TikTok’s Viral ‘Winter Arc Challenge’ Helps You Create New Habits—and Stick to Them

Now that it’s October, it’s officially that time of year when you either hunker down and get laser-focused on your goals or slow down and give your body and mind a reset. If you’re more like the latter, the winter arc challenge on TikTok might be the motivating fuel you need to prioritize your well-being and set personal intentions and goals for the remainder of the year. The “winter arc,” fyi, refers to the 90-ish days between October and December (though some extend the arc to January), during which time, followers of the trend are encouraged to adopt specific habits to help reach their personal goals.

TikTok creator and life coach Carly Berges is inspiring her followers to take the next three months to identify the areas of their lives that they can change to align with the person they want to be. Maybe you want to become more financially stable, learn a new language, or look for a new career path. Or, maybe your goals are on the smaller scale (totally fine!), like waking up earlier, meal-prepping a few dishes a week, or sticking to a workout routine. The point is that these small shifts add up and ultimately help you reach bigger aspirations you may have for yourself.

How to follow the winter arc challenge

So, how exactly do you kick-start the winter arc and ensure you’re on the best track to reach your goals? First, know that there’s no “correct” way to create your winter arc. But a good starting point is to organize your goals on paper (many people who follow the winter arc challenge use the notes app on their phone or write in a journal). Once you’ve compiled a list, you can organize them into three main categories: mental, physical, and spiritual, as TikTok creator @mahima.p does with her winter arc goals (see her explanation below).

In each category, you can list specific habits you want to adopt, like eating more protein at every meal or incorporating a daily 10-minute meditation practice. What’s most important is that you choose habits you will actually follow daily, which might mean you have to keep your list short, or only pick two categories to adhere to.

One common mistake among followers of the winter arc challenge is listing too many goals and not being able to follow through with all of them. By organizing your goals into separate categories (mental, physical, emotional, psychological, etc.), you’ll be able to better evaluate what’s realistic for you. These categories also make it easier to create a habit tracker (take a look at @mahima.p’s tracker for inspo). Or if you prefer, you can download a productivity app, such as MinimaList, on your phone, which allows you to check off tasks and note your progress.

How to stay consistent in your goals

Some followers of the winter arc challenge are deleting social media apps from their phones during the 90 days so they remain dialed into their goals—but others believe that keeping some social media apps active will help them stay motivated. For example, some people might tag friends in their challenge posts to stay accountable—and to help their friends keep up with their goals. Not to mention, colder months can feel isolating, so connecting with a community working toward similar goals and consuming positive, affirming content is key to being resilient.

We live in a society that thrives on goal-setting at the beginning of every year, and as the months go by, our motivation to stick to our goals tends to wane. But the winter arc challenge reminds us that finishing the year strong is equally important and that while the colder and darker months might force us into hibernation, it’s when the real work can happen.

How Berges designs her winter arc

If you’re curious about how Berges is tackling her winter arc, she says she created a list of guidelines for herself, which includes waking up at 6:30 a.m. every morning—with the eventual goal of getting out of bed at 5:30 a.m.—then meditating, journaling, and reading before starting her day. Her guidelines also include following a workout plan with low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio, and also gradually increasing her calorie intake to achieve certain muscular goals.

By adopting these habits throughout the winter arc, Berges hopes she’ll achieve larger goals of reading four books, making a certain monthly income, practicing Spanish three times a week, and creating 100 TikTok videos. Health-wise, Berges also shares that she would like to start taking vitamins daily, prioritize her gut health, and re-assess what things add value to her life and what don’t.

Why you should try the winter arc challenge

Remember, you can easily apply the winter arc challenge to any goal. For example, if you’re looking to PR a marathon, make major muscle gains, start a new career, find love, or launch a business, creating a winter arc plan can help you stay accountable and measure progress more easily. There’s no pressure to achieve big goals by the end of the year, but if you’ve made lasting changes over the next three months, you can officially call that a win. After all, if not for rest, these darker months are meant for us to turn inward and see what areas of our lives deserve more light.