Aspirations: My 20 for 20


My 20 Random Aspirations for 2020

1.    Find my volunteering niche – because I’ve had a hard time sticking with any commitment outside of what I have to do, like working or caring for my son. I will try and sign up to do something at church, only to feel overwhelmed and burned out by the obligation when it comes time to do the thing. My goal is to find what it is that I enjoy so much, I don’t get tired of it or feel overburdened by having to fit it into my week.
2.    Renew my old passport and get my husband his first passport- We don’t even have a trip planned anywhere, but I like the idea of knowing that when an awesome opportunity arises anytime in the next 10 years, we will be able to seize it. Also, at the very least, a passport gives you a valid photo ID accepted anywhere in the event that something happens to your driver’s license (i.e: wallet is stolen, license falls out and is lost, etc.)
3.    Make several new and exotic dishes from a list- I tend to fall into routines with keeping the fridge stocked with meals. In the spirit of trying to be more adventurous, I have compiled a list of exotic sounding dishes. Some really are from foreign places, while others are favorites just a few states over. I want to make each one just once, so I can say I tried it but also could master the recipe on the YouTube videos.
4.    Get a local restaurant to name a dish or drink after me- Because I custom ordered it that way so many times that now it’s “Amy style” or I give it a name and the name sticks.
5.    Get us into a bigger condo or a house- even if that house is still a rental. I’m ready for a third bedroom for my husband to use for his hobbies and office separate from the baby’s room and I’m ready for a second bathroom. Amen.
6.    Deep clean things that have never been cleaned since I’ve lived in my condo – like the sides of the stove that almost touch the counters but not quite and so there’s gunk there, under the fridge, the nasty floor of the bathroom closet....
7.    Throw my husband the birthday party of the century- even though 33 isn’t really a milestone. He thinks it is, and that’s what matters.
8.    Get back into swimming laps- It was really good exercise. Starting in April or May when the pool is really warm again, I want to make the time after work two days a week and always on the weekend.
9.    Throw my husband a graduation party- Whether he decides to finish in April or December, I want to plan a luncheon and send out formal invites and everything...
10. Collect certain plants and have them thrive- Right now I’ve got some special ones including several orchids, but I have a few specifics in mind that I don’t have at home yet that I want to add. Then I want to learn how to make all of them thrive.
11. Make two new friends- Not to replace any old ones, just to have a few new ones
12. Make something of my LemonGrass Spa endeavor- I’ve had it up and running for more than two months but have hardly any sales. I need to find my niche.
13. Do Artwork at least three-four times this year- Get a babysitter, go to a quiet coffee shop, spread out with paint, the works. Create something. Or maybe do it at home if my husband can watch the baby
14. Get More Fit- I’m not really out of shape, but I could be much stronger and more toned...if I went to the gym for more than 20 minutes at a time. I discontinued a more expensive one and hopped on board with my husband’s gym with a special discount for being his spouse...now we can do family workouts, which will get him in the gym more as well.
15. Really get clean and detoxed- I don’t mean alcohol and drugs. I mean everyday eating. I’m not a terrible eater, but I have some guilty pleasures. I also have some foods in and out of my diet that aren’t ideal for my blood type. I might do a juice cleanse at some point, or I might just do another clean eating stint and reset everything, then change after that. Having a cold that won’t go away for almost the entire month of January so far has given me new motivation.
16. Have better time management and more balance- I work, then go home and do a basic routine that includes basic care for the baby, but I need to balance things a little better so there’s some exercise and fun in the evenings, so weekends don’t get away from me by being crammed with errands the whole time and my son sees more of me in fun activities, not just meals and bedtime.
17. Do every good deed that I can- so no limit on charity, basically. I used to aim for one good deed a week. Maybe it was tithing at church, or cooking a meal. Now I just want to take as many opportunities to be kind as I can, if I can fit them in without jeopardizing family time or much needed rest.
18. Only invest in things worth my money- No more Forever 21 for this 32-year-old. Clothes that are cheaply made, cutoff short and won’t last long aren’t worth the $5 they cost...but a skirt hand-sewn by a local woman to mimic a very expensive style sold in department stores IS worth the $75 it cost. Because it will pay for itself in time. From now on, instead of filling in the missing wardrobe pieces with bottom dollar items, I will either wait until I can afford the good quality things, or buy them second hand.
19. Go to the beach more- Last year, with a small baby in my life, I only got out there on Saturday morning for a half hour during the hot months (April-September). We have a sun tent, picnic supplies and items for the baby... and he’s old enough to run and play now. There’s no excuse to not go by the beach after work sometimes and for longer on the weekend.
20.  Stay on my Audible journey- last winter, I discovered Audible. I could listen to any book in the car. Since I have a half-hour commute to work and then back again, it gives me a chance to “read” all the good Christian lifestyle books that I’ve had on the shelf for years but never seem to make time to sit down and actually read. I also play the bible out in it’s read form in my car. I have covered at least fifteen books in less than a year, and I hope to cover another fifteen by the conclusion of 2020.

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