A Feat a Day for 30 Days

What we do with our day is an exciting buffet of opportunity. For some of us, we may have to time our day around the efficacy of our medicines or our ability for the moment. Depending upon our certain challenges, there are usually ways of achieving a result that will fulfill our goals for the day.

Windows do open when doors slam shut on us. I can personally confess that I am more creative, prolific, diverse, and multimedia-curious than I have ever been. Parkinson’s disease has led me to a more creative point in my life. My drive to create, write, blog, photograph, create music, and draw are all there.

Let's try something for 30 days

This 30-day tryout, experiment, motivator, test, is a boilerplate of daily suggestions that is as flexible as you are. The activities that I propose are meant to spark all facets of your personality, fun, and overall education, but if you are motivated to make substitutions, then simply use this as a template to devise your own 30-day learning course of what it is that keeps you engaged, motivated, and moving forward.

Have fun with this and don’t feel pressured. Most of you are already growing every day and may not need this reminder of trying something new. For some of us, it takes a nudge, a push, a shove, or more to vary the pattern of our day. I whole-heartedly agree with consistency – when it is working, and seeking a change when it isn’t.

30 suggestions for you

The following is an experiment, a proposal, and even a mild challenge to enrich yourself by taking an ever so brief portion of your day to purposely act upon at least one of the following suggestions listed below:

1. Learn a new fact.
2. Discover a new card game.
3. Amaze your friends and yourself by learning a magic trick.
4. Find a toast for an upcoming occasion.
5. Write a 10 second elevator speech about yourself.
6. Research a person or topic that fascinates you.
7. Write a jingle on anything.
8. Take a great photo.
9. Call an old friend.
10. Create a unique greeting card.
11. Doodle your own cartoon character.
12. Really listen to the world outside your window.
13. Share a good book or tell a story.
14. Learn a new word.
15. Discover a new restaurant.
16. Watch a movie that you know nothing about.
17. Learn a new recipe.
18. Thank those closest to you.
19. Give a gift just to give it.
20. Write a story—try a short one.
21. Play a memory game.
22. Join or volunteer at a support group.
23. Start a meditation practice to calm your whole body.
24. Find a new blog, TED Talk, or YouTube video that moves you.
25. Learn a new App.
26. Investigate local resources that are available to you that you didn’t know about.
27. Finish a challenging crossword puzzle.
28. Record a piece of your history by recording it on video.
29. Take an online class for any topic that appeals to you.
30. Repeat as needed.

What calls to you?

The list that you just read is for those of us in need of structure, motivation, or just a reminder that we never stop growing and learning. This list is not in order of importance or chronology, so if you feel a calling to fulfill any of these sooner than in the provided order, I urge you to cross it off and proceed to the next action that calls to you.

In this world of instant access to information, tools like Google and YouTube can offer so much education. Sharing useful lessons from home repair tips to discovering new talents to offering inspiration through lectures and discussions, the richness of content is at our fingertips.