30 Before 30

Here I go... 

Upon contemplation of turning 30 years old, I realized there were so many things I wanted to do, but kept putting off. So I decided to make a list which somehow morphed into a 30 before 30 challenge. Before I decided to do this, I had no idea how popular they were. After looking at a few (a bunch) or other lists, consulting my friends, and really thinking about it, I decided on these 30 things. Judge all you want, but there are the things I want to accomplish before my 30th birthday. 

1. Run a 5k
2. Take a solo trip
3. Learn how to shoot a gun
4. Go camping
5. Go to Harry Potter World
6. Sing Karaoke
7. Take a spontaneous trip
8. Go to a brewery to find a beer that I like
9. Watch IMDB top 50 movies
10. Be comfortable riding Shotgun.
11. Learn how to cook three fancy meals
12. Have a photoshoot of myself
13. Go on a wine tasting tour
14. Go on a Women’s retreat
15. Buy a nice gold bracelet.
16. Go to the Zelda Fitzgerald museum.
17. Blog once a month.
18. Go to a concert.
19. Name a star after myself
20. Donate my hair
21. Be debt free
22. Go hot air ballooning
23. Make a baked Alaska
24. Lean how to box
25. Learn how to Smock
26. Complete 30 acts of kindness
27. Get a spray tan
28. Find a new church
29. Take a cooking class.
30.  Buy a House.

29

Well today is my 29^th birthday. I honestly don’t know where the past few years have gone. If you had asked me what my life would look like 10 years ago, this is definitely not what I would have pictured. I know no one feels like their age, but I especially do not. I think a combination of the fact that I teach teenagers and have friends that are younger than I keeps me feeling young. Also the fact that people don’t treat me my age because I haven’t done the things expected of me for my age (get married, have a kid or four, buy a house, etc). But there are moments when I do feel every bit of my age.

Let’s be honest. My 28^th year on this earth was not my most amazing. It had its moments of awesome: visit from Robyn, stage managing “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” and “Tuesdays With Morrie”, being in Radio TBS, trips to New Orleans and Nashville with my gal pals, and getting the opportunity to teach Theatre at PJHS. However, it also had its struggles. I “lost” some people this year, lost some self confidence, lost some pieces of myself.  But I am done with all that.

I am claiming 29 to be my year!

My year to enjoy life.

My year to gain confidence.

My year to enjoy simple things.

My year to cherish those who love me.

My year to give.

My year to not hold back.

My year to develop more awesome.

My year to learn how not to care what others think.

My year to straighten out crooked parts of my life.

My year to grow.

My year to regain myself.

One way I will do all of these things is by completing a “30 by 30” bucket list. I love lists. I live by lists. I have a constantly fluctuating bucket list that I have checked numerous things off of. In fact, in researching what I wanted to be on my list, I realized I have done a lot of the things on other people’s lists. But I have my own personal list. Things I want to accomplish for myself. Things that might not look normal to others, that are very personal to me. So tomorrow, I will finalize my bucket list and put it on the world wide web for everyone to see. I hope no one judges me for my list, but you know what? I DON’T CARE ANYMORE!! These are things that are important to me or that I think are fun, and that is all that matters. I will be updating my blog with photos when I complete an item! Please celebrate with me!