OK, so. real talk, I’ve been working on this post since I turned 38 (and also forever). My birthday happened a while ago. The point of this post is not to wish me a belated happy birthday.
It’s a list of things I’d like to do before I’m 40.
Now. Couple things before we start:
I don’t believe that 40 is old. I don’t believe 107 is old.
Getting older is a privilege, I’m not complaining.
I don’t like bucket lists. I like goals.
We shouldn’t stop doing things when we reach a certain age, but goals are good.
Here’s my list of things I’d like to do before I’m 40. And because time is weird, with my 40th year.
- Finish a book, any book, that I’ve started writing.
- Have another kid. Nothing doing, but we’re not one-and-done.
- Continue teaching Isla that having experiences means more than having stuff.
- Continue writing for not in-house magazines. That time over here was super fun. And this, too. And this over here.
- Find or adapt an accessible house
- Get my own home office.
- And built-in book shelves.
- And an accessible kitchen.
- Make a cheesecake
- Take my cheese-phobe husband to Naples for seafood.
- See Isla experience Christmas in New York. Because summers in New York are kinda fun.
- Stop craving food that’s 4,000 miles away.
- Stop missing friends. It’s nice to have friends everywhere, but I wish I could be everywhere.
- Invent a teleporter.
- See our friends AND the penguins in Australia and New Zealand.
- Have coffee with more friends I met online or through blogging.
- Reach a million views on the blog
- Read 100 books in one year. Starting any month.
- Read all the books I own.
- Read more BIG BOOKS like I used to.
- Raise money for Alzheimers research.
- Same for Chest, Heart, and Stroke
- Work on a children’s book with Isla and my best friend the children’s book illustrator.
- Re-do my New York to Seattle Amtrak journey. This time with Isla, Neil, and whoever else wants to come with.
- Have a spare room that we actually use for friends to stay, and not to hide the hoard.
- Plan our Route 66 road trip.
- Plan our Vegas vow renewal. Preferably at a drive-thru wedding chapel. Definitely in a purple dress.
- Go back to my purple hair for a while
- Journal every day for a year.
- Send a postcard to a different person every day for a month.
- Drink more water, honestly.
- Figure out juicing.
- Lift weights again. Babies count.
- Swim again.
- Eat cake with Gemma at Wheelescapades.
- Eat Skittles with Christine.
- Get Isla together with more of my friends with kids. Make more friends with kids.
- Take confidence lessons from my kid.
- Go to Disney World with my mother and Isla when I hit 40 and Ma is 75. Happens in the same year.
- Some of this might be 40 before 45. And that’s OK, too.
Do you have a 40 before 40 list?
What’s on your goals list, whatever your age?
*
If you enjoyed this post or any post in the last ten years, please consider buying me a coffee, or if you’d like more shenanigans, sign up for my weekly newsletter through the form at the end of any post.
Join the Gin & Lemonade newsletter!
Subscribe to get a roundup of posts and other groovy stuff every week!
45 Comments
It’s always good to have goals, and I’m prerry sure you’ll achieve them 🥰
Thank you, dude.
🙂
I think this is a great post. I’ll be turning 25 this year and now I want to make a list like this. Great idea 🙂
I am working on a 50 before 50 list. It seems I need to start working a little faster on this list, time is getting short. I love lists, and I love having goals. Yay you on your goals!
Please include ‘have a beer with Lorna’ on your list!
I need to do a 50 before 50!
Love it. The only thing you should add is on no. 27 you have to add being married by Elvis.
That’s the truth!
I used to keep an ongoing life list but then stopped updating it. I usually do a “what I learned” list that coordinates with the number of my birthday.
#12 – good luck – I crave food from places that are not open anymore
#16 I hope that we are at the same place at the same time so we can have coffee!
You, me, and Julie!
I notice that eating chocolate/getting squiffy with Plot is sadly missing off that list. I may have to add you to my 50 by 50 goal list.
<>
My honeymoon was New York, in December. Close enough. It was magic & I want to take the kids someday.
That’s a given. Invade my guest room.
I’m doing to do it anyway – HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY!!!!
The sound of goals rather than bucket lists is appealing, it gives it a more realistic feel. I like being nosy and seeing what your goals are, I’m not sure what mine are even with my birthday quickly approaching this week. I really should sit down and give it some serious consideration. Make an edible cheesecake would be one as I’ve only attempted it once and it was beyond awful. If you ever figure out the teleporter let me know, I’d like one of those!
Caz xx
Happy before-your-birthday, Caz! x
I had a 40 by 40, then it got blown to hell when the last long term got blown to hell. I’m working on a 50 by 50 – I’ve got 9 years & an amazing partner along for the ride. ❤
I’m just gonna steal your list–well, not the babies stuff, but maybe most everything else! (And make it for 50–ugh.) Especially the Amtrak trip and the journaling and the confidence. Super excited for your children’s book with Isla and your illustrator friend. Can’t wait to see it!
How’s your list going? Share it when you’re ready!
Can I also steal “before 40?” Cuz I’d like a re-do there. Lately, #1 is find a dang agent–so I can concentrate on writing again. Such a pain!
If I could just pull off number 38, my life would be much easier!
I hear mastering 38 makes everything else happen. 😉
I was shocked to see two items on your list that would go on my own, if I had one. I’ll be sixty next year. Maybe I should write a “Sixty Things Before 60” list/book? What a grand idea! 🙂
Which two are the same?
That’s quite a list! Good luck.
I just found, at our outlet mall, a gigantic machine that dispenses Skittles by the individual color, so I think we can do this!! We must do this. Also, the world needs a Lorna book and the an Isla book.
Hmm. Now I guess I should work on a 50s list, but I am NOT going to make 50 items. I don’t want to set myself up to fail. I love the idea of reading all the books in my house. Starting with the ones that are on my e-reader!
Happy birthday! It had to be said.
Oh wow I love this – it’s nice to have a focus and to then look back and realise how much you achieved by the time you’re forty 🙂
This is a great list. I think I need to do a 45 before 45 list. There’s the same gap between me and my 8 year old. When he is 40 I will be 75.. just hope I see it..
I have a 50 before 50 travel list which isn’t going as well as I hoped
Love This!! Will definitely be adding some on to mine 🙂
Great list. I should have a list like this soon. Working on it.
Great idea! I hope you get to tick them all off. very exciting!
I have just literally been writing up my list haha. I know what you mean about the juicing one xx
I look forward to reading your list!
So having just made yours plus a decade, I suppose I should do a 50 list! The morning of my birthday my eldest asked “how does it feel to be half a century, Mum?” Bloody charming!!! So I might have to steal some of your list, Lorna, and add a trip to Scotland to visit my wheelie chum so we can go out for a gin or two!! And do a few wheelies together…..C xxx
I’m 33 and never had a list like this. I do have hopes and goals each year. I love your reading goals.
I love this, Lorna! Especially the goal of continuing to teach Isla that having experiences is more important than having stuff. I hope you reach all of these goals!
this is a great list. Being a list person I’m all for lists all the time. I like a list of things to do before….. keeps you more focused. Good luck
You’re welcome for cake anytime! Can I come to Disney?!
Yes!
Can I come have cake with you and Gemma please?
Brilliant list, not long now before I have to work on my own list!
I think that could be arranged!
Great list. And love #33.
This is awesome! Such inspiration. Well, I found some cool ideas too reading your post. I wish you all the fun and happiness!
I’ve never even thought about what I would want to do before turning 40. You have some things that sound amazing in your list. I’ve never been abroad before, Christmas in New York would be utterly amazing and route 66. Just thinking of the food and eaterys along the route.