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 50^th 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.

1. Make a will
2. Pay extra off my current mortgage
3. Sell some of my writing
4. Earn at least $5000 through Old Chook Enterprises
5. Sell some of my photos
6. Hit at least 1000 followers on WordPress (help me out here guys!!)
7. Hit at least 500 followers on Instagram (help needed here too!!) @robynlang3
8. At least one overseas trip (Choose from Iceland or Scotland)
9. Go on a another cruise (6 – 10 days)
10. Learn enough Italian to have a short conversation
11. Make a 15-minute documentary that gets some success (define success!)
12. Finish the Buttons story (a sci-fi themed novella I am writing 4 our of 9 chapters done)
13. Write a screenplay
14. Finish the Anca story (another short story/novel idea. I published chapter 1 here
15. Finish the family history story about Sarah Anne Usher
16. Publish a blog post every week
17. See an active volcano (I could do this in Iceland)
18. Go more than 6 months without alcohol
19. Do a woodworking course
20. Meet someone very famous.
21. Go to Broome, Western Australia.
22. Spend the weekend in Melbourne for my birthday again (I went in 2013)

    

23. Use frequent flyer points to upgrade an entire international flight to business class.
24. Photograph the Milky Way
25. Buy A Dymo Labeller ( I have ALWAYS wanted one!)
26. 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)
27. Paint the interior of my home
28. Get new carpet/floor covering
29. Set up a saving fund for my grandson
30. Re-read and do the steps in the Side Hustle Book.
31. Have a photographic exhibition which people actually come to!
32. Go six months without added sugar
33. Tidy my garage
34. Road trip to Broken Hill, NSW
35. Get a new job
36. Fly in a hot air balloon
37. Write up the interview I did with Tracey and sue about the Bibbulmun Track
38. Go on a really long walk like the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia 
39. 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!)

    

40. Day in the life photography series for at least 4 people – follow 4 people in different occupations and photograph their day
41. Do an extraordinary man series. An environmental portrait project.

    

    I’d like to do more photography like this – environmental portraits.

42. Make a soufflé
43. Set up a worm farm
44. Donate blood
45. Do a big >2500 piece jigsaw puzzle
    

    Started the jigsaw

    

    Close enough!
46. Sell all my 2019 calendars (help me out here too!!)
47. Publish a 2020 calendar
48. Do another year of no new things in 2020.
49. Stop dying my hair and embrace the grey!
50. Get my first paid article published.
51. Try being an AirBnB host
52. Finish a short course in food photography
53. Publish a cookbook of family favourites with my own photography

    

54. Do a short online graphics design course
55. Do some more light painting (October 2018)
56. Pitch an article to a real magazine/publication (see point 49)
57. Do an interview on radio/TV about something to do with Old Chook Enterprises
58. Create a passwords spreadsheet
59. Get a new phone
60. 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.
61. Write a children’s picture book
62. Win a writing competition
63. Win a photography competition
64. Enter some photos in the Royal Easter Show (a big fair in Sydney, Australia)
65. Go on a writing retreat.
66. Do another cheese making course
67. Design some fabric to make some cushions for my home
68. Have a 60^th 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.