I like to have challenges and goals in my life. Not crazy big scary ones but challenges that contribute to my physical and mental wellbeing. Things like no (added) sugar for a month, no alcohol for 100 days.
Past challenges have included:
200 new experiences: In 2010, I worked out it was 200 days till my 50th birthday. I was in a bit of a slump and decided to set myself a 200-day challenge. My daily goal was to do something new every day. I wrote a (now private) blog about my progress. The “new” things didn’t need to be big and could be as simple as trying a new recipe. Regardless, some days it was still a struggle, but it took me from a low ebb to riding the crest of a happiness wave as I toured France. You can read a bit more about this challenge here.
No new things: From June 2017 – July 2018 (the Australian financial year) I challenged myself to buy no new things. There were rules and provisos if essential items wore out or broke down. I wrote about that in this blog post.
Capsule Wardrobe: I am currently trying to do a version of Project 333 (you can read about Project 333 here). I put together a capsule of around 40 items to wear to work for a period of 10 weeks. I have managed better than I thought I would and to date have not worn every piece I selected. I intend to do it again for another ten weeks from October to December.
Run faster: Another current goal is to cut my time for a 10 km run to below 55 minutes. My best time so far is 57:05. I hope to fulfill that goal before then end of November.
Not satisfied with one challenge I am toying with the idea of a 60 before 60 challenge[1]. I’ll be 60 in 2021 and that’s about 32 months away. I am working on a list of 60 things to do before I turn 60. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to unlimited time or money, so not all the “things” can cost money or involve travel. Each “thing” cannot be an epic adventure! I did think about putting winning the lottery on the list but that’s not a SMART goal or a smart idea!
Here’s my list so far – in no particular order of priority. It’s not sequential and I don’t have to do a particular number of tasks per month. Some activities could be bundled. So for instance I have included sell some of my photos and have a photographic exhibition. This could very well happen at the same time. I am giving myself till the end of November to tweak it. After that I will print the ideas out on nice cards and move them from a to-do pile to a done pile.
- Make a will
- Pay extra off my current mortgage
- Sell some of my writing
- Earn at least $5000 through Old Chook Enterprises
- Sell some of my photos
- Hit at least 1000 followers on WordPress (help me out here guys!!)
- Hit at least 500 followers on Instagram (help needed here too!!) @robynlang3
- At least one overseas trip (Choose from Iceland or Scotland)
- Go on a another cruise (6 – 10 days)
- Learn enough Italian to have a short conversation
- Make a 15-minute documentary that gets some success (define success!)
- Finish the Buttons story (a sci-fi themed novella I am writing 4 our of 9 chapters done)
- Write a screenplay
- Finish the Anca story (another short story/novel idea. I published chapter 1 here
- Finish the family history story about Sarah Anne Usher
- Publish a blog post every week
- See an active volcano (I could do this in Iceland)
- Go more than 6 months without alcohol
- Do a woodworking course
- Meet someone very famous.
- Go to Broome, Western Australia.
- Spend the weekend in Melbourne for my birthday again (I went in 2013)
Melbourne’s Skyline from Brighton. - Use frequent flyer points to upgrade an entire international flight to business class.
- Photograph the Milky Way
- Buy A Dymo Labeller ( I have ALWAYS wanted one!)
- Visit two of the four extremities of Australia (i.e. the most northern, southern or western points of mainland Australia. I have already been to Byron Bay the most eastern point so one down one to go)
- Paint the interior of my home
- Get new carpet/floor covering
- Set up a saving fund for my grandson
- Re-read and do the steps in the Side Hustle Book.
- Have a photographic exhibition which people actually come to!
- Go six months without added sugar
- Tidy my garage
- Road trip to Broken Hill, NSW
- Get a new job
- Fly in a hot air balloon
- Write up the interview I did with Tracey and sue about the Bibbulmun Track
- Go on a really long walk like the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia
- Visit at least 15 more light houses in Australia. (I like lighthouses and want to see as many Australian ones as I can – there are more than 2000 so it might be a stretch to see them all!)
The Little Lighthouse – Wollongong - Day in the life photography series for at least 4 people – follow 4 people in different occupations and photograph their day
- Do an extraordinary man series. An environmental portrait project.
- I’d like to do more photography like this – environmental portraits.
- Make a soufflé
- Set up a worm farm
- Donate blood
- Do a big >2500 piece jigsaw puzzle
Started the jigsaw
Close enough! - Sell all my 2019 calendars (help me out here too!!)
- Publish a 2020 calendar
- Do another year of no new things in 2020.
- Stop dying my hair and embrace the grey!
- Get my first paid article published.
- Try being an AirBnB host
- Finish a short course in food photography
- Publish a cookbook of family favourites with my own photography
Dabbling in food photography - Do a short online graphics design course
- Do some more light painting (October 2018)
- Pitch an article to a real magazine/publication (see point 49)
- Do an interview on radio/TV about something to do with Old Chook Enterprises
- Create a passwords spreadsheet
- Get a new phone
- Modify the design and remake the running belt you made. A lycra belt to wear while running that holds my phone/keys and tissues etc. I have already made one but it needs some modifications.
- Write a children’s picture book
- Win a writing competition
- Win a photography competition
- Enter some photos in the Royal Easter Show (a big fair in Sydney, Australia)
- Go on a writing retreat.
- Do another cheese making course
- Design some fabric to make some cushions for my home
- Have a 60th birthday celebration
There are more than 60 I know. I’d really like a list of around 80 so I can pick and choose based on time and budgetary issues. I also need to decide if I can add and subtract things from the list. What happens if I come up with a really good idea? I think I may have to have a one in – one out rule.
You never know, perhaps I will win the lottery and then all the other bucket list travel destinations can be added for one massive around the world extravaganza!
[1] This is based on Gretchen Rubin’s 18 for 2018 idea. See Her Happiness podcast.
On further reflection, I think I have exceeded my actual disposable income by about 400% with this list, it’s good to be ambitious but….. 🙂
PS: I usually post on Fridays but I am experimenting with Tuesdays to see if it makes a difference to my stats.
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