Dreaming BIG! How to Jumpstart Your List

I started this blog a few weeks ago.

Since then, I've passed the link on to friends and I've managed to get a few of them motivated to make their own lists.

Now, understand I've had this list for a long time and in really looking at it I've actually accomplished a lot, but I also recognize that I'm not done. If I am going to make this work then I have to take the lead and set the example. If I can encourage one person to set a goal and do something they've never thought they could then I've done something...even if that one person is me...lol...I hate to admit but I'm a bit of a procrastinator.

So yesterday a friend of mine came to me and said basically "I'm ready to be happy, regardless of finances and outside distractions." I told her that in all honesty, starting this blog has been a huge help, because I'm a writer who hasn't really been writing and hence using my list as a topic, I have to actually do something on the list in order to have something to write about...voila, instant motivation!

That being said, today I am going to throw out some ideas for things to add to your list, or if you don't have one some good places to start...

List building sites:

• My 50 http://www.my50.com/ : This is where I keep my list. It's my personal favorite because it's simple and has tons of starter ideas, plus you can set goal dates


• reaperlist.com


• your100things.com


• 43things.com (this is actually a good one too, you can leave comments and kudos on other peoples' list)

Some starter ideas:

Goals fall into several categories, they can be as small or as big as you can make them. However it may work better to make them specific or to take a smaller goal and apply it to a larger goal. For example, you may set a goal of losing weight...why not set a goal to lose weight so you can run a marathon. Here is an article from yesterday about a guy who lost 140 pounds in a year so that he could join the Marines http://news.aol.com/article/man-loses-140-pounds-to-join-marines/251580

Think about what you've always wanted to do, no matter how far fetched or silly and write it down...don't worry if you can't come up with too much immediately (keep in mind I've added more items to my list as recently as a week ago). Try these as starting point...

Learn a new language (French, Spanish, Japanese or even sign language)

Learn a new sport (a few years back I learned to box and fence)

Learn a new skill (cooking, quilting, scrapbooking, painting)

Do something adventurous (rock climbing, white water rafting, skydive, ride a monster roller coaster)

Educational goals (finish college, go back and get a Master's or a PhD, get a professional certificate, graduate with a certain GPA, pass the bar exam)

Travel... now this is my favorite category. Many of my personal goals are travel related because I love to see new places, I love culture and I learned very early in life that the world is a far bigger (and sometimes smaller) place than we imagine. Any and every opportunity I can get to go somewhere new I take it. This one is also kind of personal to me because growing up I knew people who'd never been outside of their own state, much less had never stepped out of the city limits--but that's a story for another day.

Now you can make a list of places that are of interest to you... but here is my ultimate dream trip... enjoy. Until next time happy list making...

http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/486.html

Photo courtesy of National Geographic

A Real Act of Kindness--Encouragement for Our Troops!

About a week or so ago I added the "acts of kindness" goal to my list. I've been thinking about it for a few days and I realized that the point of the goal is not just to do it, but to make a difference--even if it's just a small one.

That being said, act number one will be to send something-- a letter, card, care package to the Any Soldier program.

Here is the site: http://www.anysoldier.com/

Now, I don't have any family or friend currently in the military at the moment, but I decided to do this for a few reasons that reach way beyond completing the list:

1. It's a great program!

2. I know times are hard for a lot of people, including me...but I can forego a cup of morning coffee to send a letter. If you read the request lists, most of what these guys are asking for are very basic items--toothpaste, deordorant, Kool-Aid (yes, Kool-Aid!).

3. No matter what your personal stance is on the situation is, these folks have chosen to go over and serve. They're gone for long stretches at a time. A lot of them are young! Some of them don't have much, if any, family. And, the holidays are a rough time anyway--more so when you can't be home.

That being said, check out the site. I encourage anyone who reads this to consider sending a letter or a care package. The information for how and what to send is all updated...also there are some helpful sponser links (for instance, Kroger grocery stores will take donations for care packages and Dunkin Donuts will take requests to send coffee).

Oh, and if you happen to just be passing by my blog, feel free to pass on the program link.

#12- Visit the Washington Monument

The curse is Broken. Item #12 is DONE. Yahoo!

So I finally got a chance to go to the top of the Washington Monument. I ordered a ticket late yesterday afternoon on a whim and decided I would try to make it happen---again! If you read my previous blog about this, you know that something ALWAYS seems to happen whenever I try to go.

I get there this morning...no marathons or other events today. I even managed to find a decent parking space (another miracle!). The only thing that seemed to go wrong today was the ridiculously bitter windy conditions...I mean enough to literally knock you down (looking at the weather they're estimating 30-40 miles an hour gusts all day...sheesh!). And I had to sit outside for about 40 minutes while they took earlier tour groups up. But at least I was there ticket in hand this time. Plus I had time to walk around and snap a few outside picture with my camera phone...

After a little wait and a little small talk with some of the tourists I got to go up. The ride up was crowded...ack! The woman next to me was clausterphobic but managed to hold it together until the ride was over. All I could say when I got out on the observation deck is wow!

Now some facts...the Monument is 555 feet high, which is small in comparison to say Sears Tower or the Empire State building etc etc. However, the views are fantastic. From the top you can see the bridges crisscrossing the Potomac into Maryland and Virginia. You get spectacular views of landmark DC buildings and the entire Mall including the Capitol Building, Lincoln Memorial, Reflecting Pool and Vietnam Wall. I was actually impressed. I mean it's one thing to live in a city your whole life and another to see it from a completely new point of view--especially DC. Unless you've been here, a lot of people don't realize we don't have any major tall buildings here--actually the Monument IS the largest building here because there is a law preventing any building within DC from being taller than the Monument. So, I have a new appreciation now for the bird's eye view. Plus if you really think about it, a lot of people--no matter where they live don't really take the time to play tourist in their own city (unless you get the out of town relatives that visit).

In any case, I spent about a half hour walking around looking at each of the viewing windows. My cam phone took some surprisingly great pics. Afterwards on the way down the National Park Service Guide had another nice little surprise I hadn't known about. The windows in the elevator are frosted so you can't see anything as you go up, but on the way down, at two points the windows go clear and the elevator slows so you can see stones and wall plates donated from different states and organizations (like masons and fraternal orders)...well you learn something new everyday!

So, now I can finally say I've done the Washington Monument!

Wait listed for the goal of a lifetime

So, I put my name on the wait list to get tickets to the Inauguration. Don't know if it will happen, but seeing as I live so close I plan to go either way (tickets just let you get inside the perimeter fence). Actually I wouldn't care if I had to stand way far back (which is probably the case if I manage to get tickets). I just want to be there. I never imagined in my lifetime that we would come so far. Well just keep the fingers crossed...

Item #120- Pay it forward

I was down again yesterday. I started off ok, because I was excited about the elections. I got up super early to vote, but then the daily soap opera that is my family brought the mood crashing down faster than the stock market.

It's a hard road to try and live your life dreams when not everyone wants to take that road with you. Too many back seat drivers. Too many people who think they know which way you should go. It just gets frustrating sometimes. I'm the person in the car screaming "are we there yet?"

So this morning, I was still just slightly annoyed and I read One Minute Writer (if you haven't seen it, it's on blogs of note. Kudos!). Today's writing prompt dealt with the kindness of strangers. I felt compelled to write about an incident when I was 7 months pregnant and helped by 5 strangers when my car broke down. And it got me thinking...

My life list is about doing things for me. Not in the selfish sense, but in that I do things I've always wanted to do and in turn meet and maybe inspire others. So, today I added item #120 to the list and that is "pay it forward." I am going to do 5 acts of kindness for complete strangers.

I haven't decided what or when I am going to do these things. I suppose when the opportunity comes I will just know to do the right thing. We'll just have to see what happens...