14 Things to Do Before I’m 30
And What I Actually Completed
1. Write a collection of poems
After all, I’ve been sort of writing poems all of my life. Some of them are naff and the ramblings of an emo teenager, but that doesn’t mean they’re shit. It’s something I’ve always thought was cool — to be a poet (what a nerd) — so I should do it too. I’ve got time…
Not only did I write them, I realised they were shite. I tried to better myself, I got some education and some feedback, and I realised poetry isn’t my game.
Lesson: Sometimes you’re not good at things. And that’s ok.
2. Get published
Again, it’s a dream. Something I’ve always wanted to see. My name on the front of a published book. Maybe it could be my poetry collection. Whatever it is, I’ll know you’ve really ‘made it’ then, when my book is on the shelf between Rosetti and Rumenstein.
I didn’t even get anything finished, let alone published. You can’t publish half a novel, or an incomplete essay.
Lesson: Aim for the stars — but make sure you’ve got enough rocket fuel before you take off.
3. Get 500 likes/followers/subscribers
Obviously social media doesn’t matter, and it’s not important to me that the world knows what I’ve had for breakfast, but it would be a fun experiment just to see if people would actually follow my weird ramblings and photos of the dog.
Yeah, this didn’t happen. Didn’t really try it. I don’t think I really wanted it. Why did I even set this goal?
Lesson: No-one works hard for something they don’t want.
4. Build my blog
I want to call myself a writer but I never actually write anything. Creating a habit that people can see will make me accountable and a more responsible adult. All round better human being really.
I built it. It’s beautiful. There are menus and pictures and links and all of the pretty pages. There’s bugger all content though.
Lesson: Content over image.
5. Give to charity
Now I’m not sure yet whether that’s clearing out my wardrobe, getting rid of those childhood toys I can’t pass on to a child or an actual monetary contribution, but I should do it. Especially after all they’ve done for the family. Give to one I care about. And do it with gratitude, even though they couldn’t save everyone.
Direct Debit set up to Cancer Research UK. Every month it’s the one transaction on my statement that makes me smile.
Lesson: £2 is nothing on its own. Over time it can change lives.
6. Run 5k
Let’s be serious, there’s no way on this earth that I can run a marathon, but I should be able to get around the village. If a 100-year-old man can manage 3 million laps around their garden, I can handle once around the village. I’ll get that couch to 5k app, that’ll do it.
Ha. Nope. I tried. Several times in fact. Turns out I’m not a runner. Not even the kudos of being able to say ‘I can run 5k’ was enough for me.
Lesson: Motivation is key.
7. Do 10,000 steps a day
I mean, it’s something I nearly do every day. Up and down the corridors at school and walking the dog. Piece of cake this one. Although I don’t know how long this should last…
Turns out, a post-lockdown rewrite of how the education system is set up is the absolute key for getting steps in at work. Keeping kids in one room and moving staff up and down stairs allows for a real boost in the health of your staff.
Lesson: Don’t yell at kids for wearing trainers to school. There are so many stairs.
8. Try yoga
It’s meant to be really good for you. Apparently.
Surprisingly, this is probably one of the goals I most enjoyed completing. Not only did I try yoga, it has become a crucial part of my week. Usually on a weekend afternoon, when I’m prepping to go back to work or have been reviewing the past week, I’ll take just twenty minutes to relax and be mindful. Works out my body and refreshes my mind.
Lesson: Don’t judge what you don’t know.
9. Learn to do a handstand
I mean, every five-year-old girl can do a handstand. I should be able to one. This is something I am truly ashamed of and should be able to do by now.
You know why kids can handstand so easily? Because they are tiny, tiny people with hardly anything to hold up. Of course they can handstand! A full-grown woman with no upper body strength, on the other hand — more difficult. I’d say this is half achieved — I mastered a head stand.
Lesson: Be flexible with your outcomes.
10. Drink less alcohol
I feel like I’m reaching a point where we drink almost every night. And we shouldn’t. I shouldn’t. I’m trying to be more grown-up and adult and embracing the maturity. So, yeah, shouldn’t be opening a new bottle of wine every other night.
We did this, and it felt good. We weren’t as bloated, we slept better, and we felt better at work. You don’t realise how much even one beer fogs up your head when you’re getting up at 6am. Good choice on this one.
Lesson: Look after your body.
11. Drink more water
This kind of goes alongside the last one. Too much booze, not enough H20. Sort it out. Make better choices.
This was a challenge. Drinking more water means needing to wee more often. I work in a school — my bathroom breaks are pretty much decided for me. So I found this difficult at work but much easier in the evenings and on weekends. You know those beers we cut down on? Replaced them with water. Clearer head, cleaner skin.
Lesson: Drink more water. Simple.
12. Read a book a month
I want to be a writer and improve myself and generally be better. Books are good. I used to love books. When I was a kid, I would finish a new book every week. One a month should be easy.
Turns out it isn’t. Work gets in the way. And life. And family. And reading can be hard work sometimes. I like to switch off and let the TV do the talking of an evening. Holidays and weekends though, an hour here and there was a nice change of pace.
Lesson: Nothing lives in isolation. Life always happens.
13. Finish what I start
There are a lot of challenges on here that are long lasting. I need to see them through. I’m great at starting challenges and proclaiming them to the world. This time, this year, I’m going to see them to the end. That would be nice.
Yeah, I didn’t. See previous lesson. Sometimes I was tired. Sometimes I just didn’t want to do it. So I didn’t. I failed here. Maybe I’m just flaky, but I’m not going to beat myself up over it. I wanted to do a lot of stuff.
Lesson: Be kind to yourself.
14. Call a loved one every week
I moved away from home, from my family, to start my new life here in the north. That was my choice, not theirs. I’m a terrible person at keeping in touch. This is a good goal because it benefits other people as well. I’m going to call my mum, my brothers, my friends, and keep up to date with what the various kids in the family are doing.
You know what, I tried really hard with this. Turns out, they’re just as busy and preoccupied as I am. Trying to arrange a time for a phone call became impossible. So we messaged and sent photos when we could. It worked for us all.
Lesson: Communication is more than just talking.
© Natasha McGregor 2021
