30th Year // Goals for the Future

I think everyone has a bucket list of sorts; an ongoing mental list of goals and/or accomplishments you hope to check off during the span of your life. I have been fortunate to do quite a bit in the past 29 years but with my big 3-0 on the horizon, I thought I would put together a list of goals to accomplish in my 30's. I would love to hear from you too... what goals are you currently aspiring towards?

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1. Attempt to make thanksgiving dinner - I have never cooked a turkey, made homemade gravy or tried to prepare multiple dishes done at precisely the same time before. I would love to tackle thanksgiving and come out on top.

2. Buy a new couch - there is nothing wrong with the 2 small couches in our living room aside from them being purchased from the previous owners of our house. They 'work' but I would love to find something that fits our style and needs better. I mean, shouldn't all couches be conducive for afternoon napping on a saturday?

3. Take a girls trip - my girlfriends mean the world to me and I can only imagine the endless fun, the deep bonding and lifelong memories that would be made if we could all break away from our day-to-day and head off somewhere together.

4. Have a baby - omg... did I just say that!?!? For years I shied away from this topic and the idea as a whole from pure selfishness and fear. There are so many fears in raising a child that some don't think about (hello, they will one day be an adult in this crazy world and will need to be socially, financially, environmentally, physically and mentally fit to succeed) and it is a HUGE decision to venture down that path. I have a lot of anxiety about this subject and the questions/judgments from others but I just remind myself that ryan and I are creating our life on our timeline so when things happen, it will be based upon our goals and what works for us.

5. Drink more water - I say I drink a lot of water but lets be honest, a couple glasses a day do not cut it. Especially when you hear the endless benefits of drinking at least 8, 8oz cups a day. So, in hopes of staying hydrated, curbing the aging process, helping my skin looking supple and flushing out toxins, I am going to try to do better.

6. Travel to europe - prague, spain, switzerland, paris, portugal italy... so many amazing places that I need to see and experience.

7. Invest in more quality pieces of clothing - I love a good deal and gravitate to stores like forever 21 and h&m but often those items only last a few wears.  I want to be a smarter shopper and invest in clothing that is timeless and of higher quality. 

8. Volunteer - my grandpa was such an advocate for volunteering your time and I truly want to follow in his good-willed footsteps.

9. Take a knife skills class - with a love for cooking and a pretty decent set of knives, I wish I had better skills to chiffon like a champ, break down a bird and mince like no one's business.

10. Create a living will - this is a bit morbid but there is nothing smarter than to take the time to properly insure yourself in an emergency and have a legal document to take care of the necessities.

11. Pay off my student loans - ugh. There is nothing worse than the exorbitant amount of student loans (and interest) we pay each month. I will seriously do a happy dance in the middle of the street when I know these bills will have a balance of $0.00.

12. Read more - kinda self explanatory. Knowledge = power.

13. Go oyster shucking - I have this amazing dream to go to the east coast, throw on some rubber boots and get knee deep in a oyster reef.  I want to shuck them open and thrown them down the hatch one-after-another.

14. Stand up for myself more - I can often times take the 'be a bigger person' route or will just 'shut down' instead of fighting for my beliefs. 90% of the time I am okay with that but when it then lets people not take responsibility for their portion of an act, I need to stand up for myself more.

15. Dine at alinea - I discovered this restaurant here and have become obsessed. It would be a meal of a lifetime to experience.

16. Stop competing with others - it is natural to compare yourself to others but I hate when I then let it affect my mood. A girlfriend once told me in college 'do not try to keep up with the jones' as what you see is not always the whole truth' which I truly believe. So when I see someone with the perfect job, amazing style, tons of money, etc., I need to be better at reminding myself that the grass is not always greener.

17. Buy a new house - I love my 1922 bungalow and the memories it holds. When we bought this house 4 years ago as first time buyers, this place was everything we were looking for and the updates we have made bring me so much pride. I love our house but I feel like we will soon out-grow it and the functionality that it holds.

18. Do a cleanse - I have read about endless health benefits of doing a cleanse but never tried one for myself.