yours, such as a project at work.
Day 17: Make a point to ask someone else what they are thinking or feeling.
Sometime today, make a point to ask someone else what they’re thinking or feeling. For example, if you are in a meeting at work, make a point to ask one of your co-workers about their opinions on the topic being discussed.
This is a great way to open your own mind to new possibilities. Other people often have great ideas, but they may not feel comfortable enough to share them with others. Open yourself to hearing these new possibilities by inviting other people purposefully into the conversation.
Day 18: Practice seeing something from another person’s perspective.
Today, practice viewing a situation through the eyes of someone else. For example, if you are feeling frustrated about something one of your friends did, try looking at their actions through their eyes. While their actions may have annoyed you, they may have truly believed they were being helpful.
Taking time to look at something from another person’s perspective is a great way to open your mind to all possibilities – not just your own opinions and assumptions.
Day 19: Spend time at the end of the day reflecting on your words, actions, and choices.
Self-reflection can be brutal. Looking back on what you said, did, and decided during the day can even make you cringe! You may feel embarrassment or confusion about why you did some of the things you did.
However, spending some time reflecting at the end of each day teaches you a lot about yourself. It can help open your mind to better possibilities. On the other hand, if you reflect and realize that you had a particularly good day, you can take the information from your day and keep using it to your advantage.
Day 20: Challenge yourself to embrace an uncertain situation.
Diving headfirst into an uncertain situation can be scary. At the end of a scary situation, you may find success or failure. When things are uncertain, it can feel like you’re wandering through a dark forest with no flashlight – you can’t be sure about where you’re going, but you hope for the best that you find your way out.
Today, challenge yourself to embrace an uncertain situation by staying positive. Focus on the good potential outcomes of the situation and manifest that positivity for yourself.
Day 21: Challenge your sense of confirmation bias.
Confirmation bias is a need to confirm information you receive alongside your existing beliefs and thought patterns. For example, when you find yourself presented with new information, you may immediately make an assumption about it based on your own previous experiences or prior knowledge. Sometimes, these assumptions are correct.
However, there are many times when these assumptions are wrong. Today, challenge yourself to push against your confirmation bias. Before accepting something as right or wrong, truthful or untruthful, or normal or strange, challenge yourself to notice whether you are looking for confirmation bias, or if you are really considering the situation from all different angles.
Day 22: Challenge yourself to practice humility today.
Admitting you were wrong or you made a mistake can be one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. Today, practice humility by admitting to something you did wrong or a mistake you made. It can be for any kind of mistake, big or small.
To practice humility, you can simply say “I was wrong.” Admitting that you’re wrong and showing your humility shows that you are open to all possibilities and willing to accept that you made a mistake.
Day 23: Challenge yourself to temporarily step away from a situation that causes you stress.
When faced with a particularly stressful situation, it is tempting to react immediately as a means of trying to gain control of what is happening. However, immediate action is not always the correct response.
Today, challenge yourself to step away from a situation that causes you stress. Take a few minutes to separate yourself from the action, regain control of your breathing, and settle your thoughts before returning to the situation. This brief reprieve will help you open your mind to other possibilities and work towards resolving a stressful situation in a more productive manner.
Day 24: Challenge yourself to process an emotion in real-time.
Learning how to really feel your emotions is a great way to open your mind to all that is possible for you. Many people like to ignore or repress their emotions, especially if they are difficult emotions like anger, frustration, or shame.
Today, when you notice yourself feeling a particular emotion, let yourself really feel and explore it. Make note of everything you’re experiencing when you feel that way.
Doing so will teach you a lot about yourself and help open your mind to all that is possible for you concerning your emotions.
Day 25: Challenge yourself to understand that everyone has differing perceptions.
People tend to live in very single lane, closed-minded worlds. It can be challenging to believe that someone else can feel differently about something then you do.
Today, make a point to challenge yourself to learn more about other people’s perceptions. For example, if you notice yourself having a strong reaction to a news story or something that a friend tells you, try to consider how another person might perceive hearing the same information. Doing so will help you open your mind to all possibilities – not just your own.
Day 26: challenge yourself to believe that most people are trying to do their best most of the time.
If you work in an environment where you depend on others to do their jobs, you know that it can be very frustrating when everyone doesn’t do their share of the work.
Today, challenge yourself to believe that most people are trying to do their best most of the time.
Sometimes, it is tempting to believe that other people want to be lazy or sabotage your work, but this is a warped perception. Open your mind to all that is possible by being more positive about the reality of the situation. Most of the time, people really are trying their very best, and their best may look different from day-to-day.
Day 27: Challenge yourself to choose positivity today.
In any situation, it is easy to focus on the negatives. Today, challenge yourself to choose positivity. This can look different in many situations, but ultimately, your main goal is to remain focused on what can go well. Rather than allowing yourself to focus on possible bad outcomes, remind yourself of everything that can go right and make that your target.
Day 28: Challenge yourself to spend more time with positive people today.
Think about the people you spend the most time with on a regular basis. are they mostly positive and upbeat people, or negative naysayers? If you tend to spend more time with the negative crowd, challenge yourself to spend more time with people who embrace positivity and good attitudes. Spending more time around positive people will help you open your mind and accept more possibilities into your life.
Day 29: Challenge yourself to reach out to one of your role models for help or advice.
Today, challenge yourself to make a connection with someone you consider a role model. Ask them questions, learn more about them, and ask them for advice concerning your own situations. Talking to someone you consider a role model is a great way to open your mind to all that is possible. Not only will you learn good and valuable information from this person, but you’ll also gain an outsider’s perspective on an issue that’s been stuck inside your own mind.
Day 30: Embrace doing things a little unconventionally today.
Open your mind to all that is possible by breaking some of your typical conventions. For example, switch your meals for the day by having breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast.
Pick up a different newspaper besides the one you normally read everyday. Go on your normal daily exercise walk, but walk the entire route backwards. Embracing your regular routines and habits a little unconventionally can help you see things from a slightly different perspective.
