I’m turning 40 in 365 days. Yep, today is my birthday, and honestly, turning 39 is anticlimactic. It’s that weird place where you’re like, okay…and? You can’t have the big blowout birthday – that’s not until next year. If you’re like me, you’re too tired to think about going out. So here we are, thinking about how to celebrate 39 years of being me. 

To be honest, I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished much. I know what you’re thinking. “Danielle, you’ve got bachelor’s degree, a master’s, working toward another master’s – you’re accomplished.” True. But honestly, in my 39 years, I haven’t done much but work, and go to school, and mess around with y’all on Instagram, and force you to read my blog posts. So, here I am setting out on 20 goals by 40 because 40 by 40 is absurd. 

You will notice that some items say redacted. That is because those are private and I won’t share them, until they actually happen. Some people know what they are because I need them to hold me accountable. The next 365 days are a marathon and not a sprint. Here are my 20 Things. 

1. Finish a Marathon. Have already registered for this and it’s coming very soon.
2. Participate in 5 other races outside of Dopey. 
3. Read 12 books. That’s one a month when you think about it. 6 fiction. 6 non-fiction.
4. REDACTED (when it happens, I promise you will know!)
5. REDACTED (when it happens, I promise you will know!)
6. REDACTED (when it happens, I promise you will know!)
7. Elevate myself as a creator. 
8. Take Cooking Classes at Sur La Table. Have you done one? Check them out here!
9. Travel to 3 NEW cities for Game Day.
10. Journal – my mind is busy…
11. Maintain a fitness routine post-training block. After races is where I fall off. 
12. Go to a golf tournament.
13. Develop a true skincare routine. 
14. Go on a cruise. Doesn’t matter the cruise line. Just a cruise. 
15. Run a sub-11-minute mile. This is a out right mile time. Not like race pace. Just a time trial mile. 
16. Repurpose my old sorority t-shirts and get the quilt made. I’ve been talking about it for years!
17. Eliminate impulse buying. 
18. Go visit a friend to do nothing. 
19. Watch all the Harry Potter movies. – Can you believe I’ve only really seen one and I can’t even tell you which one. It was the one with Robert Pattinson. That much I know. 
20. Get back into swimming. My lungs are way out of shape and this one is going to hurt. 
21. Get certified in something. I have a few ideas on what that something could be. 

That’s it, that’s the list. Okay, there’s 21 and not 20. You have to have one to grow on right? Some of these things are already in progress, and some are already in the works. Some of these items are going to test me, force me to grow, and challenge me. It’s going to be an interesting journey. Will you join me?