I believe in lists. I believe in the motivation spurred by writing everything down, and the satisfaction gained by crossing/highlighting/wiping it off. I've been known to write lists on the back of receipts, in the "Notes" app on my phone, during meetings in my Moleskine, even on the bathroom mirror in whiteboard marker. Lists make me feel accomplished, together and under control...even when there's not a thing on the list that's checked off.
With that in mind, in May of 2014 I made a list of 101 things I want to accomplish in 1001 days. I love having goals, even if they're frivolous and not going to change anyone's world but mine, and when I made my list I had lost sight of that a bit. I finished my list on May 3rd, but decided my official start date would be May 17th...which makes the end of my 1001 days my 28th (OMG) birthday. 2.75 years is nearly as long as I've been out of college--plenty of time to accomplish all these goals and mark off a few fun milestones too. Here we go!
Start Date: May 17, 2014
End Date: February 11, 2017
Italicized: in progress
Bold: completed!
Progress: 59/101 completed!
Travel
1. Take a girls' trip with friends.
2. Take a weekend road trip: completed 12/2/16!
3. Take a family vacation: completed 6/2/16!
4. Visit a new state: completed 11/17/15!
5. Visit a new country: completed 10/26/15!
6. Take a tropical getaway: completed 3/30/15!
7. Visit Napa Valley: completed 12/23/16!
Health/Wellness
8. Start flossing: completed summer 2016!
9. Get a skin cancer check: Completed 8/1/16!
10. Get a physical exam.
11. Go 30 days without eating out: completed 2/4/16!
12. Cut caffeine for a month: completed 2/1/17!
13. Use a lotion with SPF every morning: completed summer 2016!
14. Invest in prescription sunglasses.
15. Go rock-climbing--and reach the top.
16. Celebrate an accomplishment with a spa day.
17. Take a yoga class: completed 6/23/16!
18. Take a spin class.
19. Complete the 30-Day Shred.
20. Reach a healthy BMI.
21. Run a 5k that benefits a charity.
22. Run a half-marathon.
Beauty/Style
23. Try something new with my hair: completed 6/16/14!
24. Try Rent the Runway for a special event: completed 6/18/16!
25. Use up an entire chapstick: completed 3/20/15!
26. Wear a bikini.
27. Buy my first cashmere sweater: Completed (sort of) January 2017!
28. Rock a strapless dress for an event.
29. Learn to French-braid.
30. Buy a nice pair of boots.
Professional/Financial
31. Go one month without shopping: completed January of 2015!
32. Lead a project at work: completed 10/14/14!
33. Master a new computer program.
34. Mentor someone, in or out of the workplace: completed August 2015!
35. Get my credit report AND a credit card: completed January 2015!
36. Create a budget with Mint.com: completed January 2015!
37. Attend a networking event--and actually network.
38. Subscribe to the Wall Street Journal and read one article daily for 30 days.
39. Attend a lecture or seminar at work: completed December 2015!
40. Double my savings: Completed February 2017!
41. Put $20 in savings for every item on the list: completeD February 2017!
Charitable
42. Donate blood.
43. Join Junior League.
44. Volunteer at a hunger-related program: completed 10/4/16!
45. Participate in a Christmas Adopt-a-Family: completed December 2016!
46. Donate to a charity initiative for veterans/soldiers: completed December 2016!
47. Sign a petition for something I care about: completed 11/15/16!
48. Donate old formal dresses for charity: completed 3/14/15!
49. Make a monetary donation to a cause I care about: completed 10/21/15!
50. Volunteer or donate through the ND-MN Alumni Club: completed December 2016!
Domestic Goddess
51. Throw a dinner party: completed 10/1/16!
52. Master 5 crockpot recipes: completed 11/1/16!
53. Learn to use a grill: completed 8/31/15!
54. Visit a farmers' market and cook a meal with purchases.
55. Cook an ethnic meal from scratch (not Italian or Mexican).
56. Bake a birthday cake for someone.
57. Grow some succulents/flowers: completed January-February 2016!
58. Create a gallery wall in a future apartment/home: completed 3/7/15!
59. Plan and throw a surprise party: completed 10/24/15!
60. Find a friend and take a cooking class: completed 8/31/15!
61. Complete a Pinterest craft project.
62. Frame and display my college diploma: completed 1/24/16!
63. Customize a piece of furniture.
64. Have a quilt made from my ND t-shirts.
65. Buy a set of nice sheets: completed 12/18/14!
Personal Development/Growth
66. Re-learn French: completed 5/1/15!
67. Master chopsticks.
68. Find a church to attend/love: completed October 2015!
69. Take a golf or tennis lesson.
70. Read 25 of the "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die:" (Sort of) Completed February 2017!
71. Take up piano again.
72. Learn more about my family tree: completed 8/24/15!
73. Get CPR re-certified.
74. Spend a week without watching television.
75. Take a dance lesson.
76. Read 5 biographies: Completed September 2016!
77. Blog every item as I complete it: Completed February 2017!
78. Finish the Brunch Challenge.
79. Redesign my blog: completed 6/6/14!
80. Go on a date: completed plenty of times :)
Inner Child
81. Ride/conquer my fear of a rollercoaster.
82. Carve a pumpkin: completed 10/22/16!
83. Sing karaoke.
84. Fly a kite.
85. Build a snowman.
86. Go mini-golfing.
Just for Fun
87. Send Christmas cards: completed December 2016!
88. Attend one of every MN sports team's games.
89. Purchase season tickets to an orchestra/theatre: completed 9/14/14!
90. Get and regularly use a museum membership.
91. Purchase and use up personalized stationery.
92. See "The Nutcracker:" completed December 2016!
93. Go to a music festival: completed 6/22/14!
94. See every Oscar Best Picture Nominee for an awards season.
95. Buy a lottery ticket: completed 2/10/15!
96. See a comedy show.