2013–Life list recap

Last year at this time I decided to shift my focus for the year ahead.  I wanted to move away from identifying things to change about my life and replace it with identifying ways to increase the LIFE in my life.  So I made a list.  And then I spent the last 12 months working towards completing all the items on that list.  I did pretty well.

Out of a list of 40 I totally completed the following:

1. Try paddleboarding
2. Travel somewhere I’ve never been
3. eat or drink 10 things I’ve never tried before
4. Go to an Island
5. Redo my bedroom
6. Boogie board in lake at sunset
7. swim in lake at sunrise
8. take an art class
9. take a cooking class
10. adopt a skincare routine
11. go to an art opening
12. visit my grandparents. learn something new about them
13. see a play at Steppenwolf
14. read 40 books
15. grow vegetables
16. go berry picking
17. take a tour, any tour
18. have a themed party
19. submit a story to a literary journal
20. meditate 40 days in a row
21. go to a flea market
22. have a cooking contest with friends
23. go swimming at night
24. attend an outdoor concert
25. make homemade ice cream
26. sew myself something and wear it in public
27. learn how to hula hoop
28. help someone else reach a goal

I sort of complete a few more and am crossing them off anyhow:

1. Hike 40 miles of trails in Illinois – well I hiked about 15 miles of actual wooded trails, but I walked over a 100 miles of the lakefront trail this year.  I’m calling it a draw!  The problem was that without company it was hard to motivate myself to hike for more than a few miles in the woods.  I got spooked out there alone nearly every time.   Silly city girl.
2. Have 4 seasonal dinner parties – I had more than 4 dinner parties (which was the real intention), but I would hardly call them seasonal which was the sneaky trick I played on myself.
3. Send birthday cards to as many ppl… – if you are reading this and you did not receive a birthday card from me – you are not alone.  If you are reading this and you did receive one – clearly your birthday falls in the first half of the year.  I gave myself an out here by being vague. 
4. Spend an afternoon lounging at a pool sipping cocktails – how could I forget the cocktails!?!
5. learn how to swim with my face in the water – I was taught, and yet I still can’t really do it.  Does learning require mastery?  I say no.
6. The whole chicken scenario.  Whatever, It’s done and I did it with minimal freakout

The following were not completed:

1. Try driving a vespa (or similar) – I still want to do this, will likely be a carry over goal
2. Finish my novel – one day, hopefully soon
3. lose 25% of body weight – I’m changing perspective on this and am not displeased it wasn’t completed
4. Create a budget…blah blah blah
5. go camping or glamping – needed partners in crime for this one and they did not appear
6. Go fishing – hello, I don’t own a fishing pole!

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Making this list was the best thing I’ve done for myself in many years.  When I look back at all the things I did, tried and experienced the overwhelming feeling I have is one of total JOY.  What I had hoped was that making this list would help me create a fuller life for myself.  It did.  What I hoped was that my friends and loved ones would join me in these endeavors.  They did. 

I will be making a list again this year.  And probably every year after that.  It was that good.

love,

Erin

ps – make a list yourself!  Share it with me – maybe we can help each other out!