By Although it may be hard for me to accept, I’m officially amidst the one-year countdown to 40 (eek!). As I begin this post on Oct. 5, 2019, I have just 51 weeks — 356 days — to complete the 40 challenges + goals I set for myself.
You may recall that my 40-by-40 list came about in March 2018 after the completion of my 101-things-in-1001-days challenge that ended in December 2017. And, just like with 101 things, life changes during these challenges and sometimes that means there are items that just won’t happen and that’s okay. The important thing is to focus on the accomplishments. 🙂
- Visit all 50 U.S. states: July 2019
- Travel to five new countries: not likely to meet based on our travel plans for the next year but you never know
- Write a book: in-progress sort-of-ish
- Get married: June 2018
- Read 100 books: in-progress + on-track / 64 of 100 as of September 2019
- Return to the nonprofit BOD world: attempted but haven’t found a good fit yet
- Meet my 40-year retirement goals: in-progress + on-track
- See the Northern Lights: not likely to meet based on our travel plans for the next year but you never know
- Dine at a three-star Michelin restaurant: not yet started
- Learn to stand up paddleboard: have had opportunities but didn’t take them — yet
- Write letters to the five people who have most impacted my life: not yet started
- Grow my own salad: summer 2018
- Answer “50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind”: in-progress-ish
- Expand my investment knowledge + take my chances on the stock market (beyond just ESPP): 2018 + ongoing
- Complete a physical challenge: June 2018 (treetop trekking in Canada)
- Do something good (and big) for a stranger: not yet started
- Mentor: not yet started
- Eliminate plastic from my personal/beauty routine: in-progress + so close . . .
- Read all of the books I currently own — and then donate all but my favorites: in-progress
- Learn a new skill: 2018 (beer brewing)
- Get to my goal weight: in-progress
- See one of the wonders of the world: June 2018 (CN Tower)
- Visit Niagara Falls: June 2018
- Go whale watching: February 2019
- Give five “just because” presents: not yet started
- Build a snowman: not yet started
- Complete one item from my “someday list”: October 2018 (investment property); 2019 (study psychology)
- Meditate daily (30 days): 2018
- Host a writing retreat: unsure about this one as I still haven’t decided what to do about my monthly writing group
- Get a promotion + take on a new career role: March 2018
- Present at a conference again: August 2018 (ServiceNow)
- Learn how to better use my camera + post one photo monthly to blog: not yet started
- Take a class in something unique for me: in-progress + building our own dining-room table
- Read + complete The Artist’s Way: not yet started
- Plant peonies: October 2019 (bought new house with peonies)
- Cross the equator: not likely to meet based on our travel plans for the next year but you never know
- Leave a note inside a book for someone to find: September 2019 (four postcards in library books)
- Write a letter to myself to be opened at 50: not yet started
- Take two writing classes: in-progress — Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing (online) + planned/registered — The Story You Have to Tell with Cheryl Strayed/April 2020 at Kripalu
- Go somewhere amazing to celebrate my 40th birthday: planning in progress for Europe
Other lists:
Feature image courtesy of https://thedrewmoody.wordpress.com/the-40-list/.
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