“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you .” ~ Maya Angelou
I’ve always loved writing, and – ask anyone that knows me – I love telling stories. I always thought about writing a book or a blog….sharing my thoughts on life, lessons I’ve learned (and there’s been a LOT), and bits and pieces of good info I’ve picked up along my journey. However, every time I seriously thought about it and got close to putting a plan in action, the fear would inevitably set in.
“Would other people find my thoughts interesting?”
“Would people care to hear about the lessons I’ve learned?”
“Would anyone think that my journey was worth reading about?”
After giving into that negative thought process, my plan of action would get put on the back burner. I would busy myself with other things to keep myself from thinking about the one thing that I really wanted to do. This cycle repeated itself for many years.
Until last year .
Last year was the first time my desire to share something was stronger than my fear of what other people would think about it.
THE IDEA
One evening last summer, while having dinner with a close friend, she shared with me that her 40th birthday was approaching and she was a little apprehensive about it. Would she be happy? Would she be sad? Would she feel old? All understandable, I told her, and I suggested she make a “40 Bucket List”. When she asked what that was, I explained that she could make a list of 40 things she wanted to do between her 40th and 41st birthdays – during her “Year of 40.” She said it sounded like an interesting idea, and then we changed the subject. Although we stopped talking about it – I never quit thinking about it.
So – here I am. I’m days away from my 40th birthday, and I’ve decided to take my own advice. Seemed like a simple enough idea, right? I mean, make a list of 40 things that you would like to do in a year. No big deal, right? Yeah. Not so much.
As I started to put my list together, I really started to think about what I WANT to do this year. Is there something that I’ve been putting off? What are some things I keep saying I want to do? My dad never misses an opportunity to point out to either me or my siblings when we say, “I’m gonna,” because that means we usually won’t. As I started putting my list together, I realized that I had a very LONG “I’m gonna” list.
So, after some soul searching (and a few glasses of wine), here is my official “Year of 40” list:
- Run a half marathon.
- Learn how to swim. (Don’t laugh at this one. I have a HUGE fear of water and need to get this done.)
- Learn how to play the piano. Well.
- Visit an art museum.
- Read one new book a month.
- Take a road trip somewhere new.
- Learn a new language.
- Read the Bible daily.
- Visit my grandmother’s hometown in Kinkora, Ontario. (I’ve been there before, but cannot seem to find time to go back. This item is just ensuring I do.)
- Drive around one night to do nothing other than look at Christmas lights.
- Bake a cake from scratch.
- Make cookies to give away and deliver to my friends. (I’ve never done this before, and I’m always looking for more ways to celebrate my favorite holiday.)
- Walk/Run a minimum of 75 miles a month.
- Do yoga weekly. No. Excuses.
- Attend a service of a different religion, preferably one I’ve never attended before.
- Take better care of my skin. (Duh. I’m turning 40. This is just common sense, but once again – if it’s on the list….I HAVE to do it.)
- Recreate my wardrobe. (Losing – and keeping off – 40 pounds over the past year is great, but it’s equally frustrating when your clothes are too big rather than too small.)
- Go on a breakfast date.
- Try one new recipe a month. (I MUST start trying some of the plethora of recipes I’ve pinned on Pinterest.)
- Go to a drive-in movie.
- Go to a weekend church retreat.
- Learn how to make sushi.
- Go kayaking.
- Watch the sunrise at the beach.
- Go putt putt golfing. (Random, I know. However, while writing this blog entry, I accompanied my niece and 7 of her friends on a putt putt golf expedition. I couldn’t play because I was the score keeper, so this item is just fresh on my mind.)
- Attend a college football game.
- Volunteer for a new event/charity I’ve never helped before.
- Reconnect with one old friend every month.
- Get rid of all my old stuff that I no longer use. For real.
- Perfect my smoothie-making abilities. (This should really read, “Actually MAKE a smoothie and continue to enjoy them.”)
- Explore the community I grew up in and attend more community events.
- Have a picnic.
- Make it a point to pray for someone else everyday.
- Organize, deep clean, and decorate my living space.
- Go on a spa day by myself.
- Carry “Thank You” notes with me at all times and use them.
- See a stage show.
- Give more compliments, and also become better at receiving them from others.
- Take a picture everyday.
- Write a book about the experience of my “Year of 40.”
So, there you have it. I plan on sharing this journey – and any other lessons I learn along the way – with all of you. It’s a pretty long list, and I only have 365 days, so let’s get started! I’ll be posting more soon, my friends! #yearof40
The Forty Years 