On each episode of  we issue a social challenge of the week.  Social challenges of the week are suggested  *relating exercises that help you improve how you are relating with self, people and the world. What is important to remember in order for these exercises to impact your life and experiences in a profound way, you must practice them repeatedly (no less than 14 days in a row) Here are some of our favorites challenges.

*Relating Exercises – communication exercises and experiences used to learn new ways of accessing all the information that is available in any situation for the purpose of expanding your relationship with self, other people and the world.

Top 40 Social Challenges Featured On Relatable Season 2 (2018):

1. At the End of Each Day Ask Yourself this Question –  What did I learn today? (something new or challenge yourself to have a new response to a typical experience)

2. Develop an Accountability Partner

• Ask yourself, what are you working on? What parts of your life are in transition?
• Share this information with at least five people.
• Ask them to share resources (books, specialists, documentaries, etc.) they know of that might help you with your transition and check in with you on your progress.

3. Try These Simple Body Checks to Explore Listening to Your Body.

• Body Check with Scent – Gather up your favorite candles or essential oils. (Or perhaps visit a place that sells essential oils) Smell a couple of different scents and ask yourself after each sniff, “What am I feeling?” Notice if there is any sensation in your body. Once you have an answers to your “what” questions, ask yourself, “Why this feeling?” three times to explore what memories and information is there.
• Body Check with News Story –  Read/watch a news story.  Ask yourself, “What am I feeling?” Notice if there is any sensation in your body. Once you have an answer to your “what” questions, ask yourself, “Why this feeling?” three times to explore what memories and information is there.
• Body Check with Music – Go into your music archives. Select and listen to a few different types of songs. (Upbeat, sad, hard rock, songs for lovers, etc) Ask yourself, “What am I feeling?” Notice if there is any sensation in your body. Once you have an answer to your “what” questions, ask yourself, “Why this feeling?” three times to explore what memories and information is there.
• Also make note of where different types of sensations show up in the body. Example: When you listen to something sad where does it show up and how? Is it  an ache in your stomach? Make note of this so when you feel that again, you can recognize sadness sooner. Be prepared to talk it out by exploring – “Something about this is making me sad? Why is that? What can I do about it?”

4. Fish Face Challenge – Take a vulnerable fish face photo and post it before taking the time to judge if it’s post-worthy or not. WHY? To experience living and loving in the moment with no fear. You know who you are, don’t concern yourself about what other people will say about the photo…Just post it.

5. Wiggle and Shake (repeat, repeat, repeat)

• As you move about different tasks of the day and interactions with others, take a few moments to “shake off” what you might be carrying into the new activity.
• Try this shake and wiggle when you wake, before you start work, as you change tasks, before conversations, dates, after the work day and before you go to bed.  Try to get at least 5 shakes in for the day. Do it 3-5 days in a row. Notice if there are any shifts in your stress levels.
• Bonus Shake: Take a shake break with a friend or family member. Add music.

6. Interruption Awareness Challenge – How often are you switching tasks or interrupting your thoughts and tasks with new ones? Spend some time noticing your interruption patterns. What feelings are you experiencing during the interruptions? Ask yourself, “What do I need the most right now?” Don’t worry if you don’t have an answer right away, keep asking as the interruptions happen. When you do get an answer, stop and make time for what comes up.

7.  Try Listening Differently – Do you know the reasons behind why your friends/family do what they do or believe what they believe?   Listen for understanding, not to debate what is right or wrong. Work in “WHY” questions. Try this sequence of questions – Can you think of an experience that made you think there was a God? What happened? Why is this experience significant to you?

8. The “Who is Around You” Challenge –Take the time to have more awareness to the people around you as you go about your day. Look to your left. Look to your right. Make eye contact. Compliment and Smile!

9.  Let Your Emotion Inspire Positive Action  – Don’t avoid your emotion — lean into it.

• Ask what am I feeling right now? (sadness, anger, joy, disgust, fear, etc)
• Ask why am I feeling this?
• Make a list of things you can do that will create positive change.
• Take action on something on your list.
• Repeat, repeat, repeat.

10. Start an Offline Group  – If you are not already in a book club, bible study or small group that meets regularly, start your own. Why? Because the best way to process our fast-paced news cycle and consumption of content online is to go offline and talk it out with people you know and trust. Some guidelines to consider:

• Invite people who have different opinions and political views.
• Set guidelines for “Respectful Dialog”  — no name calling, consider how to handle heated conversations beforehand.
• Meet regularly. (weekly, biweekly, monthly)
• Set an agenda. Let everyone submit 5 topics they want to talk about. Pick the most common five to start with and then address other topics as time permits.
• Be prepared to ‘fact check” as information is presented in discussion. A good resource for this –Snopes
• Start and end the get-together with everyone sharing what they are grateful for.
• Always thank people for sharing their points of view even when you don’t agree.
• Focus more on relating than debating — Asking questions for better understanding will help with this.

11.  Watch Your Words — Do they support you being you? Consider:

• Are you saying, “I am sorry,” too much — Why? Could you be apologizing for just being you or do your actions reflect real remorse?
• Do you say “Maybe” when you mean yes or no? Why?
• Do you use phrases like “Sort of,” “Kind of,” “Probably,” when you are more certain than you lead others to believe? Why?

12. Opening Yourself Up to Purpose

• Set the intention — proclaim to friends and family and/or say it in prayer, “I am going to live out my purpose.”
• Cut out as many distractions in your life as you can. Start with turning app notifications off on your phone.
• Find some quite moments to just “BE” (in nature, meditation, etc.)
• Journal what thoughts come in during your quiet moments.
• Repeat these steps often.

13. Honor the People in Your Local Community

• Take the time to realize who the people are in your community.
• Who do you see the most?
• Do you know the first name of your bank teller, door guy, barista, etc?
• If not, ask them and introduce yourself.
• Take the time to recognize them and thank them for being a part of your world.

14. Am I Being an Asshole Right Now?

• Try to identify when your actions or words might be coming from an unfavorable part of you. (aka – inter-asshole)
• Ask yourself, “Am I being an asshole right now?”
• If the answer is yes, explore how you can adjust your behavior to better serve all aspects and people pertaining to the situation.
• Not ready to address your inter-asshole? Then try a “Search for Meaning” challenge.
• Read a book on philosophy or spirituality.
• Do something in nature alone or with a group –making time to reflect on and/or journal your experience.

15. Try Honesty  – How much more honest can you be with yourself and the people you interact with? Note: People you are talking with on dating apps should be included in this challenge.

16. Sex Talk or Sex Walk? –  Have a partner? Make time for conversation about turn-ons. Use literature, art or movies to inspire the conversation. No partner? Walk into a sex shop for a little exploration. Ask questions, keeping in mind the store clerk has probably heard your question before. No reason to get embarrassed.

17. Be a Social Justice (Privilege) Detective –  Notice the experience you are having with people in public. Look around, listen — Is everyone having the same experience? How are people being treated differently? Why are they being treated differently?

18. Work it Out with Art

• Is there something you need to let go?
• Try working through it by creating something.
• Decide your medium. (painting, drawing, poetry, song, dance, film etc.)
• Create it. — If you have a tendency to aim for perfection, set a time restriction for completion.
• Whatever you make, make peace with it. Sit with it and congratulate yourself for your creation.

19. Influence Exploration

• Watch three different types of news sources — Pay attention to “leading” words that make you feel and think a certain way.
• Think about what is important to you. What are your goals right now? How do the people in your life relate to what is important to you and your goals? Does this effect how you feel about what is important to you?
• Consider seeking out people you want and need to be influenced by. This includes cleaning out your social media feeds so you are seeing and experiencing more of what you want in your life.

20. Life is Talking to You Way Beyond the Surface – Try to “feel” your way through a conversation. Listen. What are they saying? What are they not saying? What else are you present to? What circumstance are effecting the way you are communicating? Share that. Ask for the same. What is distracting you? Why is it distracting you? Talk about that. This challenge is the opposite of any social norms that keep conversation in the small talk zone.

21. Start a New Story -There are many ways to start new stories in your life and it is never too late to do so. Here any easy way to add a new adventure story to your life. Use meetups, eventbrite or AirBnb Experiences to find something you have always wanted to try. Purchase a ticket and go on a new adventure!

22. Male/Female Thought Exploration – Find a quite space and time to answer the following questions.

• What is your concept of “father?”
• What is your concept of “mother?”
• How do you feel about women?
• How do you feel about men?

23. Do You Know Where Your Thoughts On Racism Come From? – Find a quite space and time to answer the following questions.

• What do you learn about racism from your parents/family?
• What has been your personal experience with racism?
• Has your viewpoints on racism changed over the years? Why or Why Not? And how have they changed?

24. “Dear Me…” – Imagine someone loving you unconditionally. How would you know? What would you want them to say to you? Write a letter to yourself from them that express this love in acknowledgement of who you are and encouragement for what matters to you.

25. What is My Intention? As you go about your week, keep these two questions in mind:

• What is my intention in this moment?
• What is my higher purpose (big picture goals) intention?

26. Dedicate Your Orgasm – Powerful energy is released when you orgasm. For a more expansive experience, before your next orgasm think of something you want to celebrate or release and dedicate your orgasm to that!

27. Service as Source – Feeling a little challenged by the news and/or your life? Give yourself a break from trying to figure things out and dedicate time to being in service to others. Volunteer, do something for friend, family member or a total stranger. Whatever you decide to do, commit at least 3 hours to service. Sometimes getting out of your mind for awhile is the exact thing you need to do to feel better or see your way through a problem.

28. Say I Love You! – Tell a friend, family member and/or someone you see everyday and appreciate, “I Love You.”

29. Personal Affirmation – “I love myself even when I _______________”  Use this sentence to say the things out loud that you don’t like as a way to release the power they have over you.

30.  Just Breathe. 

• Go to YouTube.
• Search for breath work videos
• Pick one that resonates with you.
• Watch it, do it, repeat.

31. LIVE!!! – Ask yourself what more can I do to LIVE in this moment and do it!! Take off your shoes, run through the grass, dance and sing!! Bonus points for inviting people to experience the moment with you.

32. What Makes Up Your Operational System?

• Find a quiet space. Take time to relax with some stretches and deep breaths.
• Ask yourself – What is important to me? What motivates me? What are my core beliefs? (the things you don’t have much room for compromise)
• With the answers to those questions in mind – Do your relationships and environment work with your operational system? If not, what opportunities are there for updates and maintenance? Do you need to communicate some boundaries? Practice this communication in safe relationships and environment first.

33. Practice and Communicate Gratitude – If you are feeling a little stuck or down, it is always a good idea to account for what you are grateful for, be sure to let the people in your life know they are on your list.

34. Check-In Communication – It is safe to assume the people in your life are experiencing some sort of trauma. It could be personal, a response to something in the media, or something they are not completely aware of yet. With this context, how can we do better to support each other when we get together? Explore the answer to that question by considering new questions to ask during social check-ins. Some questions to consider:

• What has your attention right now? – Is it something you want to talk about?
• What kind of conversation are you available for right now?
• What do you need to talk about?

35. 60 Second Hug –  Ask a friend, family member or intimate partner if they will share a 60 second hug with you. Establish who will be the giver and the receiver and then switch roles. Happy hugging!

36. Quick Learning – Start a quest for learning by watching 3 short videos a day. Search for “How To…” videos on YouTube to look into things that spark your curiosity.

37. What is Your Second Chance Story? –Take the time to think about what you want a second chance at and then take some sort of action as the first step towards that chance. Bonus points for involving a friend in your plan so they can help you stay accountable.

38. Can I Come See You? –The easiest way to show someone you care and that you are available to them is by asking the question, “Can I come see you?” followed by, “When?” Making a point to schedule something and following through on that commitment.

39. Self Care – When it comes to relating, nothing is more important than how we relate to ourselves. Consider how you care for yourself. Are you doing at least one thing a day that is 100% for you? –Take time outs to breathe, move, nap, soak your feet, massage your neck and shoulders, eat a healthy meal, go to a yoga class, etc. Make a list of all the things you can do for yourself that are actions of care. Keep the list handy in stressful times to remind you what you to stop and do something to care for yourself.

40. Meaningful Conversation Invitation – Extend an invitation for conversation to someone where the entire purpose is connection. Where there is the most opportunity for meaningful conversation could be with someone you see every day and take for granted that you know who they are and what they are going through. When you sit down for conversation ask, “What has your attention right now?”