30 By 30... Part 1

I recently decided to set some realistic goals. Inspired by a friend's blog, I am setting 30 goals to accomplish by the age of 30. I am setting out to achieve everything on my list by my 30th birthday, January 2, 2014.  Some are measurable goals, some are more of lifestyle changes or habits I would like to create. Some are simply things I've always wanted to do.

It's interesting to see that many of my goals are connected: If I accomplish one goal, I'm setting myself up to accomplish another.

To keep it interesting, I am going to break this into 2 posts... 30 is a lot of things!

Here part 1 of my list (in no particular order):





1. A home. Now that we are married and both working at great jobs, Matt and I are ready to create a home of our very own. Since 2002 (almost 10 years!) I have lived in 8 different places, not counting the summer months that I spent living in dorms for my previous job. I have packed and unpacked, lugged and hauled. I'm ready to be done with that. I love our current clean, new-smelling apartment, but am sick of baren white walls. I'm ready for some color! I don't want to hear the echoes of neighbors through paper-thin walls, or worry that my own footsteps are too loud. I want space to live. I want a big backyard to enjoy and a spacious kitchen. I want a basement for Matt to putter around in and a cozy living room to lounge in. I want to fill our space without worrying about what a pain everything will be to move. I want something permanent (or at least long-term). I want something that is ours. I want to create an environment of warmth and love, a place to look forward to coming back to when we are away. I want that unmistakeable feeling that we are exactly where we are supposed to be: home.




Maybe we'll take a family portrait like this?

2. To begin our family. Something very important to both Matt and me is starting our own legacy, our family. Family is something very meaningful to the two of us, especially as we grow as a couple. There are so many things I could say about this subject, but I will keep it sweet and simple. We are ready to create our own sense of family, create our own traditions, and provide opportunities for our children to succeed in whatever it is they choose to do. I am very excited about this next chapter in our lives!  





Now I just need a Master's Degree

3. To obtain my Master's Degree. I've taken the first step to meeting this goal by applying to Grad School (last minute!) and getting accepted!! I have to say, this was a goal that I was really terrified about for the past few years. After facing the real world and realizing more of the direction I wanted to go, I knew I wanted to get my Master's Degree. Because of my poor GPA, I thought there was NO WAY I'd be accepted. Now that I've gotten over that hurdle, I know this is an achievable goal!



Good advice... harder than it sounds!

 4. Be a better listener. I think that good communication is the key to success, whether in the workplace or in relationships. When I think of some of the best friends that I have, I can remember them listening to me. Not waiting to talk, or being distracted. Truely listening. Sometimes I talk to much. Sometimes I completely zone out. I am going to try to make a habit of listening.

 5. Explore my beliefs. “To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there,”- Kofi Annan.  I have never been one to blindly believe something just because it was popular or believed by my family, etc. I hope to further dwelve into finding out who I am and what I believe, developing my own personal creed.

6. Read more books. And not just for school! I used to read ALL THE TIME growing up. And I still enjoy reading when I actually make time it. Plus there are so many benefits to reading: it enhances creativity, broadens our vocabulary, and can help us escape from everyday stress for a bit. Plus, the library is free! :) By 30 I hope to have made a habit of reading at least 2 full books a month. I know I could read much more, but I'm trying to be realistic, knowing I will have an increasingly busy schedule.



Fresh veggies.. yum!

7.  To grow a huge vegetable garden and feed my family home grown veggies throughout the year! I love this idea because it is healthy, economical and fun! Matt and I planted a garden a few years ago at his parent's house and we really enjoyed it. I plan to learn the best (and healthiest) ways to can/ preserve as well. (Of course, all of this is dependent upon a backyard ;) ).

8. Speaking of which, I would like to eat less processed food. Sometimes, I try not to think about what I am putting in my body or where my food came from. This is a bad thing. This needs to change. I know I will never completely give up EVERYTHING that is bad for me, but I can atleast change my typical daily diet.

Oh to be on the open sea... in the sun... with fruity drinks... Sign me up!

9. Go on a cruise. This is just something fun that I have been wanting to do for awhile now. The people I know who go on cruises, swear by it. Matt's Aunt & Uncle go on a cruise every year and have asked us to go next July. I think we're going to do it!!

Word.

10. Wake up early (and go to bed early too!).  This is a habit I really need to work on forming. Currently, I tend to wake up half an hour before I need to be out the door. That's 30 minutes to wake up, make coffee, figure out my clothing, shower, brush my teeth, get dressed, throw my hair up, feed the cat, figure out lunch, and rush out the door. Sometimes I find time for a bit of makeup. Usually theres no time to put my contacts in. Sometimes I have time to pack my lunch, but usually not. Sometimes I remember to grab a piece of fruit for breakfast as I rush out.I have just enough time to get to work, and if I meet heavier traffic than usual, I will be late. If I accidentally press snooz, I am screwed. I don't look my best, leaving me with a lower confidence throughout the day.  Starting out my day in such a frazzled state is setting me up for failure, chaos, and stress. So, you can see the benefits of this goal! (( If anyone has tips on waking up early, I would love to hear them!))

It can be so easy.

11. Recycle. To be honest, in this day and age it is embarrassing to admit that we do not currently recycle at home. Our excuse: our apartment complex does not offer this service. And it is just that, an excuse. I know there are people who save their items for recycling and deliver them themselves. Once we have a home, I hope that we will be able to have our recycling picked up. If not, we need to figure out another solution. It's an easy way to help the world and I just feel too guilty not to!

12. To refine and cultivate my personal style. My sense of fashion is all over the place. And that's ok. But I'd like to consistantly look well put together with a lasting personal style that I can incorporate trends into here and there.

13. Make a quilt. This one is nothing life-changing, but it's something I'd like to do. When I was younger, my sister and I spent a whole summer cutting out squares to make a quilt... but then we got bored or distracted and never finished. I hope to finish this time!

Workout outfit?

14. To exercise regularly. I will find a fitness plan that suits me... and stick to it! Preferably, this plan will incorporate biking. I'm not looking to lose weight, just tighten up and be healthy.

15. Financial Stability. I'm not saying I want to be rich. I just want "stability." Meaning, if my car breaks down I can fix it without stressing out. If I get sick, I don't freak out about adding medical bills. You get the jist. I feel like Matt and I are pretty close to this now and if we stay on track, we should be able to easily meet this goal by 30.