Thanks to everyone who followed along in 2012!
Resolutions Completed: 53 of 112
Click on the linked (orange) items to read the post about that resolution.
- Get an Arm Tattoo
- Visit a new US State
- Be a tourist in my own city
- Spend a night on the 3rd floor of the Driskill
- Learn to play and sing a song on the guitar
- Host a dinner Party
- Learn to deep fry
- Cook a Julia Child recipe
- Attempt an eating challenge
- Try a donut burger
- Build something
- Go on a road trip
- Visit one of America’s most haunted places
- Go on a spiritual retreat
- Try a juice fast
- Start a balcony garden
- Pick-up a new hobby
- Run a 5k
- Cut my hair short (above the shoulders)
- Volunteer
- Learn a new skill
- Write a letter to a stranger
- Explore an uncharted place
- Paint
- Learn more about Buddhism
- Go Camping
- Buy an antique with a really great story behind it
- Foster a shelter animal
- Enter and win a sweepstakes
- Go for a week without eating processed/packaged foods
- Learn how to shoot with an SLR camera
- Add an unnatural color to my hair
- Learn to decorate cakes
- Make a “raw” dessert
- Create a piece of clothing I can wear
- Write a short story
- Write a letter/e-mail to a talk show and get it read on the air
- Have matching couple halloween costumes
- Kiss under the mistletoe
- Perform on stage
- Go to a renaissance festival
- Buy a really high-end piece of clothing or accessory (even small)
- Learn a magic trick
- Participate in a “No Sugar Challenge”
- Go vegan for a week
- Revisit a childhood memory
- Eat an exotic food
- Try pilates
- Participate in an activity that’s only for women
- Eat a multi-course dinner
- Make a vision board
- Read a book and leave it for someone else to find and read
- Get a concealed handgun license
- Take an APA dog running on town lake
- Go to a restaurant, order and consume the most calorie heavy item on the menu
- Make breakfast for a crowd
- Go to an Austin music festival
- Read one of “the classics” and read a trashy romance novel, compare and contrast
- Purchase something from thinkgeek.com
- Teach something to a child
- Go stargazing in the middle of nowhere
- Post a video of myself on youtube
- Conduct a “mad science” experiment at home
- Attend an art gallery opening
- Write a thank you letter to a teacher for helping me get where I am today
- Buy a hat
- Take a class
- Go back and finish a video game I abandoned
- Create a public piece of art
- Go to a bar by myself
- Create a homemade beauty product
- Climb a tree
- Throw a themed party
- Accessorize an outfit
- Search an area with a metal detector
- Do a freelance job in a different field (e.g. event planning)
- Take my family out to dinner and pay the bill
- Make a traditional dutch recipe
- Spend a month doing the TakePart Take Action project
- Wear something with sequins
- Do something I’ve always been afraid to do
- Use only public transportation for 3 days
- Dress up on an ordinary day
- Dance in public
- Go meet a role model in real life
- Get a celebrity’s autograph
- Wander a big city with no agenda
- Take myself on a date
- Sign up to be on a game show
- Create my own wine @ Water 2 Wine
- Imitate art from an artist I admire
- Win an auction on a penny bids site
- Find something that makes life a little easier
- Do something the old fashioned way
- Ask the waiter “What do you recommend?” And take his advice
- Do something that makes me feel like I’m flying (e.g. skydiving, bungee jumping)
- Go to an Alamo Drafthouse event
- Get published
- Support a cause I believe in
- Obtain a piece of original art
- Ice skate on an actual lake
- Rock climb (not indoors)
- Do something that I heard about on the Travel Channel
- Help someone anonymously
- Find out more about my ancestry
- Apply for dual-citizenship
- For one week give up one piece of technology I feel I couldn’t live without
- Shop for a week’s groceries using only the farmer’s market (pantry staples excluded)
- Do hot yoga
- Play a prank
- Submit a design to Threadless
- Ditch at least one habit that’s not environmentally friendly
I really like your resolution list Ami. I especially like #52, 81, and 102. I once found Way of the Peaceful Warrior in a college class on the desk I always sat at. It was there for a week and never moved, so finally I read it. I stayed up for 3 days reading it and unfortunately blew off my finals, but learned more in those 3 days than many semesters in college. As far as trying things you are afraid of, all I know is that those experiences teach you the most in life, so go ahead. A good book on the subject is Only Pack What You Can Carry by Janice Holly Booth. It is all about overcoming your emotional, physical, and psychological fears. It was quite life-changing for me. And rock climbing you definitely need to try. I have been addicted for many years and it is one of the most uplifting and meaningful activities you can do for your mind, body and spirit. But be careful and learn from an expert. It can be very dangerous. Try starting in a gym first and meet someone there who can take you outside. Outside is much better though. Well, keep up your positive thinking. I am happy to see young people who really think and seem to want to do things in their life. Take care. Chris
Chris, thank you so much for all of the suggestions. Way of the Peaceful Warrior is one of the most life changing books I’ve ever read. I’ve actually read it multiple times now, I always pick it back up when I feel I may be falling off my path or losing sight of what’s important. I hadn’t heard about Janice Holly Booth’s book, though. I can’t wait to check it out. I’m looking forward to seeing where this list takes me and thanks for following along. I might pick your brain about rock climbing when I get closer to completing that one.
So much like me!!Great going..:) Tell me how much you complete by the end of the year:D..
What did you use to list the days left for your remaining resolutions and your completed ones? Or do you just update it manually? Love your site, very good design which doesn’t surprise me at all.
You’re so sweet.
I can’t actually take credit for the design, it’s just one of the free wp.com templates because you have to pay for them to let you customize it… As for the dates, yeah I just update manually every time I complete one. Again, not much customizing you can do with free wordpress. If I keep going I’ll get my own install/hosting so I can customize and automate more.
I can help with # 8. Here’s one that’s super easy and highly effective! – http://wp.me/p1ByJK-nF
I had a bad experience with # 109. The one here in Ann Arbor has carpeting and runs half a dozen classes/day, 7 days/week. So there’s a couple hundred sweating bodies every week with no opportunities to shampoo the carpets. And A2 (like Austin) has a lot of hippies. Don’t want to discourage you from a resolution, just make sure they have hardwood floors!
Good luck on this great list!
Yum! I don’t think even I could mess up that one. Plus, your post promises I’ll score too? ..Can’t pass that up. Thanks!
Your hot yoga experience though, not so delicious. I actually just got a little nauseous thinking about it. Hardwood floors a must.
Thanks for the suggestions and well wishes. I’ll be sure to let you know how that fish turns out.
Since you’re an attractive female, I can guarantee you’ll score after the meal. Then again, because you’re an attractive female, you could serve a bowl of cereal and you’ll score. If you were a guy, all bets are off!!
Great list! I’ve been rehashing my bucket list hours before I stumbled on your post. have you heard of bookcrossing.com for your #52?
As for your #22 try searching for groups online for people who write to soldiers currently deployed in other parts of the world. If you’re just going to write to a stranger, why not a hero?
Good luck!
I enjoyed reading your blog. Good luck on accomplishing your goal! I had a similar resolution last year (to try 52 new things– one for each week of the year). Now I am doing the same with my kids.
I think you’ll find #25 to be life changing. Once I learned about Buddhism, I was able to see life from a different lens. I am looking forward to reading about your experiences with #63 and 102.
You have given me a few ideas to try this year!
Great list! Very inspiring, I’m now thinking of all the fun things I should get myself to do before the year is out – or ever really, point is to get out there, right?
Good luck!!
Oh and I also like the page design
hehe I’m using the same one!
Love the concept and page design! I am living in Sweden but I am from ATX and I miss it soooo much! That being said #3 on your list should be VERY easy to do! Austin has a ton of hidden gems to explore. I’ll keep checking back for you to do that one.
Wow, Sweden’s a long way away from ATX. What took you over there? I’m pretty excited for #3. I’m having a hard time being unbiased though. As a local I find that most of the tourist things turn me off even though I know they’re amazing. I’ve gotta get over that. lol.
A girl, but I’m hoping to return to Austin soon. I miss running by the Lake. When we visited Austin last summer we did stuff like Amy’s Cupcakes, Live Music on 6th and Barton Springs. Not necessarily touristy but there is stuff like that. Not sure if it counts as being a tourist though if you know all the little hidden secrets ATX has!
Good luck!! This looks like a great list and a fun year!
Update #62 and link it to your MereMortalMovement post!
And the next time you’re in PDX, or when I visit Austin, remind me to teach you a few moves so you can check off #43.
Oh my god, you know magic too? What don’t you do, Ken Potts?
Well, a year ago I would have said ‘diapers’, but I do those now, too, so…
We kind of knocked-out #24 in the strictest sense of the word; and we still plan on doing it more as the year progresses! I’m semi obsessed with wanting to paint now… Hahaha.
Haha, yep! I’m working on the blog post now. Luca destruction included. Can’t wait to do Starry Night!
Hey Ami, loving the blog. Just a note of caution on #15 Try a juice fast. When you do juice fasts, you need to be careful when you come off of them, because juice fasts starve your body of solid foods and trick your body into thinking it’s going to starve itself again. So when you come off it, your body will store up everything it can, and most people regain or blow up a little more than when they started the fast. I’d read up on them, most health pros don’t recommend it. Just looking out for you!
Keep up the amazing job!
Thanks for the advice! I’ve actually gotten a few words of warning about that one. It seems its a lot trickier than I’d originally thought, but glad I know that now so I’m not just going in blind. I contacted a nutritionist friend who (like you said) recommends against it but has helped a few people accomplish them in the healthiest way possible. At the very least I can better inform myself so I can make a conscious decision on whether or not its still a good idea. I don’t want any resolutions that include hurting my health.