42 Things

When I named my blog journeyto42 I was referring to the challenge I've given myself to complete a full marathon.  Having 2 half marathons under my belt & the desire to keep going farther that seems the next logical step.


I was thinking about this the other day and while my goal is all well & good, what happens when I've reached it?  Notice I didn't say "if"...I do plan on achieving this goal!!  My Journey To 42 will be over.  The name of my blog will be meaningless.  I could change it I suppose, but I actually do like it.  Not too creative, but it's kind of catchy don't you think?!


So in an effort to preserve the longevity of the name I'm going to change gears a bit.  Instead of blogging about one 42 km goal, how about a list next steps?  You guessed it!  42 of them!  42 next steps for the future.

So here's my list of 42 Next Steps (in no particular order) which we'll affectionately dub "The 42":

1. Complete a full marathon.
2. Lose these annoying 20 lbs that continue to languish on my body (not their fault really, I've made it quite comfortable for them to stay!).
3. Cheer & clap loudly when I watch my oldest daughter graduate from university.
4. Be an inspiration to my daughters.
5. Plan & take a European holiday with my hubby.
6. Have another baby (I can't believe I'm putting this out in public!).
7. Complete a half marathon in under 2 hours (my current PR is 2:13).
8. Walk my oldest daughter down the aisle at her wedding (should she choose to get married).
9. Love & spoil some eventual grandchildren (but not too soon!!).
10. Write more!  This blog is a start.  I've always loved to write so whether it's for public or personal consumption I'd like to tune up my writing skills.
11. Show & tell my daughters how much I love them every single day.
12. Visit every province in Canada at least once.  So far I've only been to 2 - Ontario where I live & neighboring Quebec.  I've been to more US States! 
13. Wear a bikini.  A real one.  Not a tank that hides all the squishy parts!
14. Be a mentor in the workplace.
15. Complete a "Tough Mudder" or similar strength/endurance event.  I have my cousin Dan to thank for this little piece of inspiration!! 
16. Buy a sailboat.
17. Enjoy a long weekend holiday with my hubby.  It doesn't have to be far away, just the 2 of us, alone, enjoying each other's company.  Novel idea really!!
18. Go on a "girl's retreat" with some of my closest lady friends.
19. Visit Australia.
20. Take my youngest daughter to "the happiest place on Earth".  And so there's no confusion, I do mean Disney World!
21. Improve my gardening skills.  Currently the plants tend to shrink in the stores as I walk by to make themselves as unattractive as possible so I won't buy them!!
22. Learn how to properly back up a vehicle with a trailer attached.  You would think that I could do this given that we've camped with a tent trailer for years & I grew up on a fishing resort with many boats & trailers, but this is just something I can't do!
23. Become a better windsurfer.  I know how to do this amazing sport, but I'm a little scared, hmmmm, perhaps terrified is a better way to describe it, when I'm out in the deep water & don't know how to use the wind to get me safely back to shore.
24. Take additional professional development to help me in my career.  Currently that means to increase my knowledge of marketing, how to operate an effective marketing organization & track its success.
25. Show & tell my husband how much I love him every single day.
26. Get up earlier in the morning.  I am not an early riser.  I would like to rise earlier 2 - 3 days a week either to do activity (i.e. a morning run) or just have some quiet "me" time!
27. Reduce the amount of coffee I drink on a daily basis.  Ideally I would like to limit this to only one Tim Horton's coffee per day.
28. Open an RESP for my youngest daughter (and contribute to it regularly).
29. Take control of my health.  I'm pretty passive about this & only see the doctor if I absolutely have to.  I really need to be better about those annual appointments that are important for a woman my age.
30. Communicate more with my family (not my husband's family, my family).  We all have an on-again, off-again kind of relationship.  Not a close-knit bunch.  I will try to open up those communication lines more frequently so that we all feel the love!
31. Develop new relationships.
32. Finish those scrapbooks that I've either started or planned in my head.  Not the online kind either.  I have a room in my house that is filled with all kinds of scrapbook & craft paraphernalia that is dying to get used!!
33. Put a hot tub in the backyard.  Ah, that would be heaven!!
34. Attend my younger daughter's wedding (should she choose to get married).  This is separate for the same desire I have with my older daughter.  Given there is 17 years difference in their ages, I will be considerably older when my youngest is at this stage in life!
35. Volunteer in the community.  Not sure what form this could take, but something I've been thinking about for a long time.
36. Be happy with the life I've built & my accomplishments. I tend to be very hard on myself. There is no need for that!
37. Continue to teach my daughters that they are/will be beautiful, strong, independent girls/women who have the ability to achieve any dream or goal they set for themselves.
38. Work outside of my home on a part-time basis. This will involve ramping up savings and/or creating some other means of income.
39. Start playing hockey again.  I am a Canadian girl & LOVE hockey.  It's not too late to get back into it!
40. Push my boundaries & comfort zone.  Hmmmm....not sure where this will lead!
41. Further develop & then maintain a healthy lifestyle.
42. Connect & re-connect with friends.

Wow, that was a bit hard!  I'll update you on progress of these next steps over time.


Now for you.  Do you have a list of next steps?  What would you aim for?  What is most important for you to see, do, accomplish?  I'd love to hear about all those next steps, big or small!!