HOLY SHIT! I’ve been 30 for 2 and a half weeks!! Waaaaaaah!!
This absolutely terrifies me as for numerous reasons. I think this is partly
due to the fact I think in my head I’m still 17, I certainly don’t feel mature
enough to 30. 10 years ago if you asked me what I thought I would be doing ten
years from now my reply would have been along the lines of ‘be in a job I love,
own a house, married with babies’, damn you Disney for making me want the fairy
tale! Instead of any of this I’m now 30 and live in my parents loft and am in a
bit of a rut. I guess I also thought I would have achieved a lot more by now.
Don’t me wrong I have no regrets, I don’t believe in them and have had the most
awesome experiences, travelled to some incredible places so I really can’t
complain. My life is pretty great I just need some changes and new challenges and
that’s where this 30 before 30 list stemmed from.
I also better state for the record that turning 30 is definitely
not the end of the world, it has been ridiculously fun so far and I think I am
going to like my flirty thirties. I am feeling confident and happy and can’t
wait to see what the future holds!
So if you’ve been a visitor to Lipsticks and Lashes for a
while, you will know that for all the reasons above, a year and a half ago I created
a bucket list of 30 things I would love to achieve before I turn 30. It was a
wide variety of things that I have wanted to do for a while but for whatever
reason have been a lame ass and haven’t done yet. They were all things that I felt
would help me make the most of life and make me a better person. Now I am 30 I thought
id better give you all the low down of how I got on with completing my bucket
list, so here’s where I got to…
1. Start dating... yeah, so, umm, I went on numerous dates and
they were all a bit disastrous and I am pretty adamant now there are no nice
men on dating websites, they are either bonkers, needy or just wanting to send
you willy pictures. So anyone know where I can meet a nice, funny, handsome man
without going on tinder or pof then please shout! All tips greatly received!
2. Go indoor skydiving. I so nearly did this a while back
when I was in Manchester!
Sadly there just wasn’t enough time to do it! I’m going to definitely ass this
to my 40 before 40 list!
3. Cook one dish a week from scratch... I smashed this one!
Wahoo! Over the past 6 months I’ve really embraced clean eating and am feeling
so much better for it! My eczema has cleared up my under active thyroid seems
to have levelled out and I have so much more energy. This means I am cooking
from scratch, I usually do a massive batch cook on a Sunday now so I can’t
slack in the week when I am juggling two jobs and don’t have time to cook.
4. Say yes more! To any opportunities that come my way. –
This is an ongoing one and I think I’ve been embracing it pretty well! It’s a
great way to put myself out there more and I have had so much fun doing this! I
do love this one and it’s definitely going to be continued, it’s pushed me out
of my comfort zone and allowed me to experience new things.
5. Learn to long board – I have a long board and am working
on it! I am a giant wimp and keep jumping off before I think I’m going to fall
off! I have zero sense of balance so it’s been fun! I even had a little skate
crew going in the summer which was so much fun, especially when we followed it
with hot chocolates in the pub garden!
6. Try a roller derby – Failed this! Boo!
7. Visit Disney World in Florida. Hmm I think this one will be
scooting over to my 40 before 40 list as I had no funds to pull this one off!
Or any annual leave left to take it with for that matter!
8. Start a ‘grateful’ diary and record 3 things I am happy
for every day. – So I started this one but then kind of failed miserable! I
just keep forgetting to do it! It has made me realize how important it is to
take a moment every so often to appreciate things a bit more, especially when
I’m having a bad day!
9. Buy a house – Nope definitely not done this, still in the
parents freezing loft….
10. Try Paddle boarding. – Tried it and loved it! Can’t wait
for summer to try it again!
11. Start a successful Etsy Shop – a work in progress! Its up
and running now (Check out Pearl Divine here) and I am constantly adding new
bits, so I hope with hard work it may become successful!
12. Write a book – I’ve started writing and I love it, just
wish there was hours in a day so I could get more done!
13. Live abroad for a month – COMPLETED!! This was awesome!
I spent last November in Australia
(Blog posts coming soon, I promise!) and it was magical! I spent two weeks on
the Gold Coast for a friends wedding, a week in Sydney
a week in Ayres Rock and a week in Melbourne.
To say I am still suffering with post holiday blues would be an understatement!
14. Get down to a clothing size 12 – I have dropped a stone
and a dress size but still not near a size 12, however I am feeling a thousand
times more body confident than when I first wrote this, which I thinks an
achievement in itself!
15. Run a 10k – COMPLETED! In a respectable 1hour and 20
mins! My next challenge is a half marathon…. From someone who couldn’t run 2 minutes
without collapsing when I started in May last year, I am pretty pleased with
this one!
16. Do a painting on a canvas – I am behind with this one! I
have bought a canvas and some neon acrylic paints!! I can’t wait to have a play
with them. If it looks half decent I might even share the final painting here!
17. Go to a music festival – COMPLETED!! I went to a small
festival called Blissfield’s last weekend for a friends hen do! I had the best
time and determined to head to a few more next year!
18. Visit Machu Piccu – Lack of funds mean this hasn’t happened…
YET! Its definitely one I have to do!
19. Fall in love and be loved – see no1
20. See the northern lights – not yet
21. Visit Ireland
– DONE! I was super lucky and for my 30th birthday we ticked this
one off by heading to Dublin!
I went with a group of girl friends and had a blast! The best way to turn the
big 30!
22. Try Wakeboarding – I’ve tried it and LOVED it!! I found
out a local lake is all set up for wakeboarding and I went along for a lesson
and it was so much fun! I’m planning to go again this year!
23. Start an art class – didn’t manage this one but I am
dropping a few evening sessions at work this year so hoping this may be
something I can pick up then!
24. Learn to Surf – Nope, still not managed this one!
25. Learn another language – or this one…
26. Learn the ukulele – there is a local Ukulele group that
meets in the local pub, I’ve been to a few sessions now! I am really bad at
learning to play but its good fun! I’ve learnt I am just not musical!
27. Figure out some sort of career path and be happy with
whatever it may be. – Still working on this!
28. Make a drift wood coffee table – I really really want to
do this one, so its going straight onto my 40 before 40 list!
29. Read one book every month – COMPLETED!! I hope to
continue this as it’s such a fun way to relax and switch off.
30. Go to New
Zealand – I was hoping to do this in March
this year but due to a severe lack of funds it’s had to be scrapped! Gutted but
I still hope to visit one of these days!
I would say that’s about half completed, and half not
managed or still working on. I am pretty pleased with this! I’ve loved having a
few goals and working to achieve my 30 before 30, being able to tick them off
as done is such an achievement! I am now working on my 40 before 40 list! I
will post it here when I have decided on everything I want to be on there!
Do you do lists like this? Do you have any suggestions on
what should be on my next bucket list?