2013

2012, you taught me things and offered me experiences that I never could have imagined. 2 weeks in Australia, 2 years at my beloved job, a lake house that I have dreamed about, relationships that made me laugh and cry, trips across the country and around the world in all directions. What a journey, in only 365 short days.

 

2013, I am so excited for you. I'm making a new 101 in 1001 list - stay tuned. I've got 3 international trips in the works, 4 weddings already on the books, and a job that will take me wherever I want to go. There are questions that remained unanswered, friends to dream with, and adventures to be shared.

 

I want to fall in love this year. I want to know myself. I want to spend on what's important to me and save on what's not. I want to keep my fingers and toes painted and my hair done and decrease the number of days I spend on the couch. In 2013, I want to open my eyes to the world around me and explore.

 

It all feels so whimsical, so light and airy and fluffy. That is my hope and dream for 2013 - live on a whim, be whimsical.

 

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101 in 1001: A Recap

The final days of my 101 in 1001 list are fast approaching. I don't remember what motivated me to start this project. I think I was bored, unhappy, and I never have liked the idea of having a set number of resolutions for a year. Plus, everyone was always skeptical about New Years Resolutions. This was my compromise, and what a compromise it's been.

I've learned some things about myself along the way, about who I am, what I'm interested in, and what matters to me, and that was the point. I've tried new things, re-experienced things I'd already done before, and stepped outside my comfort zone. Even if I don't end up checking off every box on the list, I give myself an A++ for keeping up with it and holding myself accountable.

Here are my top 10 lessons learned, if you want to call it that.

1. I'm not going to run 6 5k's. I am so totally OK with that. Instead, I've re-learned how to play a sport that I love, and dangit I'm really good at it.

2. I never was able to abstain from alcohol for a month. I guess I just like boozin' too much. Instead, I made more than 10 new friends in 3 years and went on plenty of dates.

3. I haven't gone to the Botanical Gardens or seen a movie at the iMax or visited Stone Mountain more than once or twice, but I did try new restaurants, challenge myself to new sports, and spend time traveling the world.

4. I made more than 10 new friends over the last 1001 days. I lost some of those friends - not in a sad, dramatic way, but in a way that we've both moved on. I've lost friends that I once considered extremely close. I've also maintained friendships that I never thought would last, and I'm better prepared to recognize when you just have to let go. Some friendships (and relationships...) aren't meant to be forever, and that's ok.

5. On September 25, 2012 (the day this all wraps up) I'll have been at my job for nearly 23 months. Same job, hopefully almost 2 promotions later, and I never imagined it was possible to be this happy at work. It's hard to believe that "Get Paid" was a part of my list. That life, that job, that dream, seems so far in the past, but is so much of what I have accomplished.

6. I have visited all my friends in their respective cities of residence save for one, on the west coast, but I managed to visit her in Argentina so we'll call it a wash. However, I didn't make it to visit family 3 times a year. In reality, that just wasn't practical, but how was I to know? It sounded great at the time! Trade-offs always occur, and in this instance, I chose to visit friends and visit other places with friends than to visit my family. Right wrong or otherwise, it's the choice I made and I don't regret it.

7. Life changes, and you have to roll with the punches. I started and then very quickly closed down a business, so those came off my list. I debated replacing them, but thought that leaving them there was a reminder to me of what my goals used to be and how far I had come. Same goes for taking the GRE - I actually don't think I understood the difference between the GRE and the GMAT, so really it should have said take the GMAT, and while it's still one of my goals (and pretty top of mind), it's just not going to happen in the near-term and I'm okay with that.

8. I don't have a tattoo. I stopped highlighting my hair (this is recent & still a little painful). I still bite my fingernails. Some things just aren't meant to be.

9. I may not have started to invest money or saved 30% of my monthly income, but I also don't have a flat-screen TV in my room, I didn't buy myself diamond studs, and the total I spent on new purses may exceed what I would have spent on 1 nice one, I have a lot more to choose from. The point was to spend wisely, and I think I have.

10. I didn't set out to accomplish 101 things in 1001 days, and good thing, because I sure didn't. But I set what I thought were realistic goals that weren't going to happen overnight and I carried many of them out. I held myself accountable, I stretched myself outside my comfort zone on many of them, and I'm really dang proud of myself.

I'm trying to figure out what my next "challenge" should be. Part of me thinks I might just wait until December 31, 2012 and spend the next 3 months figuring out goals for my next 3 years of life. Hard to believe that I might be writing another post like this in 2015, but that might just be the case.

Do you have any ideas? I've considered a few: this one (although I think I could do in conjunction); or this one? Totally different direction on both of them. Send me your ideas!

Goalsetting.

I went to breakfast with a friend yesterday, and we started talking about our goals. Nothing really specific, just things we wanted to do.

I had the same conversation with another friend earlier in the week. I made some flippant comment about "Well I just want it all" to which he responded "what, exactly, is it that you want, Katie?" and I spent probably the next 5 minutes ticking down a list of all the things I wanted. Some of them were stupid - I wanted it to be Friday, I wanted the day to be over, etc. Others were serious - I wanted certain things at work, I wanted my mom and dad to be happy, I wanted to repair relationships with people that had been broken.

Both friends were so supportive of the things I wanted, and it was such a great two-way conversation with people who love me and care about me and who I love and care about. There's something really liberating about telling someone else your dreams. It gives them meaning. It holds you accountable.

It's why I posted my 101 in 1001 list. It's hard to believe that I made that list almost 2 years ago, and I've checked so many things off of it.

What's remaining? Running 6 5k's. UGH. So, now with about 10 months left, I have to do said 5k's. Anyone want to participate with me? One of my best friends lives in DC and is into running, so perhaps when I go to visit in April I'll rope her into doing one with me. And maybe when I'm in Florida in January I'll do one there. Maybe I'll commit to doing 6 5k's in 6 different locations.

What do you think? What holds you accountable? Do you have friends you can rely on?

101 in 1001

I have this list posted on the inside of my smaller closet door.

I started it on January 1, 2010, which means that I am halfway-ish through the time commitment of 1,001 days. I'd also say I'm about halfway through the list itself. Some of the things I put on this list were much more difficult to measure.

Use reusable bags whenever possible. Be a Good Friend. Wear cute outfits just because.

Others I have crossed off, feeling like I had accomplished those things, only to un-cross them, feeling rather unaccomplished.

Stop biting fingernails. Spend more time with my sister.

Then I decided instead of crossing and un-crossing, I would do status check-ins and write the date and a checkmark when I felt that I had accomplished those things. It might take me awhile to add another date next to "Go on more dates" but the June 2010 date has 3 check plusses!

Some things I have crossed off for good because they no longer apply.

Attend AMA events. Put more time and effort into AOTG.

I no longer work in Marketing nor am I a member of the Atlanta Marketing Association (although I highly recommend it for those of you who are in Marketing!) and I have closed my personal assistant business.

And some things I have done, crossed them off the list, and never looked back.

Buy a Wii. Buy a new computer. Visit Minnesota once a year.

What is really fun are the ones where I left blanks next to them to fill in as I complete them.

Try 1 new restaurant per month (I list restaurant and month). Meet 10 new friends (I list names). Do 5 new craft projects (I list project and date completed).

This list has been SO much fun to have. I fully intend on creating another one after this one "ends." I love that it is more than just New Years Resolutions. Many of these things dramatically impact my life, my future, and me. Some of them are fluff, naturally, but others of them mean real life changes on my part, and I love that I don't feel pressured to do them immediately, but instead I have the course of 2.75 years to marinate on the ideas and figure out how to best implement them in my own life. I love that they are all mine - I came up with them, they were all things I wanted, and no one else is holding me accountable. Hell, if I hadn't posted this, none of you would even know I was doing it!

I love the most that I put them up in a place where I see them almost daily. They aren't harsh, they don't scream at me, and most days I ignore them (mainly because they get wrinkled and it drives me bonkers), but I know they are there, and days like today when I need a little pick-me-up, I can leave my closet door open those extra 2 minutes, grab a pen, and start checking, crossing, and writing things down on my little list. And then, just like that, I can shut the door feeling accomplished and proud because I have changed, I have become a better person, and I am me!