self improvement

What are this chipmunk's 35 things?

Last year, after my friend’s 30th birthday, I was inspired to write a list of 35 things I want to do before I turn 35. It’s now 7 months later, and one week before my 33rd birthday, so I thought it might be a nice time to revisit my list and see how I’m doing.

The answer is: not good. I haven’t completed a single thing on my list! But, I’m not going to be hard on myself about it. There is still time. And, it’s sort of an ambitious list, considering my current financial situation. I had expected that I would have done at least ONE of them. Sigh. On a positive note, I have started to work on number 22 from my list, which is “learn macrame.” I even have books from the library sitting next to me right now on the subject. AND, I bought twine. So, that one is definitely in progress. Actually, a lot of them are in progress! Katie and Tim, are coming to visit this September, and we will most likely knock numbers 7, 11, 12, 13 & 14 off of that list, no problem. And, I sometimes wear a sunhat! Take that, #17!

I’ve copied my list for you below. I’ve made a couple of revisions from the original, which should be clear to you. Because it’s a personal list, a lot of names will mean nothing to you. But, I truly think this type of lists can serve as an inspiration. For me, seeing this list helps ground me and give me a perspective on what truly sets my soul ablaze. It’s friends, family, travel, learning, creating and quieting my mind. I could easily add to this list today, especially in the creating department, but I’ll save that exercise for another day.

I’d be curious to know what’s on all of your lists. Feel free to comment below, or email us privately at hello@smittenliving.com.

1. Have a successful online shop that rivals a combination of  Hindsvik and DWR and2Modern. Only cooler. (A girl can dream, alright!?) edit: Have a successful online shop, the likes of which the world has never seen.
2. Live at least 3 months in the middle of nowhere. (I need some space to breath, dammit.)
3. Teach my old dog new tricks. Like how to like other dogs and new people.  Sign language. My poor baby doggy has gone deaf.
4. Fly my family out to California for a visit.
5. Cross country road trip with Sean and DJ.
6. A short road trip to Colorado with Jill, Sean and DJ.
7. Camp in Big Sur.
8. Visit New Mexico.
9. Create a living space that brings myself and others comfort.
10. Spend three days alone, in silence, completely unplugged from technology.
11. Soak in hot springs.
12. Visit the Giant Sequoia National Monument.
13. Go see the Bristlecone Pine, the world’s oldest living things!
14. Yosemite
15. Lake Tahoe
16. Develop a well curated collection of clothes that a versatile and comfortable. Emphasis on quality and layering. I don’t want a bloated closet full of cheap things.
17. Wear more hats. They really make a huge difference on an outfit. But, often, at the last minute, I leave my hat at home because it makes me feel like I’m “trying too hard.” I just need to admit that I like hats, and phooey to anyone who wants to judge.
18. Have at least one polished screenplay that I’m actually proud of.
19. Be completely debt free.
20. Visit Michigan at least twice.
21. Swim in Lake Michigan.
22. Learn to macrame.
23. Bake an apple pie with Kate.
24. Visit Meg.
25. Renew my Passport to prepare for my 40 before 40. 
26. Write a children’s story with Sean.
27. Gain a greater understanding of Economics.
28. Develop a regular exercise habit. I walk and stuff now, but I’m soft around the middle. Time to step it up!
29. Remember to take a quiet moment just for myself every single day.
30. This one is a secret.
31. This one is another secret!
32. Get a pedicure. I get nervous about people touching my feet, so this one will be a challenge for me. I’ve decided I don’t care about this one. Instead I will add…hrm…learn how to use a saw. Various saws, in fact. This terrifies me, but I would love to be able to build things out of wood.
33. Take a class at UCB.
34. Finally get my hair cut by a serious hair stylist whom I have the pleasure of knowing. A stylist who has also been known to style Miranda July *AND* Fred Armison’s hair.
35. Re-learn all of the Spanish I’ve managed to forget over the past 10 years.

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I read the blog Zen Habits, by Leo Babauta. I find it valuable as a productivity blog, and occasionally, it helps me remember some wisdom that I have briefly possessed, but I cannot hang on to. I’m assuming this is true for all people, but it seems, at least for me, that moments of feeling some sort of true understanding are fleeting.

I recently read Leo’s post on keeping a journal. Keeping a journal is something my ideal self would do, but not something actually practiced. I have started up and abandoned countless journals. This cycle began in junior high and has repeated itself as recently as 8 months ago.

Whenever I find one of my abandoned journals I love flipping through the two or three written pages and remembering things long forgotten. I am a very future oriented person, so it would helpful to have a record of the past to help me stop and remember things gone by. Also, I am in a period of accelerated change and (hopefully) growth, so it seems like it would also be awesome just to look back on my progress.

It’s hard to say what keeps me from following through on journal writing. I think that my hand just gets tired of writing or I go to bed so late that I just want to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. Regardless, I’m going to give it another try, this time following Leo’s suggestions. They are pretty easy…he says to just jot down a few bullet points to get the idea across of what you did with your day. This sort of takes the pressure off. It makes it a quick activity, which makes it seem more doable. He also suggests writing about the previous day in the morning before you check your email, but I think I’m still going to try and do it before bed. It seems like a good way to reflect on, and perhaps learn from, the day’s happenings.

Clearly, this all sounds like a good excuse for getting a new, covetable notebook. However, I will only reward myself with one if I can successfully journal for three weeks straight in a regular old composition notebook I have around. If there is one thing I’ve learned about myself, it’s that buying a new fancy journal does not guarantee follow through. I will develop the habit first, and then get myself a pretty, covetable notebook.

The Journal pictured is available at Domestic Papers, $22.

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