30 before 30 update
If you haven’t seen my previous post about what the 30 before 30 method of goal setting is, go check out my previous blog post here.
I created this list when I was probably 20 or 21. Now as I’m coming upon my 25th birthday, and halfway through my 20s I’ve decided to sit down and look at the goals I wrote down. To reevaluate them and see if they are things that I truly want to accomplish. So let’s look at my previous list (numbered in no particular order & bold are one I have accomplished!).
Run a marathon
Start a business
Write a book
Learn to play an instrument
Complete a triathlon
Drive across the USA
Get rid of my back pain
Learn to meditate
Give motivational speeches
Learn how to ski/snowboard
Do meaningful work abroad
Go on a solo trip of self discovery
Compete in a body building competition
Learn to do flips on the ground
Climb the distance of Mount Everest
Graduate college
Learn to drive stick shift
Be financially independent
Learn to speak other languages
Meet Wim Hof
Attend a Tony Robbins event
Learn to fly a plane
Travel to a new national park every year
Live somewhere else in the USA
Create a strong connection and relationship with God
Spend a few months living/adventuring in a van
Become certified in something cool
Learn to live in the moment
Find a tight group of friends
Engage with everyone I meet and leave a positive impact
Now, some of these are kind of crazy and things I didn’t really intend to accomplish but thought it would be cool to put down. But now that I’m looking at this list I’m going to make some adjustments.
Run a marathon
I hate running, I always have unless its while playing a sport. But I think running a marathon is something so mentally challenging that I want to push myself to accomplish — so it stays on the list!
Create a business
I studied Entrepreneurship in college and have always wanted to start some sort of company that helps people. So! I’m working towards starting Weekend workshops and Retreats in 2024 to teach my 12 steps to self-confidence research that I’ve been working on for years now! Stay tuned and check it out HERE.
Write a book
Writing my book was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I never knew how fully I would dive into my characters or how impactful those characters would be on me — it’s amazing how tangible they became. If you haven’t read The Potential of Heartbreak, check it out HERE.
There will definitely be more books to come… I have the next 2 planned out in my head so expect to see those within the coming years.
Learn to play an instrument
My brother is an incredible guitarist, I have friends who are thriving as musicians, and I’ve never had the patience or drive to commit to learning an instrument. But I will keep it here because if the opportunity arrises, I will take the opportunity to learn — but it’s not too high on my list.
Complete a triathlon
This one scares me. Again with my lack of love for cardio, but I want to start taking classes and joining events that push my boundaries and stamina. So this will definitely stay on my list — though it terrifies me!
Get rid of my back pain
After 7 years of chronic back pain I can wake up with minimal to no more pain. Every single day from when I was 17 to 24 I woke up in excruciating pain that no doctors, massage therapists, chiropractors, physical therapist, MRI, ultrasound, or acupuncturist could decipher. It took one night of debilitating pain and my mom taking me to the Emergency Room where I was shaking/convulsing so hard, vomiting, and in the most pain I’ve ever experience for the doctors to tell me I’ve had kidney stones for YEARS. I had three procedures done and was in and out of the hospital for a month. At the time we didn’t realize this would solve my back pain — I thought this was an isolated event — until I woke up after a few days of recovering and didn’t feel that pain. Although that was the most painful experience of my life, I would have dealt with that level of pain for a whole year to wake up with no more pain.
Practice meditation
I do know how to meditate now, but I don’t often practice it. This is something I’d like to utilize during times of stress or emotional turmoil. It’s an ongoing practice but I’ll keep it on my list.
Give motivational speeches
This is something I’ve always wanted to do. I can confidently say that I have now completed this, but I want to continue to do this throughout my life.
I was the Commencement Speaker of my graduating class in college, I’ve lead Women Empowerment classes, I intend to host retreats and workshops where I will speak encouraging words to people, etc. This is something I love and will carry on doing.
Learn how to snowboard
Now that I have friends who love to ski/snowboard this might actually happen! I never learned growing up, I never loved the snow all that much, but with seasonal depression it’s good to have some activity/social engagement to participate in despite the cold.
Do meaningful work abroad
I’ve done plenty of work abroad, but I want to do more still. Most recently, I worked at an animal sanctuary in Hawaii that was dilapidated due to the isolation of COVID and working there was such a privilege — the animals, the owners, the area were all so incredible and I could see how my hard work really paid off for them. Their appreciation was so meaningful to me because it was truly a pleasure to help them.
Create a strong network of friends
This is one I’ve struggled with for as long as I can remember but I have such good people in my life right now. And though I know those friends and groups will shift and adjust to life, I now understand what a good group of friends feels like and how to find it.
Finding your people is one of the 12 pillars in my 12 steps to self-confidence guide. It’s important to have good people in your life, but also to have different people for different aspects of life. People are so multifaceted that they usually can’t be what you need in every situation. More to come on this…
Go on a solo trip of self discovery
In January of 2022 I moved to Hawaii after graduating college, then I came home for a month and spent my summer as a Wilderness Adventure guide in California, I started writing my book during this time. Then I worked at a book shop before moving to Colorado in January of 2023 where I was an Outdoor Education Program Specialist and taught 5th and 6th graders about environmental sciences. The past two years have been such a journey of life changing and life threatening experiences that have taught me so much about who I am, what I’m capable of, and what is possible.
Learn to do flips on the ground
Mostly this would just be a cool party trick haha but truly I’d like to get good at calisthenic activities like pull-ups, handstands, flips, etc. To have absolute control of my body. I need to get more specific on this goal though.
Hike the entire Camino de Santiago
I hike 150 miles of the Camino with my dad, brother, and Uncle. This was such a grueling and mentally challenging feat. My dad and Uncle hiked to entire route, 550 miles across Northern Spain. Having experience the camaraderie, environment, and toughness of the Camino makes me want to go back and do it all. But I want to stay in hostels and meet other Pilgrims and truly struggle through it. It’s the kind of thing that hurts so good.
Graduate College
DONE! I graduated from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in December of 2021. I took a gap year between high school and college so I started in 2018. I decided to graduate early because I wanted to start my real life — to explore and eventually utilize my Entrepreneurial degree. The journey begins!
Buy a van and convert it then travel whenever possible
I wanted to do this before COVID so it’s still on my list! Just seems like a fun way to explore around.
Learn to drive a stick shift (might take the whole decade…)
I have an automatic car, there’s no real reason I need to learn this but it seems like a helpful skill to have.
Be Financially independent
When I was growing up, studying entrepreneurship, I would see 24 year old millionaires and I thought, “I want to be that!” But then I really thought about it. I don’t want to be a millionaire. I want to be financially smart and comfortable where I don’t have to worry about having enough money to pay my bills, I can travel without too much worry of my finances, I want to have freedom in what I am able to do with my money. If that means I need a million dollars for that, then that’s what I’ll do, but the real world is unforgiving in it’s consistency. I’m learning that. And although I know how to make my own money and be financially responsible, I’m still well aware that this will continue to be hard for me to accomplish until I decide on the ONE idea/venture that I want to pursue and pour my heart and soul into making it successful.
I’ve never doubted my ability to be successful. I just love so many different things that I haven’t allowed myself to be consistently devoted to one thing. Until I find the thing that I’m endlessly passionate about, I don’t anticipate being financially free, but I will be.
Learn to speak fluent Spanish
I’ve been learning Spanish on and off for probably 10 years now and haven’t stuck with it long enough to be fluent. But I want to raise my future kids to be bilingual and appreciate other cultures.
I want to learn more than Spanish but for now, Spanish is my only committed language I want to be fluent in.
Engage. In every situation. Just talk to everyone I can and leave a positive impact
My dad is the master of engagement. He’s taught me and my brother this from the time we could talk. I really try to engage, learn, and appreciate others in every situation possible and hope to continue this and encourage others to do the same.
Travel to a new National Park every year
This became a family goal and it’s brought us so much joy, adventure, and happiness.
Live somewhere else in the USA
Since I’ve been traveling all over the past two years I’ve lived in Hawaii, California, and Colorado.
Create a strong connection and relationship with God
I don’t work on this often enough, but I need to prioritize it more. I just struggle with the idea of organized religions because of the exclusivity and judgements they portray. I just want to find some way to feel connected without the human ideologies clouding what should be a personal relationship.
Purchase my first property
This is more of a business venture than a homestead plan. I’ve always wanted to run Airbnb/rental properties across the country, 1. to make money, and 2. so I have places around the country to visit and stay!
Learn how to cook!
Take a cooking class and learn to enjoy the process.
Sell my photography, paintings, arts & crafts at a show/fair
Having the opportunity to share and sell my art is definitely something I want to accomplish — not for the money, but the confidence and happiness it would bring me.
Take dance classes
It’s super common for people to be uncomfortable while dancing — I’d love to know what I’m doing and also feel confident doing it.
Go to see a motivational speaker/retreat weekend to learn and grow
Rachel Hollis comes to mind. She’s a badass entrepreneur and has been an inspirational for me for the last couple years.
Travel abroad with a group of friends
I’ve traveled a lot but I’ve rarely traveled with close friends and I want to skip across Europe with my people making memories.
Fall in love…
I know, I know! I have no control over this. The timing, the person, the place, it’s all up to fate — if you believe in such a thing. I do. I know my person is out there, I just hope to meet him sooner rather than later.
