Embracing a new decade: The 30's!! :)

Sooooooo, the next time I'll be writing a blog on here (because I'm going out of town tomorrow and won't be near a computer again till Tuesday) I will officially be.....30! In the spirit of my upcoming new "decade on Earth" (as my brother Alex says, which made me laugh), I had some motivational moments last week as I contemplated goals and wishes I'd like to accomplish (and/or like to continue doing) in my 30's. In an email yesterday, a friend of mine told me that apparently '30 is the new 20.' Great reassurance. We'll see about that. Hahaha.

In no particular order, here are some of Katie's goals/wishes! :)

1. Let go of (notice I said 'let go' and not 'lose'....if I 'lose' I can find it again, so instead I'd like to 'release' or 'let go of') 30 pounds of excess body fat.

2. Become more active outdoors (hiking and other outdoorsy stuff).

3. Get my very own dog to call my own (Sorry Chloe; I still love you!).

4. Let go of any unhealthy/toxic relationships in my life.

5. Find 'the one' and have a phenomenal, long lasting relationship with him.

6. Travel outside the U.S.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7. Continue to write honest and meaningful things.

8. Write a book (with Carol?). :)

9. Get involved in some kind of teaching.

10. Decrease my financial debts.

11. Get my next counseling license (whatever the equivalent is of IL's LCPC...so I can get into private practice work someday!).

12. Go on a cruise (Hell yeah! Pack your bags Mom...and Tracy...and Nicole...and whoever else wants to join in on the par-tay!). :)

13. Ride on a motorcyle: at least once. Anyone, anyone? :)

14. Learn CPR/First Aid and become certified.

15. Learn to shoot a gun/go to the gun range with my Dad next time I'm in Florida! :)

16. Get an Ipod. (I REALLY want one!)

17. Stop being a whiner/complainer about dumb shit.

18. Stop being so hard on myself. (Right, Rajiv?) ;)

19. See things as they are and not how I would like them to be (This is VERY hard at times!).

20. Continue being creative with my writing and photography because it makes me happy. :)

21. Continue cultivating honest, loving, and meaningful/intimate relationships with people in my life.

22. Continue engaging in meaningful work with my clients/career.

23. Continue pushing myself beyond comfort zones/fear.

24. Remain interesting by reinventing myself when I feel like it. :)

25. Get married and start a family.

26. Become more attractive and more confident with myself with each passing "older" year of my life!!!!! Cheers to Katie.

27. Utilize acquired wisdom to keep from making the same mistake more than once.

28. Always surround myself (mentally and emotionally) with positive, caring, and inspiring people, ESPECIALLY the strong women "teachers" and "counselors" in my life: Mom, Carla, Tracy, and Carol. Love ya. :)

29. Overcome abandonment and rejection issues: a work in progress.

30. Cut down on my carbs/susceptibility to emotional eating.

31. Ride in a hot air balloon.

32. Organize and participate in a nerdy (but cool, folks!) reading group.

33. Try rock climbing and hang gliding (or is it parasailing? hmmm....).

AND FINALLY......

34. HAVE NO EXPECTATIONS. (Most challenging of all, but I'll do my best on this one!!!)