Thoughts on 101 Things in 1001 Days

When a friend first introduced me to 101 Things in 1001 Days I was HOOKED.  I have always been a listmaker, and I've always been really big on personal development/improvement.  This project appealed to both those things.  If you're not familiar, 101 Things in 1001 Days is a project that inspires you to create a list of things you would like to do that are "bucket list" type goals, or just things that stretch you.  You can read about it (and create a profile if you want!) here.

I started my first list on January 1, 2009, and completed 37/101 of my items by September 29, 2011.  I did get pregnant and have a baby during this time, which kind of switched my priorities around.  When I look back on the things I wanted to do, compared to the things I do now (for instance, I didn't even own a sewing machine at the beginning of this) I'm amazing at how far I've come.  If you're interested, I've included below what I actually finished from the first list, and what carried over onto my current list.

Here's what I've learned about myself over the last 4 years of working on these lists:

• It's okay to take a break.  You don't have to be 100 MPH every minute of every day.
• Some things never change.   If I can't remember to floss everyday after working on it off and on for 4 years, it's time to just accept I'm never going to do it and move on to something else.  I know how long it takes to build a habit, and clearly, this one is never going to stick.
• Priorities almost always change.   I have always kind of considered myself pretty consistent, and the most important thing I've learned is that I am truly ever evolving.  I think I have embraced that more in the last year than I ever have in my life.   To that effect, if there is something on my list that is outdated, or no longer relevant, I simply cross it off and replace it with something else.

See a few of the items from my list after the jump.

Here's a list of what I finished in the first 2.75 years:

• Do at least one Homemade Christmas
• Get a sewing machine. (4 years later I swapped my dining room for a sewing/crafting studio!)
• Knit a blanket.
• Learn how to embroider.
• Learn how to sew.
• Learn how to needle and wet felt.
• Make a quilt.
• Make at least 2 articles of clothing.
• Cook three meals at home every week. (I cook almost every meal at home nowadays)
• Stop biting my nails for real.
• Get a manicure every week.
• Wean myself off coffee by switching to tea (and now I'm back on the coffee!)
• Cut out all beverages that aren't tea and water for 8 weeks
• Work out 6x per week for 2 months.
• Start bellydancing
• Turn the spare bedroom into an office/craft room (including furniture, paint, closet)
• Clean out and organize the basement. (my parents have been living down there for THREE years!)
• Build a patio
• Clean out and organize the garage. (over and over and over and over)
• Clean out spare bedroom and make it into an actual bedroom. (or a baby's room...you know...)
• Do laundry once per week, every week (I now do laundry EVERY DAY)
• Don't waste anything from the garden.
• Finish landscaping the house.
• Hang up the Sky Chair someplace nice
• Learn how to can/put up veggies.
• Maintain backyard garden. (Now we have the Hobbs Family Farm back there!)
• Redecorate bedroom.
• Redecorate the dining room (new floor, new table, new sideboard) - (And re-decorate it again by selling all that furniture and making it a craft studio)
• Redecorate the kitchen (new cabinets, new counters, new sink)
• Remodel my bedroom closet
• Use the compost bins.
• Go to Belmont Burlesque with Sarah.
• Help Mom organize her photos.
• Design a budget and use it
• Do morning and evening routines
• Donate 101 hours of my time to a cause
• Wear a dress (I wear them all the time now! This was revolutionary. I also wear shorts!)

I took 2012 off, and started a new list in 2013.  Some of the things on that original list are STILL on my list currently.  Here's a list of things that I've been working on since 2009, and are on my current list:

• Finish Mom's counted xstitch sampler.
• Tailor my own clothes. (Done!)
• Floss everyday. (Done!)
• From May-Nov do some outside activity every week. (Done!)
• Take a walk every day (Done!)
• Get wall art framed and hung. (Done!)
• Mail out birthday and anniversary cards to everyone on my list. (Doing!)
• Go camping at least 4 times every year. (Doing!)
• Build up a 3 month Emergency Savings (Done!)
• For 3 months, spend NOTHING outside of regular bills (Done!)
• Get at least 2 tattoos (Got 1!)
• Go on a spiritual retreat
• Learn how to play guitar
• Limit television to 2 days every week (Done!)
• Mail a secret to PostSecret
• Participate in a drum circle (Didn't actually make the new list, but Done!)
• Use Rosetta Stone to brush up on my French