There are 52 weeks of the year. Fifty-two weeks in which you can do anything and everything your heart desires. Yet, looking back, for most of us, the weeks repeat themselves.
On Monday, you wake up, go to work, and complain to your coworkers that you wished the weekend had just one more day. Then, you spend the days between Tuesday and Thursday wishing it was Friday. When Friday finally comes, you can’t wait for your work shift to be over. You go home, having awesome plans for the weekend, but you end up doing little to nothing. You think to yourself that Saturday and Sunday felt like two minutes rather than two days. And then it’s Monday again, and the story repeats.
But what if you could change that? What if you could do one new thing every week of the year? Well, you actually can. Trying new things will bring a special something to your prosaic days and motivate you to challenge yourself and find your purpose. You don’t have to quit your job and start from scratch if you don’t want to. Start small, and you will eventually create a habit of seeking new perspectives and testing your potential to the fullest.
Here are 52 things to do for each week of the year:
1. Check up on a friend or a relative you haven’t heard from in a while.
Give them a call and let them know you are open to getting back in touch.
2. Forgive someone who has done you wrong in the past.
Holding grudges only stops you from creating the future you deserve.
3. Compliment a stranger.
This will definitely brighten their mood.
4. Dig into your family tree.
You might be amazed by the stories your ancestors have to tell.
5. Let those around you know they are loved.
Saying how you feel out loud will remind them that they matter.
6. Hop on a bus to a place in your country you have never been to.
Call up a friend to make the trip even more exciting.
7. Go hiking.
Spending some time in nature is an amazing way to reconnect with yourself.
8. Or simply go to the nearest park.
Gather some friends and arrange an afternoon picnic.
9. Go to work with the bike.
Skip the morning traffic by swapping the car with a bike for a day.
10. Organize a board game night.
Playing board games is an awesome way to have some fun with your friends without constantly being on your phones.
11. Practice digital detox.
Switching off all the tech devices you have for a while will help you realize that life happens outside social media.
12. Learn a new language.
Knowing more than one language can help you excel at your career, dive into various cultures, and establish great connections with people outside your home country.
13. Acquire a new skill.
Sign up for a dance class, a programming language course, or a sport you have never tried.
14. Meditate.
Practicing meditation regularly increases self-awareness and reduces negativity and stress.
15. Write down everything you are grateful for.
Practicing gratitude helps you appreciate what you already have.
16. Declutter.
Get rid of everything that doesn’t spark joy, including toxic people.
17. Take yourself on a date.
Go to a restaurant, the cinema, or just for a walk all by yourself. Spending time in your own company is sometimes the best therapy.
18. Invent your own cocktail.
Get creative and combine your favorite spirit with the soft drink you enjoy the most. Add a Moschino cherry or a tiny umbrella to make it look even more professional.
19. Make homemade bread.
During quarantine, baking banana bread became a huge trend. So if you haven’t tried it yet, this is your sign!
20. Bake cookies for your coworkers.
The smell of freshly-baked sweets will surely make the office much more pleasant than it usually is.
21. Find your personal style.
Try a new look every once in a while to establish your own personal style and to put an end to the “I have clothes but no outfits” drama.
22. Make a mini home garden.
Taking care of plants and watching them grow feels much more rewarding than you might think.
23. Read a book from your shelf you haven’t opened in a while.
There is probably at least one book you have started and never finished.
24. Be a tourist in your own city.
Take a camera and visit the top locations in your hometown while trying to appreciate them through the eyes of a tourist.
25. Get a tattoo.
If you have always wanted one, you might as well pay a visit to a local tattoo artist. And if the fact that the ink stays on your skin forever scares you, you can start with a temporary tattoo – no strings attached.
26. Become a volunteer.
Helping others is always a good idea.
27. Go to a music festival.
Listening to your favorite band under the stars in the company of your dearest friends… What more could you wish for?
28. Wake up early to watch the sunrise.
Give yourself a great start to the day with the mesmerizing sight of the rising sun and a hot cup of coffee.
29. Watch the sunset with your loved one.
And if you don’t have a partner, enjoy the view in your own company.
30. Spend a whole day doing nothing.
No responsibilities, no annoying chores – just you and your favorite lazy activities, such as binging on a TV show or reading a book in your pajamas all day long.
31. Hold a movie marathon at home.
Buy some popcorn, invite your friends over, and watch your favorite epic saga together. The Lord of the Rings is always a great option.
32. Learn to play a musical instrument.
Maybe you have always been interested in playing a classical guitar or an electronic piano. Well, why not try it right now?
33. Go on a solo road trip.
Create a playlist with the best journey songs you know, hop in your car, and go on an adventure all by yourself. Exploring the world around you on your own gives you a whole different perspective.
34. Sleep under the stars.
If the weather allows it, give camping out a chance. Who needs a five-star hotel when you can have five billion stars above you.
35. Organize a spa day at home.
Make yourself a nice hot bubble bath with a colorful bath bomb and some heavenly-scented bath salts, do yourself a mani-pedi transformation, put a rejuvenating face mask on, and enjoy a full day of relaxation.
36. Start a journal.
Journaling helps you organize your thoughts and rearrange your priorities, which might do wonders for your mental health.
37. Donate to charity.
You don’t have to be rich to help others. For instance, you can donate clothes you no longer wear to the homeless or warm blankets to the local dog shelter. Whenever it comes from the heart, it always helps.
38. Cook a cuisine from a different country.
Cooking a traditional meal from another country is certainly one of the most delicious ways to get to know their culture.
39. Go skinny dipping.
It’s wild, adventurous, and kind of reckless, but it should be an incredibly fun experience to go skinny dipping with your loved one or with your best friend.
40. Plan a vacation.
Depending on your budget, plan the best vacation you can go to. Pick a spot and do research on the best activities you can do around and the greatest historical monuments you can see.
41. Do something kind for a neighbor.
Offer to walk their dog when they are in a rush or water their plants while they are away for the weekend. Little things like this help create a wholesome community.
42. Fly a kite.
Who says kites are only for children?
43. Go ice skating in the summer.
If there is an indoor ice rink near you, why not check it out in the hot summer weather? It will certainly chill you out.
44. Send a message in a bottle.
Did you know that a woman who sent a message in a bottle back in 1995 finally got a response? How amazing is that?!
45. Go to an Escape room.
Escape rooms have become a huge thing over the past few years. If you and your friends still haven’t given them a shot, you might as well do it!
46. Conquer a giant puzzle.
Seeing the separate pieces coming together in a beautiful picture can be truly rewarding.
47. Attend a lantern festival.
Witnessing the flickering magical lights firing up the sky while holding the hand of a loved one gives you the impression of living in a fairy tale, even if it’s just for a little while.
48. Try horseback riding.
Not only it improves your reflexes and your overall physical health, but horseback riding is also a great idea for a romantic date.
49. Go on a hot air balloon ride.
This would be a wonderful way to get closer to the stars.
50. Start exercising.
Going to the gym, playing a sport, or going to regular dance classes are a few ways you can improve both your mental and physical health.
51. Create a traveler’s list.
Make a list of all the destinations you want to visit. And one day, several years from now, you may have already visited half the places you once wished for.
52. Create a bucket list.
There are surely some things you want to do before you die. Writing them down is the first step towards accomplishing them.
What do you think of our list of 52 things to do throughout the 52 weeks of the year? Is there anything you would add to the list? Leave a comment to let us know!
