You might remember that when I turned 26 I wrote a list of 26 things to do before I turned 27. Lists seem to be all the rage all over lady-blog-land with women everywhere making lists of things to do before the next birthday or before they’re 30 or before they die. I sometimes worry that all these lists with huge plans and dreams will only encourage us to believe the lie that modern women can have it all – the husband, the family, the amazing (probably creative) career, the frequent travel to exotic locations, the widely read blog, a book published, the house always perfectly clean. I’m pretty sure that’s not possible.
But I’m also pretty sure we can do and achieve much more than we let ourselves believe. I think insecurity is a huge issue for women today, with too many giving up on dreams or plans because they think it’s beyond their reach. Me included.
I wrote that list ten months ago because I didn’t want this year to slip by and me to not feel I had achieved as much as I could have. I wanted to be intentional about living the life I want and pursuing my dreams one day at a time. I tried not to make the list unachievable but make it about the things I love, the things that make me feel happy and successful (in a way defined by me, not by other people).
So how am I doing, with less than two months to go?!
- Exercise twice a week at least – ahem, well, it’s not quite happening but it’s not an 100% fail either…
- Learn how to make sushi – not done.
- Start painting/crafting again – not really done – it’s hard to find the time to fit this in, but it’s not really an excuse for not doing something I love (and as someone pointed out, I’d included it twice in my original list!)
- Buy a sewing machine and learn how to use it – not done. but I remember this nearly every day and plan to remedy it soon!
Successfully grow something we can eat– one chilli!- Have a party at the beach – not done yet… maybe as a birthday trip?
Find armchairs for our flat– done! kind of. We bought an armchair for our lounge that we both love – it’s only one but considering how few of the others I can cross off yet, I’m claiming this one as done.- Finally go to that American diner in Brussels – not done. anyone want to make a date with me to go?
- Get some wedding photos printed – half done. I am about 75% through designing our album, just need to get it finished.
- Finish watching the Godfather trilogy – watched #1 and #2. Someone is going to have to bribe me to watch the last one though because I was so entirely depressed after finishing #2.
- Learn to be more naturally tidy at home – can I comment on this one? Rasmus? I think I’m better than I was…
Visit the Ardennesdone! we took my parents on a day trip to Spa when they last visited…
Drink champagne on “normal” days, just to celebrate being happy– done. a number of times, the last time being on Saturday evening 🙂- Make Flødeboller (marshmallow puff things) – hmm. not done. need to get on this.
Finish reading one book a month:done (and in progress!) I am reading lots of books this year and I love it!Travel to a new country– done! I’ve been to Hungary, Morocco and Luxembourg this year – all brand new countries! (And to Tuscany, not a new country but a new province…)Spend a day in a spa with a friend(s)– done! with Jen and my mum one wonderful day in September.
Get good enough at Danish to have a proper adult conversation with Rasmus– done! I’m not exactly fluent but I’m good enough to have “secret” conversations that friends around can’t understand!
Make ice cream– done. I made cherry ice cream. But still, once is not enough really. Need to get the machine out again and try some other flavours.
- Become good at making bread from scratch – in progress. I’ve been making some but it’s quite a time consuming project…
- Organise my bookmarked/cut out recipes and cook them – part done. They are organised and one or two have been made – although there are so many I couldn’t possibly get through the whole lot by the end of the year!
- Write at least one hand written letter every week – partly done. I don’t think I’ve been good enough to do every week but maybe every other week. (One lucky lady has something going in the post today…!)
- Keep getting to know the women at the asylum centre on our street – in progress. I love these women so much. They’ve gone through so much to get here that it seems a small effort to offer them friendship.
- Have a picnic at Villers Abbey – not done. Anyone want to plan one with me?
- Keep writing my blog regularly… doing better… 🙂
Total:
9 completed.
9 in progress or partly done.
7 not done.
Hmm, I better get busy – 56 days to go…
