I'm Ready

I've been very introspective lately. Not in a bad way, but as usual just thinking about life and direction. Most of my thought has been about 2010. Specifically, January 27, 2010. Significance? My 30th birthday. Now before you start rolling your eyes and refusing to read on because you think it's going to be a pity party, listen here. I'm ready for my thirties. I really, honestly, truly am. I'm not just saying that.

I was that person. That person who spent my whole 20's worrying about the big 30. But after my 27th birthday freak-out, I've been embracing aging. And it's nice. It's a nice feeling. Not panic. Not regret. Just excitement and anticipation. I'm ready for this next chapter.

My friend, Kelli, recently posted a list of goals for her 30's. So, not to copy, well okay, TO copy, I'm writing my own. Some of them are very similar to Kelli's. Of course, that could explain the whole best friend thing.

So without further ado, my list (in no particular order).

1. Have 2 healthy babies, God-willing, by age 33/34.
2. Stop living with regrets. Put it in the past and move on. It's well past time.
3. Use my passport a minimum of 2 times. Jeff and I will make it to Italy in the next decade.
4. Time for a healthy lifestyle change. Stop using the excuse not too lose weight due to the fact that you'll just gain it back with kids. Ridiculous. And stupid. Lose the weight. And keep it off.
5. KILL the student loans and be fiscally responsible
6. Read more. I'm talking classics, non-fiction, how-to's. Educate myself.
7. Watch less TV. Jeff and I are constantly battling with tv/productivity. Cancel cable if need be.
8. Stop wishing and start becoming the person I want to be
9. Stop comparing myself to others and start living the life I want
10. Buy land
11. Define my career path and stick with my hobbies, never compromising my (or my family's) happiness
12. Always keep the goals in sight and on track
13. Embrace life and live it up.
    

and these last two I stole verbatim from Kelli:
14. Evaluate what was good and what was bad about my twenties
15. Keep my marriage on track, set goals, and keep the magic

I think this is a good list. I'm excited to start in on them. Of course #1 is already underway and set to launch within a month after my 30th birthday. I will admit, #2 and #9 are going to be a challenge for me, mentally. I'm ashamed to admit that I have these faults, but in admitting these it is a verbal recognition that I realize they exist.

Onwards and Upwards.