09 June, 2014

'100 Things to do in 2014' - An Update


Before Christmas, I wrote this post. A list of 100 things to do in 2014. As we are 6 months in to 2014, I thought it appropriate to revisit this list, see where I am and whether I am half way or no where near to completing it. It is hard to believe that we are half way through 2014 already. Time is flowing by too quickly and I have already started to have thoughts of Christmas. I have mentioned to the boy that we should get organised and book our Christmas flights home in order to save money now and I am already looking at items in Manchester shops and thinking 'so and so would like that for Christmas'. Scary!! (Yes, that does deserve two exclamation marks.)

So, here is my published list and I've crossed out the items completed and made some additional notes next to those that may not happen in 2014.

Education or as I like to call it - Fun stuff I want to learn
1.Take Spanish classes -  I know where these classes are taught. All I need to do it sign up and pay my fee.
2.Take a DSLR photography class
3.Take a craft class at the Ministry of Craft - crochet anyone?
Update: I've been using the excuse 'I can't afford' it in order not do any of the above. I have discovered that it is free to join the library so I'm going to rent out one of those language DVD's. Yay, for free stuff! Oh and maybe I'll throw in a DSLR and crafting book while I'm at it.



Blog / Lucky Rainbow
4.Invest in getting an awesome designer to update my blog design - this is badly needed
5.Get better at blog post scheduling
6.Find some new blogs to follow and get commenting
7.Rename & Re-brand - There's a slight name change on the way
8.Meet more inspiring bloggers
9.Reach out and connect
10.Create some tutorials for the blog
11.Update and continue to improve the Facebook page
Update: It certainly appears I've made more of an effort on this little space of mine. I'm taking the time to write better content and I've had the opportunity to attend some wonderful blogging events in Manchester thus providing me with the chance to meet and connect with other bloggers. I've also changed the name to The Lucky Rainbow and finally updated the design by hiring the services of someone selling their talents on Etsy!

Fitness / Health & Wellbeing
12.Clean eating - begin some research and adopt
13.Try meditation
14.Find a weekly gym class that I'll enjoy
15.Start running again
16.Enter a 5k
17.Get out of my comfort zone and try something I'd never usually try
18.Find a great massage therapist
19.Listen to more music
20.Be more thankful
21.Express gratitude often
22.Make some D.I.Y beauty treatments
23.Try herbal teas
24.Worry less about those fine lines
25.Try a detox
26.Make a green smoothie, you know, of the vegetable kind
Update: I have done all the Clean Eating research a gal can do and bought the books too. In dribs and drabs I have adopted this approach but have fallen off the wagon quite a bit in the first 6 months. Must.try.harder. I am listening to more music, spotify is my new friend. Not only have I entered a 5K, but I also entered and ran a 10K. High 5! Herbal tea, Yes - done that too!

Cookery
27.Cook more healthy meals
28.Learn the art of preparing amazing packed lunches the night before work
29.Get a cute lunch box
30.Make chutney, pasta and bread from scratch
Update: I am cooking more healthy meals but as above, I'm not doing it enough. When I'm organised I am on it. I am 'Miss Healthy Eating'. I do have a cute lunch box of the 'pink with lots of compartments' kind. I just to hone down the organisational gene that hopefully is inside me somewhere!


Creativity
31.Make a more conscious effort to craft
32.Visit galleries in Manchester
33.Watch some arty films
34.Stay up to date with local artists and exhibitions
35.Draw more, even if you think you're bad at it
36.Reopen my Etsy shop
37.Open a Folksy shop
Update: I'm doing pretty crap at this, to my dismay. I have started to make things again but not at a drastic rate. I still have not visited any art galleries in Manchester. I'm starting to wonder what I'm doing in my spare time apart from sleeping and blogging!

Career
38.Send teaching qualifications to relevant UK offices for approval (Been on the long finger for an age)
39.Visit a life coach - figure out what area you really want to work in
40.Get some volunteer work in an area you'd one day like to work in
41.Be somewhere towards sorting it by the end of 2014
Update: I am still undecided about whether I want to be a teacher, basically because I feel I cannot draw anymore and any attempt at a portfolio would be shambolic. Honestly, they are my reasons. I did some volunteering with Student Action in Work, giving food to homeless people in Manchester. It was an eye opener.

For fun-sies
42.Visit a psychic
43.Go to a music festival
44.Write more letters and send more cards
45.Set up an Irish blogger meet up (Claire Ann & Aoife Blake, I'm looking at you!)
46.Volunteer in a charity shop
47.Commit some random acts of kindness
48.Get a pen pal
Update: My random acts of kindness have been to tweet bloggers whose posts I have enjoyed, share their blog with others and provide some sort of praise. Call it blogging karma. I have a charity shop in mind that I'd like to volunteer for. It's open on the weekends so I might just drop them a line. I've yet to meet the lovely Irish bloggers Claire Ann & Aoife Blake and does anyone want to be my penpal?

Travel
49.Visit Scotland
50.Take a holiday with the boy - somewhere hot
51.Take a solo trip
52.Sit down and plan a once in a lifetime trip
53.Have a spa day away
Update: Tick - we went to Edinburgh in Easter and now I want to go back and perhaps live there one day. I really, really loved that place. Mum and I mentioned a spa day away some time soon, maybe when I'm home for a friends wedding in September.



Financial
54.Save money for a video camera so I can vlog (with Claire Ann if you're reading)
55.Maybe a tablet or iPad too?
56.Save, save, save
Update: I was lucky in that I didn't need to save for an iPad as the boy bought me an iPad mini for Christmas and I freaking love it. I do need to save though. I am a financial walking disaster and the boy is a financial walking genius. We had an honest chat about it and he's going to help me budget more.

Personal Development
57.Take UK driving theory test
58.Learn to drive (This has been on countless lists since 2006)
59.Be more organised in as many aspects of my life as possible
60.Read more books
61.Watch less TV
62.Smile
63.Be happy
Update: There is no update, I'm obviously not tackling this aspect in any shape or form!

Other
64.Keep a journal
65.Write a five year plan
66.Wear something you wouldn't normally wear - step outside the comfort zone
67.Try a new hair colour
68.Give up alcohol for a month (not that I drink alot anyways!)
69.Learn some HTML
70.Buy a vintage dress
71.Lists, lists and more lists - keep writing lists
72.Organise all my clothes and stream line back
73.Learn some songs
74.Budget, budget, budget
75.Go to the dentist
76.Do a course that pushes you - not a fun course, but something you can learn lots from
77.Say yes more
78.Learn about another religion
79.Walk, walk, walk
80.Discover new areas of Manchester
81.Climb a mountain
82.Have an internet free weekend
83.More painting of nails and less chipped nails
84.Be less critical
85.Get my ears pierced
86.More meal planning, less takeaways
87.Try red wine
88.Be part of at least one craft fair in 2014
89.Floss
90.Dance
91.Love
92.Write
93.Listen to an audio book
94.Conquer my sewing machine
95.Make gifts for friends
96.Just be
97.More positive thinking and less worrying
98.Trust that it will all work out
99.Take some risks
100.Make more time for all of the above
Update: Yes the wardrobe has been organised but I'd say my fashion sense is non existent. What I really need to do is itemise what I have and see what I need to buy in order to make better use of the clothes I do have. Always discovering more of Manchester and you are more likely to see me without chipped nail polish. Meal / grocery planning is happening but takeaways are too. Naughty, naughty. Red wine, not for me and I've been making handmade cards for friends to give to others. I still worry (alot) and the sewing machine in stored away - a craft class is needed in order to conquer it ASAP!

Out of 100 'things' - I have managed to attack or start 25 of them. Half way through the year but only a quarter through the list. For June, I'm going to focus on the following:

- Opening my Etsy shop again
- Opening a Folksy shop
- Find a weekly gym class that I'll enjoy
- Visit a gallery in Manchester
- Keep a journal

Wish me luck! How are your 2014 goals coming along?


10 comments :

  1. I love this list!! Wow, I think you're doing really well with it. Life is busy, so to be able to achieve even a few new things is no mean feat, never mind 25! I wonder if I could start a list like this midway through the year instead of waiting till 2015?? Seize the day and all that! I constantly have a list like this running through my head with things I'd like to do, try, see etc. Maybe if I wrote them down, I'd have more luck achieving some of them! Thank you for the inspiration! Love your blog, btw.
    Lydia
    xx
    www.lovedbylydia.co.uk

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    Replies
    1. Absolutely give making a list a go! Never too late I say! No matter how big or small I always think a list will give you some focus and something to work towards, even if its a list of fun stuff to do! Thanks for the positive comments by the way! :) x

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  2. Love this! So detailed :) Even to get one thing off a list is progress so don't be disheartened if not as many as you hoped! Also we should totally be pen pals!! :D I've been meaning to email you back for ages! So Im going to so that tonight and send you my address :) x Also you have been killing it with the blog lately, I really enjoy your writing!

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  3. That's a long list but I'm sure you can do it, just keep going!!
    Great to keep updated!

    Love Lucinda xx
    http://thefashionfictionary.com

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  4. That' a great list and you are well on your way to completing it!
    I love eggs baked in avocado too :)

    www.hungryhealthyhappy.com

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  5. Wowowow so many things! I made a list of 12 things this year and have only managed a few- but I did start running again, which has been great :)

    I too also need to learn to drive!

    Enjoy the rest of the list- you've made fab progress so far :) x

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  6. I love the list and it has inspired me to and write one! Good luck conquering the rest, I'm sure you can do it in the next 6 months!

    jenniewren3.blogspot.co.uk

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  7. I think you're being a bit hard on yourself sometimes!! You haven't crossed off Dance, love, be happy... wtf?! Rebecca!! plus i bet you're walking loads and sure don't you write (blog) give yourself some credit girlie! x looking forward to hearing about your adventures for rest of year xxx p.s. i haven't been to many exhibitions since masters either so you're not alone ;)

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  8. Sleeping and blogging takes up A LOT of time!! Seriously though you are doing great and don't be too hard on yourself, I set myself 101 things in 1001 days and am already panicking that there is no chance I'll get through it! Spanish and art galleries is on mine too...!

    Keeley x
    www.phatcupcake.com

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  9. Ah, I really need to explore Manchester more and go to more galleries and museums. On the language side of things, if you have a smart phone, get the Duolingo app! And on the library side of things, you can rent audiobooks from there as well!

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