Thoughts on 30

I intended to craft another ’30 before 30′ update on Saturday, the big day. The day that I say good-bye to my 20s and welcome a new decade.

Instead, when I sat down to write, I started thinking about all of the reasons behind the items I placed on my 30 before 30 bucket list.

That got me thinking about what I’ve come to value most in my late 20s, almost my 30s. And, boy, has that list changed drastically since I entered my 20s.

In my early 20s, never would I ever have thought I’d get married, run, do yoga, be a fitness instructor, care so much about travel, care about planting and creating plans — basically this whole list. It’s amazing how much your plans, goals, ambitions can change.

Or, maybe it’s not that these things change, it’s that YOU change. As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned what I actually like, what I truly value, and who I want in my life to share all of these good memories.

When I thought more about it, I realized that this 30 by 30 list helped me focus on how I’d prioritize my time for my last year in my 20s. Instead of becoming anxious about whether I’d be able to ‘tick’ the items on the list, I found myself excited to try all of these adventures!

Even better, the people closest to me started to make these part of their adventure lists, too — I’ve been able to check these off my list with dear friends and family, and that makes this challenge so, so wonderful.

Looking at my list now, I can’t believe I’ve been able to accomplish so much in a short period of time. And, anything that wasn’t fully checked off this list has become part of my 31st birthday adventure list!

Aundra’s 30 by 30 List – Final Birthday Update

1. get married. totally counts. 10-31-15. xoxo
2. visit 2 new states. Didn’t happen this year, BUT we’re making plans to visit my final east coast state–Maine–this summer and I think I’ll be heading to Kansas this fall for travel. YAY!
3. read 30 books – finished at a respectable 19. I feel good about this.
4. hike part of the AT We hiked to McAfee Knob during our mini-moon
5. go zip lining. Didn’t happen this year, but I do have a lovely gift card to go zip-lining near us! So this is definitely happening in the near future.
6. take a new-to-me fitness class.  pure barre and barre
7. complete our kitchen project. We have made MAD strides. I’m so pumped with our progress. We’re in saving mode for the final purchases that need to be made. This will be completed this year for sure.
8. make a backyard planting plan I loved dreaming with the husband! He has awesome skills and created a 3D plan of our back yard.
9. plant more flowers by the mailbox, the front door, in planters, and growing up our wedding arbor.
10. knit a scarf. Didn’t think this would happen BUT I started one and finished one THIS WEEK.
11. run 1,000 miles. I did it during my 27th year! Nope. But I am running a race as an ambassador next week and started looking at 10 miler races later this summer. Yoga has been the thing of 2016.
12. host a backyard dinner party. I really like hosting parties and our backyard is perfect.
13. take a pottery class My beautiful tribe surprised me with a private pottery class for my birthday!!
14. take yoga classes SO many yoga classes this past year. I’m so happy.
15. host a month-long fitness challenge I love that people look forward to these, and they’ve become a bi-monthly thing!
16. visit a vineyard in another state During our mini-moon in VA. We purchased a special bottle to open on our 1 year wedding anniversary, too.
17. get a pet. puppy. kitty. puppy. I love our Phoebe! So excited to welcome our beautiful senior cat into our home this year.
18. see a Ballet performance. Johnny surprised me with a gift certificate to see a show at The Kennedy Center! We’ll plan to go sometime this fall – there are a few shows in the fall/winter guide that I want to see.
19. plant a fruit tree We purchased and planted two pear trees!
20. run a race in a new state Ran a 5k in Cali during travel season.
21. send birthday cards I’ve sent SO many more cards this year. I even have purchased cards for future needs.
22. get a new fitness certification. Signed up for, and working my way through, group exercise certification from AFAA/NASM. This will definitely be completed this summer.
23. make and share kombucha. Not so much the sharing yet, but the SCOBY is resting in a fresh batch of brewed tea.
24. host a tea & cupcakes party. My bridesmaids hosted one for me!!!!
25. host online challenge fitness groups I loved offering this during my travel season. I’ll definitely do it again, already brainstorming new possibilities.
26. teach or team teach a fitness class in a new area Taught dances in Colorado and Texas during work travel!
27. publish an article. I’ve made a point of blogging more frequently, but haven’t actually pursued writing an article for anything but the blog. This hasn’t been a priority for me, we’ll see if I follow through with it moving forward.
28. host a photo a day challenge LOVE LOVE LOVED the May photo a day challenge.
29. visit every local store in my town. I’ve visited MORE! But man Amazon has my love.
30. plan a fabulous 30^th birthday trip.  We traveled to Wellsboro, PA, to see the PA ‘Grand Canyon’ and hike in Tioga County.

Really, this challenge was so much fun, and I happily enter my 30s full of life and love. On to 40!