I recently turned 40 this year and I feel like I ought to do something important. When I turned 30, I was a week away from having my first child. When I turned 20, I was at a prestigious college and I had just returned from sailing around the world. So, what will 40 look like?
Well, a quick summation of my 30s might be helpful in deciding what fantastic things lie ahead.
- In my 30s, I had 3 amazing children.
- I worked for 10 years at the LightHouse for the Blind.
- My husband and I did some pretty hefty window and floor replacement in our new home.
- I picked up pole dancing.
- My husband and I bought a time share in Mexico.
- I quit my career in the nonprofit and started my own business.
- I traveled to Japan.
That about sums up my 30s.
Many of my friends have put together 21 for 21 intentions, an idea created by author Gretchen Reuben. I’ve enjoyed watching on the sidelines how these intentions have played out in the past. I have even toyed with the idea of making my own list of intentions. But … I decided, in honor of turning 40, I want to put together a list of 40 things I want to do the year I turn 40. Okay, maybe not the most creative thing to do, but in the days of the Pandemic, I feel like 40 things to do over a year seems like a lot of work. frankly, I could definitely do more things to fill my days since so much of it is dedicated to my children, and not so much toward me.
If I am being truly honest with myself, I am the type of person who thrives on having a full plate. If my plate is pretty empty, I have super low motivation. If I have a plate full of things to do, I’m go, go, go and I have tons of energy and motivation. So … this list of 40 things to do is a way to save me from all the nothingness I feel I do each day.
Are the things on my list goals?
Well, my trusty Dictionary.com app says that a goal is “the result or achievement toward which effort is directed.” I’m definitely directing effort toward all or many of these items on my list.
Are they intentions?
Again, my trusty Dictionary.com app says that intentions are “an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result; the end or object intended; purpose.” I believe this is just a fancy way of saying that I will exert some mental purpose while doing many of the things on my list.
What it really comes down to though is that I really just want to think of them as things—not goals, not intentions, just things. Truly, all the definitions I can find for the word “thing” seem to encapsulate it all. – A material object without life or consciousness.- Some entity or object that cannot be precisely described.- Matters; affairs.- An action, deed, event or performance.- An aim; an objective.- Personal possession or belonging.- A thought or statement.- Something that people do.
Thing encompasses it all y’all. So here are my 40 things for the year:
1. Write more blog posts.
2. Get back into writing poetry.
3. Re-publish my coaching website.
4. Publish and sell my self-care boot camp program.
5. Create more group coaching opportunities.
6. Get professional photos done for my coaching business.
7. Walk more.
8. Get back on the pole again.
9. Get back on my tandem and ride more.
10. Wear my pro lens more often.
11. Pick up the guitar and actually learn how to play a song.
12. Set up regular guitar accountability sessions with friends.
13. Go camping/glamping.
14. Get a really good coffee grinder and learn how to make fancy coffee drinks.
15. Read 150 books.
16. Complete a Spanish lesson on Duolingo every day.
17. Set up regular Spanish practice with friends.
18. Read 3 Spanish chapter books.
19. Feel comfortable writing a letter in Spanish with minimal help with Google translate.
20. Write out all of my Spanish vocabulary words I don’t know onto flashcards.
21. Set up regular working from home zoom group meet ups.
22. Purge some of my yarn.
23. Take up beading again.
24. Put together a serious outline of how to make jewelry and beauty products a small business.
25. Sing more.
26. Listen to music more.
27. Journal.
28. Go to the beach.
29. Go to the mountains.
30. Learn to tie ropes.
31. Buy pretty underwear.
32. Learn more origami models.
33. Resurrect my garden.
34. Keep my A-1 C under 6.5.
35. Eat as bright as possible—aka–no sugar and no flour.
36. Get better at stocking the house with healthier snacks and start eliminating carb-infested snacks for the entire family.
37. Dye my hair purple or pink or maybe get a totally un-Lisamaria-like haircut.
38. Buy something incredible for myself like a leather jacket.
39. Travel somewhere or decide to travel and make plans to that somewhere depending on restrictions.
40. Meditate, breathe, and generally do better at centering myself and giving myself permission to be still.
41. Get a second tattoo.
When I started writing out this list, I thought I would never get to 40. See what I did though? I have a bonus thing! I came up with 41 things to do when I am 40. I believe a woman deserves a bonus thing whenever she damn well wants it. 😊
Will you come with me for the ride?
Signing off for now,
Bay Area Blind Mom
P.S. I took more than a month to make this most-awesome list. I hope you appreciate it as much as I do.
Bay Area Blind Mom 