Thirty for 30

I’m 30 years old today. 

Everyone has fears in life. Sometimes they are super unlikely to happen, like getting bit by a shark or struck by lightning. Some are more likely to happen than others. My biggest fear, though, is inevitable. I’m afraid of getting old. The wrinkles, the gray hair, all of it. It scares me. 

But, I think when it boils down to it, what I’m really and truly scared of, is being old and having regrets. I don’t want to be old and have regrets. Cliché, I know. But that’s what it is. I don’t want to have any regrets. 

So I’ve made a list. A list of 30 things that I’m going to do before my next birthday. Some are habits I want to start, others are a one-time-thing. The first thing on my list? Check!

1. Start a blog. 
2. Take a trip by myself. No husband. No kids. No friends. 
3. Run. Not just once, but lots of times. 
4. Backpacking trip with Lucas; just Lucas. 
5. Take a family camping trip. 
6. Finish reading the Harry Potter Series (and watch the movies).
7. Read at least one book a month (not including HP).
8. Come up with a tree farm business plan, so I can actually make moves when we find the right property.
9. Actually learn about growing Christmas trees, so I can actually grow Christmas trees.
10. Perfect my homemade margarita recipe
11. Turn my handwriting into a font
12. Assume the best in people
13. Take a girls trip, no husband, no kids. Just friends. 
14. No caffeine- goodbye Dr. Pepper! See you in 365 days.
15. Capsulize (is that even a word?) my wardrobe for every season
16. Understand finances past a budget (like investing, “diversifying my portfolio,” etc.)
17. Finish family photo books, I use Artifact Uprising and (will eventually) have an album for each year we’re married. 
18. Can/preserve something other than applesauce (tomatoes, pickles, jalapeños, etc.)
19. Learn how to type correctly (I currently type with my two pointer fingers and one of my middle fingers – not joking)
20. Watch all the Marvel movies/shows with Lucas
21. Wake up before H+M on weekdays. 
22. Go through everything in my Google photos/declutter media (you know all those screenshots you never actually refer back to? I’m coming for you useless screenshots!)
23. Learn how to drive a boat (thanks for buying a boat, Dad!)
24. Learn how to make the perfect cream cheese pastry, so I don’t have to buy one at our local bakery 
25. Figure out how to make mozzarella, apparently it’s the ‘easy cheese,’ but I’ve tried TWICE and failed.  
26. Throw myself a birthday party. 
27. Get family photos taken (professionally).
28. Make a quilt jacket for myself. (Look up ‘quilt jacket’ on Pinterest, then get a tissue to wipe the drool away from your mouth. They’re beautiful.)
29. Figure out how to use Spotify. Yes, I have been living under a rock.
30. Produce more content than I consume. 

Thanks for being here,

Regan