In my post on New Year’s Day, I mentioned the idea of making your life a learning laboratory in the coming year with 30-day experiments.
I LOVE these short experiments. They give you enough time to start seeing results, but not so much time that it feels too heavy to even start (or see it through to the end if you do).
Want to make the most of the coming year? New Year’s resolutions have a dismal success rate. This year, try something new. Below are twelve ideas for 30-day experiments you can use to turn your year into a learning laboratory that helps you both grow and make a difference in the world.
The difference you make in the world starts with you and ripples out from there. With that in mind, some of the experiments have a personal growth spin while others are outwardly directed, focusing on your actions and interactions with others.
2. Write a Self-Appreciation Journal
8. Do a Solution Mind Map a Day
9. Write Letters Telling People the Impact They Have Had in Your Life
10. Train Your Brain to Change
11. Be Judgmental (Then Shift Your Focus)
12. Amp Up Your Energy with a Personal Energy Audit
Here are some suggestions to help you make the most of your experiments.
- Tell someone else. Let others know that you’re doing a 30-day experiment. The more public you are about your intention, the more likely you will be to stick with it the entire time.
- Involve someone else. Find a partner who is up for doing their own 30-day experiment and connect regularly to share how it’s going.
- Be curious. Stop and notice along the way. Pay attention to whatever effect(s) it seems to be having. Ask yourself questions about the experience. What (if anything) are you learning along the way? What’s working? What’s not working?
- Keep a journal. Especially for the ones that don’t inherently involve keeping a journal, make it a regular habit to jot down any observations, insights, or experiences that come out of the experiment.
- Widen the scope. As your experiment unfolds, dive in deeper and see what others have to say on the topic. Develop both experiential knowledge and a broader perspective. Feel free to skip this part if it adds too much weight to the experiment. Remember – you want to keep it doable!
- Carry it forward. When you’re done with your experiment, ask yourself “What do I want to carry forward from this? What do I want to continue to incorporate into my life? How is this relevant moving forward?” You might decide that you want to make all or part of some experiments a regular habit in your life, and others you may decide didn’t amount to much. Take what works, let go of what doesn’t.
The experiments in the links above offer some ideas to get you started, but the potential pool of experiments is endless. What other experiments come to mind? I would love to hear your ideas.
If you decide to do your own 30-Day Experiment, let us know how it goes!
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Brought to you by Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst TM
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