43 things

“I’ve been exploring the website: www.43things.com today and must say it's rather inspirational. It guides you through the process of figuring out what matters to you- what 43 things you would like to accomplish in life. It also allows you to see how many others share similar goals and what other goals people have set- an interesting way of defining your life and learning how others define theirs. Just thought I’d share!”

I saw this posted on my friend Shannon’s blog months ago but haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I have always wanted to really check out the website but have always seemed to put it off until a few days ago. See, most people revaluate their lives at the beginning of the New Year and make resolutions, but I have always been one to reflect after a birthday. I mean, I am a whole year older so have I really lived up to my potential for the past year… or what do I need to accomplish within the next? Especially since this past birthday (combined with my current life experiences) have brought huge revelations to a head. Let me explain.

College is a wonderful experience and I would recommend anyone to go. The education and degree isn’t really the point of attending college to me. It is a chance to become independent and gain life experiences. I learned more about myself, the people I want to surround myself with, what I truly want out of life, etc. It was an amazing time. But also a drunk time. People often go full into ‘college mode’ of partying, hooking up, and being wild and crazy because it is the time of your life when you really can and the excuse of “being in college” is acceptable. This lifestyle is a blast… but what happens after graduation? Unfortunately, many people get stuck and can’t move on from what the associate to be the greatest time of their life. They continue to party and continue to focus on instant gratification. But instead this should be another time of reflection – college was great. But what next?

I will be the first to say I stayed in college mode after graduation. Not to a pathetic degree but still friends, clubs, parties, and a constant lack of sleep was the lifestyle I chose while also trying to juggle a career. Sooner or later, something has to give. Thankfully I was able to balance both without damaging my work performance (too much!) or future references. What made me move on from this lifestyle was completely unexpected: I fell in love and moved across the country for him. Wow.

So I moved to Alabama. I now live with my boyfriend and our dog. I cook instead of eating frozen pizzas and actually vacuum instead of pretending just using a Swiffer is acceptable. Everyone knows a puppy is really like a child so now my time is spent walking the little guy and I spend my last $10 on toys for him instead of a cute t-shirt for myself. I am learning to think with less of a ‘me, me, me’ mentality and make decisions that will be best for ‘us’. As my friend back home said, “[I] have become married with a kid… without being married or having kids.” HA!

Yah, so I am becoming domesticated and more mature. But I am only 24! I don’t need to be old and frumpy just because I have graduated college! I still can’t wait to move back home and be able to enjoy the Seattle social scene and toasts shots with my friends. BUT moving down here has pulled me away from the drama, the booze, and the night life forcing me to really revaluate what I want to focus on and work towards. So for my past birthday, I decided to really make a list on goals to accomplish. Not necessarily in this next year, but to just accomplish in my life. This birthday is a monumental one in the turning point it represents in my life and needs to be celebrated with a look to the future and the potential I have. This list can help keep me on track and reminded me where I want to go… even once I move back home to my much more social life in Seattle.

I started my list of goals with all my serious recent reflection in mind… but than remember the 43 website and began to search the site. Thus, my list is now intermixed with serious and silly goals I want to accomplish. Life is too short to take too seriously. Thus, I present to you my newest 43 list: (however I assume this to be a work in process because I hope to be continually adding goals as I cross off others! I will try and keep you posted of the items I do cross off and what I add.)

P.S. – if nothing else, check out www.43things.com to see what others what to accomplish because undoubtedly you will have done some of those things in your own life and it is great to realize you are doing things others strive for!

1. I want to become more punctual. I am notorious for running late and it’s embarrassing. I feel this happens because I try to accomplish too much in a short period of time. I need to just leave my pile of laundry to be folded later so I can pick up my friend on time for the movies.
2. I want to travel. Number one place I want to visit: Egypt. I have wanted to go there since 5th grade and touch a pyramid.
3. I want to live with passion and integrity.
4. I want to drink more water daily. However, I say this all the time and constantly fail. Maybe if I put the goal in writing I will feel more compelled to actually accomplish it.
5. I want to be the leader of a Girl Scout Troop.
6. I want to learn how to change the oil in my car.
7. I want to make a difference. To accomplish this I want to continually volunteering my time for non-profit organizations and being a political activist.
8. I want to learn how to play the guitar.
9. I want to watch "The Wizard of Oz" at the same time as listening to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon"
10. I want to learn a foreign language. I have taken the equivalent of three years of Spanish and three years of French – but can barely form a sentence in either.
11. I want to continue blogging even when I move back to Seattle. It has become an amazing creative outlet for me, almost like a journal. It has become very therapeutic.
12. I want to continue learning how to cook new recipes monthly. I don’t want to fall into a rut of Meatloaf Monday, Taco Tuesday, etc.
13. I want to design and make my own clothing. Not for a profession, but just as a creative outlet.
14. I want to continue teaching Yoga. Eventually, I want to teach a yoga class where I play punk, pop, and/or alternative music instead of the usual soothing background music. I feel not everyone relaxes to Yanni or Deep Forest and changing the tempo may change the rigidity of traditional yoga and make it more modern.
15. I want to read more books. I go thru phases where I read a ton and than taper off. To start small, I want to at least read three books a year. That is very do-able.
16. I want to re-open my 401K.
17. I originally wanted to run a 5K in less than 30 minutes… but I accomplished that last month! So next up: 10K in less than an hour. (I prefer endurance over speed.)
18. I would like to give blood on a regular basis.
19. I want to start taking dance classes again. I have a huge passion for dance but haven’t taken classes in years. I miss it.
20. I want to get married.
21. I never want to be complacent. I want to continually learn new skills and educate myself.
22. I have always wanted to write a book about my own life experiences. (But feel egotistical to assume that my life is of enough greatness to warrant writing a book about, let alone people being interested enough to read it. Besides, I am only 23 – maybe I should live thru a few more chapters before contemplating a memoir.)
23. I want to learn how to barbeque. First step – I need to get a barbeque.
24. I need to become more patient. I have actually come along way on this but also think planning my time better (see goal #1) would help this. I wouldn’t be running late so I wouldn’t feel the need to speed every time I hop in my car or tap my foot while in the line at the grocery store.
25. I want to bungee jump, sky dive, and ride a hot air balloon.
26. I want to own my own house.
27. I want to hit my snooze button less and get up earlier. I think it would start my day off in a better mood plus I would feel less rushed and more accomplished.
28. Someday I hope to have one of my original paintings hang in a gallery and/or sell one to someone who is not a friend or family member.
29. I want to send in my own secret to http://postsecret.blogspot.com/.
30. I want to have children and be a great mother.
31. I want to also become a Pilates Instructor.
32. I want to understand the stock market.
33. I want to be more knowledgeable about current events and politics instead of only being fluent in current celebrity gossip and the latest fashion trends.
34. I want to travel to Spain and see the Running of the Bulls.
35. I want to find a career that I love… instead of being stuck in a job just because it pays the bills.
36. I want to get the Japanese symbols for Faith and Love next to my Hope tattoo in honor of my mother.
37. I want to decorate my bedroom. I want to paint the walls a fun color, hang up artwork, get an awesome bed frame, etc. I want to create an awesome space I come home to every night instead of the boring one I have now.
38. I want to continue writings letters more often. I have done this more simply because I have moved away from my friends and family, but I want to keep this up. Getting a card in the mail will never replace getting an email in the inbox.
39. I want to continue being certified in First Aid/CPR. It seems like something that is just smart to keep current.
40. I want to meet Mark Hoppus from Blink 182. This might be on my list for a long time…
41. I want to grow my own fresh herbs and vegetables in a garden.
42. I want to surround myself with people who inspire me to always continue to grow and become a better person…
43. and I want to continually inspire others to do the same.