40 days to 40

Why are the birthdays with a zero so much more of a big deal than the ones without?! There is something about changing decades that makes you evaluate where you are and what you’ve accomplished. As a younger you setting goals, the decades are often used to set timelines for completion–by 20 I want to [fill in the blank], by 30 I want to [fill in more blanks], and by chance I’m still alive at 40 I want to [fill in the blanks]. I remember as a kid thinking 40 was so old–but here I am turning 40 in 40 days a whole lot healthier than I was when I turned 30. The last decade has had its ups and downs, but overall it’s been pretty amazing: decided to find a place to stick around and plant some roots, bought a house to make those roots stick a bit more, that whole crazy ironman thing a few years ago, made it to new to me continent and visited one of my favorites a few times, loved some good people, did some good things, ate some good food, made some decent food., set some goals and smashed them, learned to be content even when I didn’t, been witness to countless friends smashing theirs, too…and more. What will the next decade bring? Only God knows. But I do know about the 40 days leading up. I’ve made a list of 40 things I want to do before I turn 40 (see below). Some are fun, some are serious, some just are…but everyday I hope to do something to intentionally mark the passing of days. If anything looks fun to you, let me know as I would love to have some company.
I want to…

1. Spend a day at the beach

2. Spend a day in the woods

3. Spend a day at the spa

4. Spend a day in the saddle

5. Surprise someone

6. Be surprised

7. Take a road trip

8. Give something away

9. Do something that’s difficult

10. Say thank you to someone who doesn’t hear it enough

11. Get a library card (ties into the next one!)

12. Finish a new just for fun book–a real book and not an audiobook or iBook 

13. Volunteer at a place I haven’t before

14. Let go of some things I’ve held on to for too long

15. Submit a piece of writing for publication

16. See the sunrise

17. Watch the sunset

18. Find a treasure

19. Tie up loose ends

20. Do something that scares me

21. Dance

22. Go to a show

23. Write a letter

24. Get a new do

25. Make something 

26. Bake something 

27. Splurge on something-done 10/29

28. Be thankful

29. Be silly

30. Be spontaneous

31. Be vulnerable 

32. Vote

33. Spend a day without technology

34. Give yoga another try

35. Pay it forward

36. Celebrate

37. Pray

38. Love

39. Learn something new

40. Take the long way home
Here’s to being 40 days from 40 and making the most of everyday left of 39!