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August 27, 2014
In 40 days from now, I will turn 40. It’s a milestone moment so I’ve decided to honour this time with a pet project. Each day for the next 40 days, I’m going to do something in honour of my last 40 years and in anticipation of the next 40. On the last day, my 40th birthday, I will launch my website and my full blog about storytelling (more to come on that later).
I’ve thought about all the activities or non-activities (sittiing in a move theatre is an activity right?) that I’d like to do in the next 39 days. Some of them are just for fun; some are my favourite things; some are with my favourite people.
One of the ways I’ve thought about and chosen activities is through Danielle LaPorte, who talks about our core desired feelings and using them as a way to guide our lives, from day to day decisions and activities to our short and long-term goals. So instead of picking a goal like – I want to write a novel – you decide on your goals based on how you want to feel in your life every day.
In her book, the Desire Map, I worked out that my core desired feelings … the way I’d really like to feel is creative, bold, active, connected and productive. So I thought about these when picking the 40 activities. Launching this blog falls into several of my core desired feelings … creative, bold, connected and productive. Not everything will. So savouring a piece of my favourite dessert, chocolate cake is just because it is my favourite dessert. And let’s face it, I won’t have time to spend hours each day doing something.
My plan is to do one thing each day and then reflect on it in this blog. One of the things I struggle with and have always struggled with is putting myself out there, being vulnerable and letting people see me. So this is my first really BIG step to do that. Well, it feels like a big step to me.
I will try to post my reflections on each activity on the day that I did it, but if it’s something that I do in the evening, I will post it the next day.
In 40 days from now, I will turn 40. It’s a milestone moment so I’ve decided to honour this time with a pet project. Each day for the next 40 days, I’m going to do something in honour of my last 40 years and in anticipation of the next 40. On the last day, my 40th birthday, I will launch my website and my full blog about storytelling (more to come on that later).
I’ve thought about all the activities or non-activities (sittiing in a move theatre is an activity right?) that I’d like to do in the next 39 days. Some of them are just for fun; some are my favourite things; some are with my favourite people.
One of the ways I’ve thought about and chosen activities is through Danielle LaPorte, who talks about our core desired feelings and using them as a way to guide our lives, from day to day decisions and activities to our short and long-term goals. So instead of picking a goal like – I want to write a novel – you decide on your goals based on how you want to feel in your life every day.
In her book, the Desire Map, I worked out that my core desired feelings … the way I’d really like to feel is creative, bold, active, connected and productive. So I thought about these when picking the 40 activities. Launching this blog falls into several of my core desired feelings … creative, bold, connected and productive. Not everything will. So savouring a piece of my favourite dessert, chocolate cake is just because it is my favourite dessert. And let’s face it, I won’t have time to spend hours each day doing something.
My plan is to do one thing each day and then reflect on it in this blog. One of the things I struggle with and have always struggled with is putting myself out there, being vulnerable and letting people see me. So this is my first really BIG step to do that. Well, it feels like a big step to me.
I will try to post my reflections on each activity on the day that I did it, but if it’s something that I do in the evening, I will post it the next day.
Day 1 to 40
Here are my 40 days in a nutshell:
Day 1: Launch Day (blog launch)
Day 2: Restorative Is Right! (restorative yoga)
Day 3: The Best Part of My Day (cuddling with my kids)
Day 4: Connecting in a Movie Theatre
Reflections on Day 4: The Full Story
Day 5: A New Family Tradition (family bike ride)
Day 6: Remembered that I'm a Feminist (used a power drill)
Day 7: Dusk Dances (dance performances in the park)
Day 8: Better Late than Never (guitar lessons with my son)
Day 9: Time for Taoism (Tai Chi class)
Day 10: Going for Bold (being bold)
Day 11: Marketing Myself
Day 12: The Smell, Touch, Sound, Dance, Stuff and Taste of the Danforth (street festival)
Day 13: Bath Time
Day 14: Trying Tabata
Day 15: My Shitty Day
Day 16: Cleaning with My Mom
Day 17: Valuing My Values
Day 18: Just Doing It (fear of heights)
Day 19: Creative Ritual Buffet
Day 20: Late-Night Laps
Day 21: Playing in the Pool
Day 22: Early Bird Special (watching the sun rise)
Day 23: Guilty Pleasures
Day 24: Girls' Night
Day 25: My Ideas - Games and Stories
Day 26: Massage
Day 27: Paint by Numbers
Day 28: You Can't Make Old Friends
Day 29: Aerobics on a Trampoline
Day 30: My Fresh Friends
Day 31: The First Annual Epic Day of Summer
Day 32: Answering the Existential Questions
Day 33: Tubing!!!
Day 34: Long-Distance Swimming
Day 35: Taking Care of Myself
Day 36: Dancing After Dusk (dance classes)
Day 37: Book Club - The Best of Both Worlds
Day 38: Gettin' Shit Done
Day 39: Songs of Childhood
Day 40: Unexpected Moment
Afterthoughts
My Favourite Activities
Favourite Things to Write About
The Things I Didn't Get to Do
Day 1: Launch Day (blog launch)
Day 2: Restorative Is Right! (restorative yoga)
Day 3: The Best Part of My Day (cuddling with my kids)
Day 4: Connecting in a Movie Theatre
Reflections on Day 4: The Full Story
Day 5: A New Family Tradition (family bike ride)
Day 6: Remembered that I'm a Feminist (used a power drill)
Day 7: Dusk Dances (dance performances in the park)
Day 8: Better Late than Never (guitar lessons with my son)
Day 9: Time for Taoism (Tai Chi class)
Day 10: Going for Bold (being bold)
Day 11: Marketing Myself
Day 12: The Smell, Touch, Sound, Dance, Stuff and Taste of the Danforth (street festival)
Day 13: Bath Time
Day 14: Trying Tabata
Day 15: My Shitty Day
Day 16: Cleaning with My Mom
Day 17: Valuing My Values
Day 18: Just Doing It (fear of heights)
Day 19: Creative Ritual Buffet
Day 20: Late-Night Laps
Day 21: Playing in the Pool
Day 22: Early Bird Special (watching the sun rise)
Day 23: Guilty Pleasures
Day 24: Girls' Night
Day 25: My Ideas - Games and Stories
Day 26: Massage
Day 27: Paint by Numbers
Day 28: You Can't Make Old Friends
Day 29: Aerobics on a Trampoline
Day 30: My Fresh Friends
Day 31: The First Annual Epic Day of Summer
Day 32: Answering the Existential Questions
Day 33: Tubing!!!
Day 34: Long-Distance Swimming
Day 35: Taking Care of Myself
Day 36: Dancing After Dusk (dance classes)
Day 37: Book Club - The Best of Both Worlds
Day 38: Gettin' Shit Done
Day 39: Songs of Childhood
Day 40: Unexpected Moment
Afterthoughts
My Favourite Activities
Favourite Things to Write About
The Things I Didn't Get to Do