Day zero goal 71: Write myself a letter to be opened at the end of 1001 days

Hello lovelies!

I just recently returned to work from having 9 days of vacation! It was glorious!!!

"Oh, where did you go?" Everyone has been asking me.

Not really anywhere. Sure, we camped for a short period (1 night, blog to follow... sometime). But for the most part, I just hung out. It was so refreshing to be away from work for that amount of time, especially since upon my coming back, we are short handed both with managers and servers. And it is tourist season.... ahhh, summer. I journaled, I read, I played in the yard, I went for a few jogs, I played with my dogs, I crafted, I cooked, I cleaned.... and I RELAXED!

I also re-visited my day zero list with the intention of crossing off a couple of goals. I meant to blog too, but man did nine days spin by quick and suddenly I was back to work!

One of the first things I crossed off my day zero list was to write a letter to myself that I would open at the end of the 1001 day project. I thought this would be a fun documentation of the project, but also... I thought it would be an easy item to finish off. You know what they say, set yourself up for success.

But writing a letter to Lia 2.5 years in the future was harder than I could have expected! It was almost like writing a letter to a complete stranger. I mean, think about it. Your future self: sure, you share the same past... but in the time between where you are in life any number of completely unexpected and unforeseen experiences and events.
I mean, to put it all in persepctive, 1001 days ago from now, I was ecstatically pregnant. I was sick out of my mind and my doctors had informed me of the high risk. But I had no reason not to expect that everything that would be totally fine. So I know... that can be the difference of 1001 days.

I actually started the letter... by introducing myself. Just like you do to a complete stranger. I mean, hopefully I will remember what I was like now in only 2.5 short years, but WHO KNOWS??? I talked about all the little nuances of our life today... our crazy dogs, our grief that continues even if no one remembers it, and why the dayzero project appealed to me: to gradually finish things I had always wanted to do, and create some semblance of habit with things I have been meaning to do more frequently.

And on November 26, 2015, I will get to open it up and read what a silly or immature or inexperienced person I was. Hopefully the doubt will be replaced by confidence, the sadness will be tolerable on more days than not, and the celebrations will have been many and extra joyous.
But no matter what happens during this time, I will at least read that letter in November of 2015 knowing that I set a goal to make my life better, and I worked towards making things happen rather than letting life happen to me.

For more information about the dayzero project, visit their website at dayzeroproject.com .
To see my 101 things I hope to accomplish in 1001 days, visit my initial dayzero project post

And as always, Stay crafty friends!
LiA

Day Zero Project

Well it has been a little while since I have finished my 101 tasks in 1001 days. My end date is November 26, 2015. It feels like NO time and a TON of time all at once. In looking back at this list after a few weeks with no thought of it, I realize I have kind of already missed items on the list. I made a number of items on the list as _________ once per month. Well, it has been March and April without any of those things occurring. I do want to be more mindful of these things: because I DO want to do them. But I am not going to be too hard on myself. This list of goals is written solely based on the type of things I want to commit to now to help shape the kind of person I could be on November 26, 2015. If I miss a month of two, so be it. But if I make an honest effort, I will call it a success.

So, here is the list... in no particular order: *tasks in progress are in italics, task completed are bolded

1) Summit a 14'er
2) Pay off all bad debt
3) Ask 20 friends to suggest a book, read them all
4) Have a no spend month
5) Have an overnight trip once per month
6) Commit to an athletic event and do it well
7) Host a dinner party
8) Make a new friend
9) Re-read the books I was made to read in school (and therefore did not enjoy)
10) Grow something I can eat
11) Write a meaningful letter or card once per month
12) Eat Vegan for a week
13) Save $10 for every task I complete
14) Try one new recipe per week
15) Donate $5 to charity for every task I don't complete
16) Get a tattoo
17) Find a personally inspirational quote and work it into home decor
18) Brew a batch of beer per month
19) Visit Mesa Verde national monument
20) Visit Dinosaur national monument
21) Take the Mollie Kathleen gold mine tour
22) Visit the great sand dunes national park
23) Visit Flourissant Fossil beds
24) Bicycle entirety of gold camp / old stage road
25) Walk across the royal gorge bridge
26) Go white water rafting
27) Hike the incline
28) Buy a house
29) Make a list of friends & families birthdays & anniversaries (and actually acknowledge them!)
30) Start a compost bin
31) Build a piece of furniture I will want to hand down to family
32) Write a list of 100 things that make me happy
33) Leave an inspirational note inside a book for someone to find
34) Leave annonymous encouraging notes
35) Spend a weekend with art, books, music: "unplug"
36) Spend an afternoon reading in a park
37) Learn to speak Spanish
38) Do a 30x30 challenge (30 minutes of physical activity for 30 days)
39) Complete a 365 photo challenge
40) Take a photo of each challenge completed
41) Make a workout routine and stick to it
42) Give someone a handmade gift
43) Organize my recipes
44) Make a custom recipe book
45) Update my blog at least once per week
46) Attend the Aspen food and wine festival
47) Make a list of 25 things I like about myself and stick it to the mirror
48) Visit Portland
49) Do a stray boots tour
50) Attend a dinner at the Iron Springs Melodramatic dinner theater
51) Ride the cog railroad
52) Join a book club
53) Join postcrossing.com and send 10 postcards
54) Cook my way through a cookbook
55) Pay off my car
56) Have my own savings account
57) Contribute to a cause I believe in
58) Finish (er, start) our wedding album
59) Make a year in pictures album
60) Attend a concert at red rocks
61) Run everyday for a week
62) See a movie at the drive in
63) Go one month without facebook
64) Go screen free for a week
65) Walk my dogs everyday for a month
66) Track down Carter's travelbug and put it somewhere new
67) Honor my daughter's memory without being awkward
68) Send Christmas cards
69) Have a regular date night
70) Write a journal / blog entry about each task completed
71) Write myself a letter to be opened at the end of 1001 days
72) Sell something I have created myself
73) Contribute to a community event or cause
74) Learn to and practice upcycling thrift store items
75) Take a class on making my own beauty products
76) Have an organized and inspiring hobby space
77) Watch a meteor shower
78) Send a random gift
79) make and maintain a realistic chore list
80) Be more outgoing
81) Take a picture for each letter of the alphabet
82) Fill up the piggy bank ENTIRELY before spending it
83) Complete a smashbook
84) Make an "at your leisure" book
85) Use the library
86) Have a chemical free cleaning regimen
87) Have a chemical free hygiene routine
88) Have completely over the top decor for a holiday
89) Get in the best shape of my life
90) Keep a spending diary
91) Go to a vineyard
92) Create a will
93) Publish something
94) Ride my bike to work
95) Go to a water park
96) Have professionally done photos taken
97) Go to a roller derby
98) Ride on a train
99) Read 3 banned books
100) Write thank you cards
101) Watch a play at a local theater

So there you have it... now there is a list of goals! Looking forward to attempting each of these things and seeing the outcome of having such a goal list for the next 2+ years. If you are interested in joining me for any of these activities, I am certainly game... just let me know!
So far I think this is a really fun project. I have found that it is really helping me to focus in a positive way on what the future could bring and what I can work towards making it.

Hope everyone is out there creating... even if it is just creating a great day!
Lia