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!