A friend of a friend and I met at a bar. We met randomly: Joel had invited a hodgepodge of people to join him for drinks. Our conversation turned to age, aging and something she had tried. It involved making a list of 40 things to do, starting the day you turn 39 and ending the day you turn 40.
I was intrigued.
She impressed upon me that this wasn't a binding list; the list should act as a guide for your 39th year of life, pushing you to aspire and achieve minor things before that dreaded of birthdays. 40 has long been the butt of jokes -- Spencer's Gifts, Hallmark and many other shops and stores have an entire cottage industry of "old fart" jokes, tailored to that turning point of middle age.
Although, mathematically, middle age begins at 30. Early age: years 1-30; Middle age: 30-60; Old age: 60-90. Impressive age: 90-120. SO, many of us have been middle aged for some time (which is comforting, as I slide into my depressive, age-induced existential crisis).
But I digress. Here is the list, which was culled together from a Facebook post; Here is the list of life for my next year, as devised by my various friends (with one extra task, to grow on!):
I was intrigued.
She impressed upon me that this wasn't a binding list; the list should act as a guide for your 39th year of life, pushing you to aspire and achieve minor things before that dreaded of birthdays. 40 has long been the butt of jokes -- Spencer's Gifts, Hallmark and many other shops and stores have an entire cottage industry of "old fart" jokes, tailored to that turning point of middle age.
Although, mathematically, middle age begins at 30. Early age: years 1-30; Middle age: 30-60; Old age: 60-90. Impressive age: 90-120. SO, many of us have been middle aged for some time (which is comforting, as I slide into my depressive, age-induced existential crisis).
But I digress. Here is the list, which was culled together from a Facebook post; Here is the list of life for my next year, as devised by my various friends (with one extra task, to grow on!):
1. Establish
what you want from you next decade, fine tune it and refine for your
purpose...then throw it all out because life will give you what it wants but it
is nice to know you plan too. Then at 49 you can reflect on how much more the
universe gave you than you were planning for. (TJ Howard)
2. Zach
Bubalo: travel to South Africa
3. Kathleen
O'Connor McGovern: Keep a gratitude journal of one thing you are grateful for
every day - then give it to yourself on your 40th as reminder of what the year
was
4. Jamie
Roberts: Learn 500 words in a new language. Come to the Baltics and eat Russian
comfort food on the cheap. Or both together
5. Tim
Osborne: Pet an exotic animal you've never petted before.
6. Aaron
Sawyer: Complete a marathon for yourself. Run. Walk. Doesn't matter. The
training will grow your sense of self care and completion will shatter barriers
you thought you had in all aspects of your life.
7. Gail
Beach: Visit one city that has always intrigued you.
8. Kenneth
Andrews: Meditate, every day.
9. Beth
McCabe: Have a dinner party. Ask all of your guests to bring the most
interesting person they know. Meet new awesome people.
10. Erica
Sartini-Combs: Hike the red rocks in Sedona, AZ.
11. Erica
Sartini-Combs: Listen to the first 5 episodes of the podcast The Life Coach
School with Brooke Castillo
12. Erica
Sartini-Combs: Take a meditation course or attend at least 10 guided meditation
groups
13. Erica
Sartini-Combs: learn to bake or cook a dish you have always wanted
14. Erica
Sartini-Combs: buy one piece - art, furniture, whatever -for your home that
you'd treasure forever regardless of who lives in that home.
15. Erica
Sartini-Combs: surprise or do something nice for someone without taking credit
for it.
16. Erica
Sartini-Combs: pay off a child's lunch debt at a neighborhood CPS school
17. Erica
Sartini-Combs: grow something, be it flower, herbs, plant
18. Erica
Sartini-Combs: take a spontaneous road trip within 3 hours distance
19. Erica
Sartini-Combs: interview any living grandparents, same questions for all.
Record it.
20. Cynthia
Dieden: Write physical letters to the people who mean the most to you telling
them what they mean to you.
21. Cynthia
Dieden: start a hobby you decided you were too old to start or just always
wanted to do.
22. Jennie
Lutz: Pay it forward. 40 small and random acts of kindness. (Put quarters in
someone's meter, clean up trash, help someone with their groceries, pay for
someone's Starbucks)
23. Michelle
Weiss Hilburn: Write down the lessons you've already learned - put it with the
gratitude journal as the beginning of an information memoir. Bonus points if
you tell the story of how you learned them. Double points if you publish it
where I can read it. You are awesome, and I love this idea!
24. Joanna
Frigo: Visit Alaska and Denali National Park. Being there was unreal, so calm
so majestic, and amazing.
25. Mary
Parr: Learn to bake bread and then Invite everyone you love over and break it
with them!! (And keep a gratitude journal, says one of your friends!)
26. Shawn
Northrip: Travel to Amarillo, go to The Big Texan and eat the 72oz steak.
27. Lisa
Marie Auter: Write and mail a letter to the person you feel influenced you most
during your 30s.
28. Kate
Mielke: learn to bake a really amazing cake from scratch. Then throw a random
unbirthday party. Also, come to Vegas and just walk up to a roulette table and
bet it all (and by all, I mean $40) on 18.
29. Shawn
Osborne: Experience a sensory depravation tank.
30. Anne
Edison-Albright: So, this is a 50th birthday story rather than a 40th, but I
think it's still good ... for her 50th birthday, Marj's husband bought her a
guitar. She hadn't. up until that point, ever played guitar. It was her
favorite present, ever. It said, without him having to say anything, "You
can do anything you set your mind to."
So, I'd say, for a milestone birthday you should take up a new instrument, or think of the perfect gift for someone you love. (or both!)
So, I'd say, for a milestone birthday you should take up a new instrument, or think of the perfect gift for someone you love. (or both!)
31. Roger
Kraus: Hire a photographer to do a portfolio of glam nude shots of you. That
way you can keep them for yourself or publish them in a calendar called Pin-Up
Pindelski
32. Julie
Fitz: Find a place you want to go. Intrepid travel has really good deals for
any kind of length you want to go and most trips too. My cousin went back
packing through Thailand through them and how the best time
33. Joe
Branch: Go skydiving
34. Ann
Boyd: I had a goal to learn to do the splits by my 40th, but I failed. Oh well!
How about this — come to my house and bake a batch of cookies with me.
35. Arthur
Taylor: Disney World!!
36. Arthur
Taylor: Try food you would never try (allergies excluded of course).
37. Arthur
Taylor: Visit a friend you haven't seen in a long time; travel far to do so.
38. Arthur
Taylor: Go to a movie you wouldn't normally go to see.
39. Melanie
Keller: skinny dipping or a nude spa situation. Because clothes are annoying,
dignity is a construct, bodies are beautiful and being naked is fun
40. Erica
Sartini-Combs: Write a full length play.
41. Joe
Marth: Do a one man show for a week "Random Thoughts" by Joe Pindy
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