Happy New Year 2017 to you.
I’m sure some of you get into the habit of making new life changing goals on the 1st of January. If it’s not a standard New Year’s resolution, it might be a plan of how you want the next year to pan out. I’m not really one for New Year’s resolutions, but I’ve always been a firm believer of writing ideas down for them to come to fruition.
I’ve never done a list like this before. I like a challenge, 2015 saw me set a goal to visit 8 countries within the year whilst with a full time job and I managed just fine! 2016 was saved for visiting 12 countries in a year, however I quit my life and job in London and moved to Birmingham, UK. I managed 9 countries, whilst visiting the 9 different countries 13 times in total. Not bad. With 30 being 21 months away, I feel it’s a perfect opportunity to finally do some of the things I’ve been meaning to do for a while.
For some, challenges seem daunting; whilst others take it in their stride to over achieve them. For me, a challenge is a reminder to continue aspiring and doing. Life does not have to stand still. When was the last time you truly challenged yourself?
With this in mind, and a clear head from further travel adventures in 2016, I have come up with my exciting list of ’30 before 30′. With 1 years and 9 months to achieve this, I’m feeling highly adventurous. I’m also feeling rather excited to try lots of new things.
So here’s my 30 before 30 list
- Progress with my Italian. I’ve been learning Italian on and off for years, hopelessly knowing the basics. I love Italy and it’d be great to get a bit further with it.
- Improve my photography. I recently bought a Nikon DSLR camera, so the first step is done. I intend to get out more and play around with the settings.
- Keep super fit and work out more efficiently.
- Run a half marathon!!! 13.1094 miles, 21.0975 kilometers. I’d like to say I finally did it and who knows, I might sign up for a marathon.
- Learn to drive. OK, I really should have got my driving license 11 years ago, but I still haven’t. My excuse always being, that you don’t need a car in London. This needs to change!
- (Re)learn to swim. I’ve forgotten how to swim and for me it’s not like riding a bike, I’ve genuinely forgotten.
- Finally see the Northern lights.
- Try out skiing.
- Start learning another new language. Any ideas?
- Further develop the blog, whilst strengthening the brand. Become a readily available freelance copywriter and get an article published.
- Move to a new country. Anyone that truly knows me, knows that I’ve been wanting to do this for years. I guess moving to Birmingham was the catalyst needed to know whether it could be a possible!
- Learn to knit something that isn’t a scarf or a variation of a scarf.
- Be taught to cook something by a local in another country.
- I’m not that great at baking as I’m not that patient. It’s time to take my baking to the next level!
- Complete at least 60 more blog posts.
- Travel by sleeper train and/ or complete an entire journey by train. I have done this in Kenya from Nairobi to Mombasa, and also in Spain from Madrid to Barcelona. I’d like to up the ante a bit on this one.
- Travel the UK (United Kingdom)
- Go camping
- Go on a yoga retreat
- Aternoon tea
- Go on a South East Asian expedition
- Explore a new city through the Geo-Caching app. I love exploring new places and geocaching is great fun. It’s like a giant treasure hunt, and I’ve done it before but never in a new place. It’s a brilliant way to get to know somewhere new!
- Build an enviable wine and spirits collection
- Eat at at more Michelin starred restaurant
- Plan an awesome 30th birthday adventure
- Learn to practise mindfulness, it’s currently all the rage. For instance, pay it forward and buy something for a stranger.
- Learn to play a song on the guitar
- Continue improving my wine knowledge, perhaps helping out on a vineyard!
- Practice more recipes from the cookbooks I already own.
- Number 30 – I need your ideas!
As I’m also a little bit fickle, I might give myself up to 3 lifelines, is that cheating? I think not.
Have you created a 25 before 25, 30 before 30 or 40 before 40 list? Or is there one single thing you’d like to achieve by your next birthday? Let me know in the comments below.
Best wishes to you.
-Winepressgirl
Wine Press Girl 
Wowsers that is an EPIC list! I’m already 30 and nowhere near completing that many exciting adventures! I’m trying to say yes to more opportunities this year, and trying to be more organised too. I created a work schedule so I’m feeling pretty smug. Roll on 2017!
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Ooh! I like it! I didn’t do 30 before 30 but I tried to challenge myself during my 30th year. The biggest one was my boudoir shoot. It brought me to the online body positivity community. I did a few other things that year, like get on the PG Diploma course in Counselling too. Quit a job I hated. Found a new path. Was awesome. You’d be achieving something with just one of these to, so do 30 things is awesome. I try and keep myself challenged now, when I can. I find I do better in life if I do.
You can get a good view of the Northern lights in Scotland but it’s not as certain as going further north. Well worth seeing. Simply stunning. Another good suggestion is watching the sun come up somewhere special.
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What an awesome list – you are going to have a busy year and a bit! Snaps on so many of them, especially going on a yoga retreat. You’ve inspired me to write myself one of these lists at the weekend, you go girl!
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Props to you for collating an entire list of 30, you’ll be so busy you won’t even be thinking about the big 3 0! All really interesting, pretty practical and definitely exciting though 🙂
No ’26 before 26′ list for me (😏🙄) but a few things to focus on, like writing and sharing more. Hopefully meeting up with the Brum bloggers more too 🤗
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Really enjoyed this! Would absolutely love to learn Italian (I’m trying to tackle Spanish first!) but the best ways to learn a language are definitely to get the practice in with locals – have you checked to see if there are any language exchanges going on in Birmingham with Italians living in the area? I intend to get my act together and do this with Spanish!
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I love reading these posts, so inspiring! You have a good list girl, better get to crossing them off. If you need a geocache partner.. I’d love to try it sometime with you. I want to learn Hungarian this year. I know it’s an odd choice, but I have a Hungarian friend so that helps. How about for 30, learn a sport? Any interest you? Or go to a Cricket Match? Have you seen one before?
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