I finally finished my list of the 40 things I want to spend this year completing. Let’s talk about these.

1. Re-launch blog – Well, here I am. I’ve worked on this blog, on and off, for years. Its always been something I wanted to keep up with. This year I’m determined to make it a priority.
2. 120 books in 2023 – Pretty self explanatory. I have multiple challenges I’m working on. You can read about those here.
3. More ARCs – This is one of my challenges but simply put, I want to read and review more advanced reader copy books.
4. Post to socials more – I’ve gotten away from this since we closed our retail store but I want to spend more time posting to Instagram and Tik Tok.
5. Fitness Plan – I would like to find something that I can stick to. I’ve spent the last few years in pain and that has kept me from moving my body the way I need to. I had surgery on both my shoulders during the 2021-2022 school year and I’ve spent a year in physical therapy. Now that my arms are mostly healed, I need to get back to working out regularly.
6. Skincare routine – I do not typically wear makeup but as I age, I need to focus on at least moisturizing my skin more.
7. Quarterly treat – When I was taking college courses a few years ago, I treated myself to a massage after each semester’s exams. I want to get back into the habit of treating myself to massages or pedicures.
8. Bra fitting – Everyone needs a proper fitting bra, enough said.
9. Hiking boots – I would like to invest in a quality pair of hiking boots.
10. Comfortable shoes – I have serious trouble with my feet. Apparently I have tendonitis in both Achilles. So, I am constantly on the search for a pair of comfortable shoes.
11. My color wardrobe – I want to slowly start incorporating more clothes in my wardrobe that are on my color palate.
12. Better sleep – I rarely get enough sleep, I need to make quality sleep a priority.
13. Re-pierce nose – My nose piercing closed up while I was in the hospital for my first shoulder surgery.
14. More time outside – I love being outside but I find myself cooped up inside with way too much to do.
15. Nashville, TN – I want to spend at least a weekend in Nashville taking in the sights.
16. Camping w/Matt – I want to take a camping trip with my husband, no kids.
17. 25 hikes in NC – I want to go on 25 hikes in various places in my home state.
18. Monthly food spots – I want to check out a new food or coffee spot each month.
19. Veggie garden – I want to have a huge vegetable garden this year.
20. Porch herb garden – I’ve tried to plant an herb garden outside my front door before but I neglected it. I want to grow my own fresh herbs.
21. Drink more water!!!!!
22. Family Photo Shoot – Before my kids start leaving for college, I want to do a fun family photo shoot.
23. Pay off loans – I have two loans (car and person) that I want to pay off this year.
24. Clean out my closet – This pairs with #11. I want to throw out (donate or sell) anything in my wardrobe that does not look good on me or fit.
25. Camping as a family – I want to go on a handful of camping trips with my kids this year.
26. New front door – We desperately need a new front door and screen door.
27. Attend a conference
28. Do yoga on the beach
29. Board game night – We have a few dozen board and card games and we usually only play them when we are camping. I would like to devote a night each month as a family game night.
30. Watch the sunrise – This might happen on one of my many hikes or on the beach as I do yoga, but it will happen.
31. Take in a play
32. Try new teas – The title of this blog inspired this one. I can also possibly pair this with #18.
33. Tattoo – I have been wanting to get a couple tattoos for a long time. This year, I will get at least 1.
34. New car – New to me car! I’ve never bought a new car and I do not see myself doing that now. I have something in mind that I’ve been wanting for a while.
35. Guitar – I wanted to learn to play guitar a few years ago and then I started having trouble with my hands. I had surgery on my right hand and shots in my left shortly after getting a guitar. Then, my shoulders started acting up.
36. Go kayaking – My husband took me kayaking when we first starting dating and I loved it. Then, my shoulders started acting up. (Do you see a pattern here?)
37. New phone
38. More time on Etsy – Etsy SEO has always been a beast I haven’t quite figured out. I’m selling more handmade / upcycled items on there, so I would like to devote more time to figuring out how to best utilize this selling platform.
39. Visit an art museum
40. Stick to a budget

Well, there they are. As I start dissecting and completing these, I’ll be posting about how it’s going. Let me know if you have any questions or want more details. I remember my mom telling my once that her 40s were her best years. I’m determined to enjoy this year and I want to embrace getting older as my 40th birthday grows nearer.