30 BEFORE 30

Today, friends, is my 29th birthday.

It's crazy how I used to dream about what I would be doing at 29 and I figured I would be married and have at least one kid by this age. I thought I would be "old" and I thought I would have everything figured out. Turns out, I was wrong.

But life worked out even better than I imagined it would, as I'm living in the city I love, with an amazing guy I love, have a job I love, and am generally in good health and very happy. I've achieved a lot, but there is so much more that I want to accomplish. I realize it's very popular to create a list of those wishes, but there is something about putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and planning out your next year that satisfies the Type A in me.

I subscribe to the "Write It Down, Make It Happen" theory. Have you read this book? You must. The idea is that putting your thoughts and wishes on paper, no matter how crazy they are, will turn them in to reality. This is not to say that it's magic and that you don't have to work hard, but rather that you're telling yourself that these are goals. By doing so, they stay in the back of your mind at all times, and you're actively working towards them just by acknowledging them.

My hope is that in my 29th year I can accomplish the items on the list below, and maybe inspire you a little along the way. Some of my goals might seem boring or easy, but I've tried to be realistic about what I want to accomplish (rule the world, obviously) versus what I actually can accomplish in a year.

When the last glass of champagne is dry and the smoke from the candles are clear, I'm going to be a busy girl. Thank you for following my journey.

[ 01 ] Take Cantonese lessons
[ 02 ] Master Adobe Illustrator essentials
[ 03 ] Learn how to cold brew coffee
[ 04 ] Run an official 5K
[ 05 ] Get Google Analytics certified
[ 06 ] Interview women in business I admire [1] [2]
[ 07 ] Lose a few pounds
[ 08 ] Ride a bike along the bay
[ 09 ] Make a piece of jewelry to wear [ DONE ]
[ 10 ] Visit Lake Tahoe
[ 11 ] Read 20 books [ DONE ]
[ 12 ] Clean out my closet [ DONE ]
[ 13 ] Get a photo book printed of our first year in San Francisco
[ 14 ] Properly frame my treasured photo of my grandmother & dad [ DONE ]
[ 15 ] Bake a (gluten free) layer cake [ DONE ]
[ 16 ] Find a cause to volunteer for in San Francisco [ DONE ]
[ 17 ] Have a picnic
[ 18 ] Meet a blogging friend in person [ DONE - Met Ali + many many more ]
[ 19 ] Organize Dropbox files [ DONE ]
[ 20 ] Learn to fishtail braid [ DONE ]
[ 21 ] Try one new recipe each month
[ 22 ] Pass Silverpop Engage certification
[ 23 ] Get a headshot
[ 24 ] Rent a paddle boat on Stow Lake [ DONE ]
[ 25 ] Take a dance class
[ 26 ] Get business cards for the blog
[ 27 ] Write 30 handwritten notes [ DONE ]
[ 29 ] Get Google AdWords certified
[ 30 ] Take a 30th birthday trip

BACKGROUND IMAGE | VIA 

TIMELESS

I recently stumbled across these photos of Grace Kelly taken by Howell Conant. Don't they look like something taken just days ago? If it weren't for her instantly recognizable face, the location, the coloring, and the fashion all look...timeless.

I've been a bit introspective the last couple of weeks. First, I went on a bit of digital vacation for a week while on my beach vacation (you'll get to read more about that on Thursday). Then, I spent a week in Atlanta for business, surrounded by good friends and family. To top it off, I'm turning 29 this Thursday, which means my 30's are nearly here.

All of this has me thinking, thinking, and thinking.

Am I who I wanted to be when I grew up? Am I actually grown up? Still growing up?

Am I happy? (I believe this is the one that's easiest for me to answer, with an enthusiastic heck-freaking-yeah.)

Am I making an impact on the world, or at the very least, my corner of it?

If my early twenties were defined by bad health, disappointment, and heartbreak, I'm very lucky to say that my late twenties have been anything but. Sure, there are rough days. But overwhelmingly, things have been positive. And as I enter the last year of them, I want to amp it up.

I'm putting the finishing touches on my 30 before 30 list, which I'll reveal on my big day, but I printed these photos and posted them on my wall as a reminder that a major goal of mine is to be timeless. Whether it's my style, good social manners, or projects I choose to get involved in, I want to look back on my life and have no regrets. I'll keep on writing handwritten thank you notes. I'll choose the investment coat over the trendy throw away. I'll pick causes I believe in and devote myself to them.

What do you think? Is it possible in this fast fashion, constantly connected by social media, each person busier than the next world to be timeless? How do you define it, and more importantly, how do you get there?


IMAGES | HOWELL CONANT VIA