The Next 30 Years...

True to the rules of The "30" Project, I am going to share 30 goals for myself for the next 30 years. Instead of one a day, which creates a lot of posts, I'll post them over the next few weeks in groups. Many of these are ongoing goals or lifetime goals, and some of them are very new. Thirty is a really big number when you are referring to a list of accomplishments, and although goals are much more open-ended, I am choosing goals which add value to my quality of life. At work we say, "What does success look like?" That's the question I am asking myself here. These goals define success for my life... at least from the vantage point of a youthful 30.

So without further adieu, my first five goals:

1. I want to learn how to drive stick shift. A few friends have tried to teach me, but my timing in life in general has never been spot on, and timing is key when driving a stick shift. Anyone out there who wants to teach me and is willing to risk their gears?
2. I want to own my own home. I've spent the majority of my 20s creating debt and paying it off, so as my finances continue to improve, this is key for me. I love my apartment, it is definitely "home," but I'm itching for some real estate. Too bad Baltimore is so dang expensive.
3. I want to pay off my bills. This was so close a year ago, but with the added cost of my eye surgeries, this has been extended. A year or two more and I should be golden.
4. I want to make a piece of furniture. This sounds dumb, but I want to create something with my hands - something I can use and look at and say, "I made that."
5. I want to lose a few more pounds and maintain a lifestyle that will help me to keep it off. I'll be honest about how far I've come, but first, keep in mind that I'm 4'11", so you are just going to frustrate me if you tell me that I'm not allowed to care about being at a healthy weight. Pounds are relative to height. That said, my heaviest was 116, but I spent a few years at 114. I weighed in this week between 107 and 109, so I've lost as much as 9 pounds, or as little as 5. I am so proud of myself. My goal is 105, so 103-105 variable would be ideal. (Note: 103 is well within "average" for 4'11".)