30-Day Gratitude Challenge: Ultimate Guide

This week I want to encourage and challenge you to complete the 30-day gratitude challenge! The 30-day gratitude challenge is a daily practice challenging you to focus on all the things you’re thankful for. Practicing daily gratitude has many great benefits like improved self-esteem, a boost in happiness, improved physical health, and much more! In this blog post, I will share with you some ideas on how you can take on this 30-day challenge and some tips and tricks that will work for you as your ultimate guide! Feel free to mix it up and swap for your own ideas! Ideally, it’s important to practice gratitude every day, which is why this 30-day gratitude challenge serves as a daily reminder.

Why do it for 30 days?

You might be wondering if there’s something magical about 30 days. To get started, I recommend you read my last blog post 6 Healthy Habits to Adopt in 2021, which will help you understand why 30 days works so well.

But here’s the hidden secret anyways!

Creating a new habit can be extremely difficult! Raise your hand if on new years you told yourself you will work on a wide variety of new year’s resolutions, but by March you have already quit half of them and the other half well you haven’t started at all. Having new goals to commit for a whole year can make you feel overwhelmed and most often you feel so overwhelmed that you end up not doing it.

That’s why a 30-day challenge works so well – it’s long enough to experience some positive changes in your life but short enough to where you’re not overwhelmed by it. If you commit to it for at least 30 days, the easier it will feel for you, and the more likely the gratitude habit will stick for the rest of the months to come.

The Pretty Thoughts’ 30-Day Gratitude Challenge:

Day 1: Thank your parents

Parents can be taken for granted heroes in our own lives. They’re also the reason why you’re even alive. Their presence and love are incredibly important. In this first-day challenge, take a moment to say thank you to your parents in any way you choose (i.e. text message, in-person, card, or phone call).

Day 2: Donate winter clothes

Having clothes that are able to keep us warm during these cold months is something we often take for granted. For this second-day challenge, be grateful for your winter clothes and think about those who might not have any. If you have any unwanted winter clothes that you simply don’t wear anymore, donate them to a shelter or personally give them to a homeless person.

Day 3: Bake a cake for someone you’re thankful for

Today, take the time to bake something sweet for someone you’re thankful for, that you know will appreciate it. Even if it’s something simple, it will make the day of that special friend, coworker, or family member.

Day 4: Compliment a stranger

Be nice to a stranger by giving them a genuine compliment. These days everyone needs an extra confidence boost! A simple genuine compliment can definitely make their day and make them smile.

Day 5: Do something nice for a coworker

Do you have a coworker who’s always picking up your shifts? Or lending you an extra hand when you most need it? Take this day to appreciate them by doing something nice for them. You can buy them a cup of coffee or take them out to lunch.

Day 6: Write a positive review

Do you have a business you like and enjoy every time you go? Show your gratefulness by writing them a positive review. Although it’s just a review, it can really help the business, especially during these hard troubling times.

Day 7: Think about what sound you’re grateful for

We often take our five senses for granted, when there’re many people in the world who don’t have the opportunity to see or to hear. Today think about what sound you often hear that you’re most grateful for. For example, I love to hear the sound of rain while I sleep.

Day 8: Be grateful for your body

As we age, our body changes, and most often we’re not able to do the things we were once able to do. Take a moment to be appreciative of all of the things your body allows you to do in your everyday life. Think about what exercise you’re most thankful that you’re able to do and do it as a way to say thanks to your body for allowing you to do so.

Day 9: Do a random act of kindness

This can be small or large! Not sure what to do? Try one of these:

• Leave an unusually large tip
• Pay for someone’s meal
• Thank a teacher with a small gift
• Bake cookies for a nursing home
• Leave a kind note in a library book

Day 10: Leave a note of encouragement in a public place

Make a stranger’s day by leaving a note of encouragement in a public place. Some ideas on where to leave it can be: a public bathroom, inside a book, in a library, at a bench at a park….you get the idea! If you’re not sure what to write you can just write your favorite gratefulness quote or an inspirational positive quote.

Day 11: Sign up to volunteer

Be grateful for your community by signing up to volunteer for a great cause. Volunteering often opens our eyes to the reality of things. Plus it gives you the opportunity to learn new things and meet new people!

Day 12: Be grateful for your skills

Do you possess a unique skill that makes you special? Or perhaps a skill that helps you and your family get by? Take day 12 of the 30-day gratitude challenge to be grateful for that skill. Honor it by doing it today and sharing it with your friends and family!

Day 13: Pay it forward in a drive-thru line

I mentioned this idea on my Christmas Edition blog post: 24 Ideas To Pay It Forward, but in case you haven’t read it (which I highly recommend that you do) a great way to spread gratitude is by paying it forward at a drive-thru line. I love this idea because it inspires the person you paid for to do the same for the person behind them. In fact, not too long ago 900 cars paid for each other’s meals at a Dairy Queen drive-thru in Minnesota!

Day 14: Do something kind for yourself

It’s important to remember that gratitude can also be expressed towards yourself. Take this day to do something kind for yourself and practice self-care. This can be taking a nice warm bubble bath, painting your nails, doing a beauty mask, and so on. Read my blog post 90 Best Self-Care Activities: Simple & Easy for more ideas!

Day 15: Have a day with no complaining

Going a day without complaining is harder than it seems! But you can do it! Refrain from any negative thoughts, if you’re having trouble I recommend you read How To Stop Thinking Negatively: 10 Powerful Techniques. The scoop is to constantly remind yourself, “if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say it at all.” You will see how much more positive your day is without all of the constant complaining!

Day 16: Hold the door for a stranger

Holding the door for a stranger is a nice, simple, and surprising gesture. Think about all the times a stranger opened the door for you. Show your gratefulness by repeating the act.

Day 17: Take a photo of something you’re grateful for

For this day take a photo of something you’re grateful for. If you love taking photos you can choose to take photos for all 30 days of the gratitude challenge of all the things you’re thankful for, one photo per day. After the 30 days are over, you can take a look at all your photos.

Day 18: Donate food at a food bank

Times are tough right now and many people are less fortunate and don’t have much to eat. Today be grateful that you always have food to eat and donate food at a food bank to help those in need.

Day 19: Make a list of things you are grateful for

Today, write a shortlist of 7 things you’re grateful for and make a list of 3 amazing things that happened last week.

Day 20: Write down something you are looking towards to

Write down something you’re super excited about. It can be an event, a goal, or a certain special date. Write down why you are looking forward to it. Doing this will make you smile and build up anticipation.

Day 21: Hug your pet

Hug your pet to show them how grateful you are to have him or her in your life. A simple hug could be just what your pet needs to feel loved and appreciated.

Day 22: Make someone laugh

Humor is one of life’s greatest gifts. It can definitely transform someone’s mood, lighten a tough time, or touch on tough topics with levity. Today, try to make someone laugh and be thankful for your giddy sense of joy.

Day 23: Do something nice for your neighbor

Our closest family is often our neighbors. Do something nice to show them how much you appreciate them. Offer to mow their lawn or bake them a sweet treat!

Day 24: Thank your teachers or boss at work

We often overlook everything our teachers or bosses do for us. Take today to show them how much you appreciate them by doing something nice for them.

Day 25: Share inspiring quotes on social media

You never know when someone might need a little uplifting! Boost someone’s outlook on life by sharing with your friends on social media, your favorite inspiring quote about gratitude and generosity.

Day 26: Write a thank you note to someone who might be under-appreciated

We’ve all been in situations where we felt overlooked and undervalued. Today, write a thank you note for someone you think might be under-appreciated. You can even include in the note how they’ve helped you.

Day 27: Be a helping hand

Today, be a helping hand by offering your help to someone who needs help completing a task. Think about all the times you were in their situation and wished someone would offer you their help.

Day 28: Think of memories you are thankful for

Think about a nice memory you hold near and cherish in your heart. Visualize and feel the emotions of this beautiful memory. If it involves someone, send them the memory via text.

Day 29: Take a gratitude nature walk

Leave your phone at home and go on a nature walk – whether it’s in your neighborhood, the woods, or hiking. Immerse yourself in good positive thoughts while you look at the trees, flowers, snow – all the beauty and abundance of nature.

Day 30: Start a gratitude jar

For the 30-day gratitude challenge, cut up 30 slips of paper. Each day write down one thing you’re grateful for and put it in the jar. At the end of the 30 days read all 30 notes. Feel free to continue filling your gratitude jar after the challenge is over.

Have you done the 30-day gratitude challenge yet? If so, feel free to share your results and what you learned! Which day did you find the easiest to do and the hardest?

In honor of the gratitude challenge, I want to thank all of my readers for reading and for the love and support! If you love my blog posts, comment a heart emoji below! ❤️

Are you looking for the perfect gift for friends or loved ones (including yourself!)? Make sure to check out my Self-Care Coloring Book available on Amazon + Amazon Prime. I promise you and your loved ones will love it! Click here to purchase now!