National Get Gnarly Day is a holiday observed annually on the last Friday in July, encouraging everyone celebrating to push their boundaries. Although many people tend to think that the word “gnarly” only means dangerous—which it does—it also means something challenging.

We’re sure that the people who invented this holiday wanted participants to do something challenging, not necessarily something specifically dangerous. It’s a day for individuals to go out and do something that makes them a bit nervous. That could be trying your hand at surfboarding, skydiving, or even engaging in some public speaking—if speaking to crowds unnerves you. It’s a day to get gnarly, so just get it done.

The History of National Get Gnarly Day

Believe it or not, National Get Gnarly Day was created by Whirlpool Corporation in 2016, although it was never intended to be a public holiday. They initiated this campaign to encourage their employees to get excited about meeting customer expectations and reaching their goals. Employees of Whirlpool responded well to the campaign, and it eventually leaked to the public, becoming the holiday known today.

Observing National Get Gnarly Day

The purpose of this holiday is for people to step out of their comfort zone and do something cool and amazing. Now, we understand that’s somewhat vague because “stepping out of your comfort zone” means different things to different people. For some, it means jumping out of a perfectly good airplane with a parachute, and for others, it’s learning how to make a soufflé.

It depends on the individual’s perspective. And we don’t think it matters what a person does on this day. Individuals should just make sure to push past their boundaries—no matter what that might entail. They should remember to spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #NationalGetGnarlyDay on their social media accounts to encourage others to get gnarly as well.