Winter bucket list: 60 before 60 – update 1
A couple of months ago, I announced that I would be completing a 60 before 60 Challenge in the year leading up to my 60th birthday. That challenge will be taking the place of my typical seasonal bucket lists for this year. So here is the most recent update on that.
Health and Fitness
Walk 60 miles on trails or roads I haven’t traveled yet. Nothing new to report on this one since I last checked in. I’m hoping to explore more in the coming months as the temperatures ease upward. For now, I’m sitting at 3.75 miles. (True confession: I am a fair-weather walker. Perhaps I need to bundle up and go.)
Joy
Declutter 60 things. Since last report, I’ve decluttered one small area of my exercise room. I cleaned up my racing bibs and recycled some bandanas I’d kept from a couple of races. I’m counting that as one item, so I am at 32 total…well ahead of schedule.
Learning and growth
Do 60 new things…that is 60 things I haven’t done in adulthood…if I haven’t done something since I was in high school, that counts as new. I’ve added five things to the list since last report (those in bold below), putting me on track to reach the goal of 60 things in a year. Shockingly, there were no new foods this month…just a different way to eat the food (see #12).
- Started 52 lists for calm journal
- Tried Freddy’s (fast food)
- Tried brie and cherry honey
- Took a wine appreciation course
- Visited Red Cliffs Desert Garden
- Tried Dot’s Southwest Pretzels
- Tried pralines and cream cold brew
- Fixed a new potato pepper frittata recipe
- Listened to Ashley Campbell music on YouTube
- Downloaded PetFinder app
- Went through the pet adoption process
- Ate with my left hand
- Made a new friend: Buddy
- Tried online grocery shopping
- Drove a different route and took in my surroundings
Relationships
Commit 60 intentional acts of kindness. This month I have committed five acts of kindness specifically with this goal in mind, putting me at 26 total…slightly ahead of schedule. I choose not to share every act, but to give you an idea, this month’s list included doing a household chore that my husband typically does, buying a thank-you gift for a neighbor, and deep listening.
In summary
That’s what I have been up to this winter. Admittedly, it didn’t make for a very exciting blog post and few photo opportunities. So, if you’ve read this far, I thank you for your loyalty.
Your turn
I’d love to hear about your activities. If you have a bucket list, please link up with us. Otherwise, simply share a few things in the comments.
Happy winter!
I enjoyed reading about what’s going on your life Christie. Good to see Buddy again. I need to re-do my bucket list. We crossed most things off last year while in isolation all year, and not working
Thanks for stopping by Jennifer. That’s great that you were able to enjoy your time in isolation and complete some of your bucket list items. I look forward to hearing about what’s next for you.
I love that you’re on track with your 60 before 60 lists Christie. I’m choosing to scoot towards 60 as my treat to myself and that’s going well. Monday’s post was all about my new scooter and how it’s all going – I’m beginning to think that turning 60 is going to be a lot more fun than we expected.
I am loving your scooter pics, Leanne. They make me happy. I am impressed with your sense of adventure! I agree turning 60 is going to be a whole lot of fun for the two of us!
Christie, glad to see that you are well on your way to achieving 60 by 60. I am curious about why you ‘ate with your left hand.’ Was it intentional or of necessity?
Thank you Suzanne. I actually heard on a news story about brain health that doing anything new–even as simple as using your non-dominant hand to eat–was good for your brain. So I thought, why not give it a try! An unexpected benefit was mindful eating.
I’m glad you are on track sis. What did you think of Ashley Campbell and online shopping? I know so many people that shop that way. I’m sure it’s convenient, especially if you’re very busy and/or have little kids, but for me shopping is one of the few things I can do to get out of the house.?
I had already planned to listen to a musician I hadn’t heard before as one of my new things, and then Larry suggested we watch a YouTube video of Ashley Campbell, so it was perfect timing. As far as online grocery shopping, we needed the groceries the day after we brought Buddy home. He was already having separation issues, so we did not want to leave him alone. Online shopping seemed like the best solution. Larry and I like to grocery shop together, but it’s nice to know we have an alternative when we need it.
Hmmm this sounds like I’m in for a “60 before 60” bucket list challenge at 62? Hopefully I get to be part of the “60” and can enjoy some fun times ahead with you!❤️
(Another great write)❤️
You know you’ll be in on more than a few of these activities! ? You already have been, whether you realized it or not. ❤️
❌⭕️❌⭕️
I love your new things list… it gives me ideas for my own. This month the best new thing I did…. I took the plunge and we went to the local museum to see the traveling Van Gogh display. Ever since I read about it a few years ago, I wanted to see it. Luckily the museum is trying to be smart – masks mandatory, limited number of people. I’m glad we went. I felt safe enough and it was lovely!
I’m hoping you’ll be back to new foods next month… I’ve got a foodie post coming up – inspired by our foodie conversations.
That makes me happy, Pat…that you didn’t have to miss the traveling Van Gogh display. I’m glad the museum was being smart. I do have the food lists you’ve sent on the ready. I just have to find the opportunity. I’m looking forward to your foodie post.
I love your list ideas. I need to think about implementing something like this somehow. Your pup is so cute!
Thank you Kirstin. We are having a lot of fun with him. He’s such a love!
Has it only been one month of winter so far? Even on mild Vancouver Island, this current winter has seemed to be much longer than that. I love your 60 acts of kindness goal…and Buddy is looking absolutely adorable!
Time is all a blur right now, isn’t it Donna? We’ve been short on snow this year, which makes things convenient, but I know we need the water. Also, I do confess I miss the beauty of newly fallen snow. Lack of snow has made it easier to take the new pup out. He really is adorable.
Not only do I love that you’re on track, but I love your list. I especially love the intentional kindness and that that decluttering is classified under joy.
Thank you Joanne. I don’t always love the decluttering process, but the result definitely brings me joy!
I would say Buddy is one lucky pup. When I noticed the confetti, I thought it was tossed in celebration of his adoption into your family. Certainly a confetti-worthy event.
I would imagine finding new places to walk would be difficult. And then wanting to brave the winter weather would make it even harder. We walk the same 4 mile hike up a mountain road into a canyon and back down several time a month. Would like to try something new but there just aren’t that many places to walk unless we meander through a subdivision in a different part of town.
How did eating with your left hand go? I have tried doing that, too. And eating with chopsticks which is a challenge for me.
Deep listening can be the very best gift you can give. I am certain you are a wonderful listener and am sure your attention was appreciated.
Yes, bringing Buddy home was definitely a confetti-worthy moment, Leslie. We are having a wonderful time together, and he really is a bright, loving pup.
We are looking forward to warmer weather and longer periods spent down south for discovering all the trails we haven’t yet tried down there–and there are a lot!
Eating with my left hand was a challenge and did slow me down (which is a good thing), but it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it might be. Chopsticks is another good option–one that, for me, would probably be even more challenging than eating with my left hand.
Thank you for the vote of confidence regarding my listening abilities. I do try to be a good listener and I am genuinely interested in what others have to say. Still, deep listening…listening without judgment or planning for a response…does not always come naturally to me.
Here’s to the next month and making more progress on our bucket lists! XO