My Personal 40 Before 40 Challenge

I’m old, I know that. I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but here we are and today I turn 39. Sigh. That’s ok though, I’ve mostly come to terms with it but before next year when I turn the dreaded 40, I want to challenge myself to leave my 30s on as positive a note as possible. But wait! I know what you’re thinking, that this is a tired blogger ploy to generate yearlong interest in a post. While I won’t deny that would be nice, that’s not actually the reason for this slightly unusual 40 before 40 post.

I’m fairly positive that Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep didn’t intend their 1991 film “Defending Your Life” to become a major influence in my life, but it has. Without going through all the plotlines, the main message is that what is most important in our lives is to try to live without fear as much as possible. It can be a fear of poisonous snakes (a good one to have I think), a fear of rejection or a fear of change. Whatever the fear, we should conquer it while we’re alive if we want to be able to say that we led a successful life. For the most part I agree with that and it’s been something I’ve tried to tackle in the past to various degrees of success. That concept of conquering fears is an underlying theme to this list and while not EVERY item addresses it, many do. The idea isn’t just to have a year of fun experiences, it’s to continue my own personal journey towards a happier and healthier self and to lead a life that means something instead of just subsisting in the shadows.

With that in mind, I decided to put together a list of 40 things I would like to do before I turn 40. They’re not all travel related experiences, they’re life challenges as well but all together they are some things I really hope to get done before I enter the next chronological chapter in my life. So with out further ado, here’s my list and I hope you’ll help encourage me to actually see this through!

Note: This post will be pinned to the sidebar for the duration of 2015 and I will update as items are completed. I’ll probably also write an update post about them in June or July.

1. Learn yoga.
2. Go on an epic solo journey.
3. Speak at more conferences.
4. Learn basic automotive repair – change a tire, etc.
5. Pick up on my genealogical research to pursue my British roots.
6. Go bungee jumping. (I’ve done bungee swinging)
7. Learn basic sewing, so I can quickly attach a button.
8. Fly in First Class. Not Business or Business/First, but a full-fledged First Class experience.
9. Go to the North Pole.
10. Learn to play guitar.
11. Paddle in a Dragon Boat
12. Learn how to fold shirts.
13. Epic road trip across America.
14. Attend Highland Games in the Scottish Highlands
15. Go camping. Not glamping or gamping but old fashioned camping.
16. Learn how to better use my camera.
17. Go paragliding off of Table Mountain. (or hang gliding anywhere)
    
18. Start teaching blogging classes and/or giving tours.
19. Volunteer with a local charity.
20. Take swimming lessons. I can swim, but not really effectively; I just splash around.
21. Attend a major sporting event.
22. Go to Machu Picchu.
23. Drive a racecar.
24. Attend an epic festival or event (Mardi Gras, Holi, Running of the Bulls, etc.).
25. Learn a new language.
26. Dress more fashionably, more put together.
27. Hug a panda.
28. Go skydiving.
29. Learn how to make macarons in France.
30. See the Great Migration in Tanzania/Kenya
31. Fly in a private plane.
32. Try SCUBA diving.
33. Read 5 books I don’t want to read. (Moby Dick, War and Peace, etc)
34. Sit on a beach in the South Pacific/French Polynesia.
35. Swim in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
36. Meet Dolly Parton.
37. Write a book.
38. Play Baccarat in Monte Carlo while wearing a tux.
39. Visit remaining 9 U.S. states I haven’t been to.
40. See the Northern Lights.