Lifestyle

25 Things I’m Prioritizing in my 25th Year

I’m officially 25! I can’t believe that I’ve made it to this insane milestone…it seems like just yesterday that I was swooning over teenage crushes, trying to figure out my career goals and daydreaming about what it would be like to be a grown up someday. But now I’ve got a firm foothold in my mid-twenties, and I’m officially closer to 30 than 20! *insert shocked emoji*

I don’t like birthdays and I’m not a fan of aging. It’s cliche, but every birthday reminds me about the temporality of our mortal lives and the fact that I’ve accomplished like 0.000001232 percent of the things I’d like to do while I’m alive. But birthdays are also a good chance for me to reflect on who I am as a person and to think about the things that are important to me. With that said, here are my priorities for my 25th year (in no particular order):

1.Figure out how to mom

This is a huge and frighteningly relevant one–my baby will be here in one month! I know that nature and biology will give me a solid leg up in this department, but I’ve also been trying to get a head start by talking to other moms, reading lots of parenting books and thinking about what things will be important to me as a parent. As for the day-to-day stuff, I’m glad that my husband has lots of experience with kids. I’ve probably changed a diaper fewer than five times in my life!

2.Decorate my space

In recent months I’ve found that sprucing up my humble abode makes me very happy. Call it a wife thing, a woman thing, a Utah thing, etc., but putting up pictures, buying furniture that doesn’t literally snap in half when you apply pressure to it (yes, that happened) and bringing elements of my personal style into my home is a lot of fun!

3.Re-embrace some of my old passions

I harp on it like a broken record, but man I cannot wait to restart horseback riding lessons! Between being transient and being pregnant it’s been a couple of years since I’ve taken proper riding lessons, but I can’t wait to get into the saddle again. Hopefully I’ll be back at it within a few months.

4.Take a class that intrigues me

I love flipping through those community education catalogs that come in the mail to see what kind of classes are out there. I just started attending an improv acting class and that has been a ton of fun, but I’d also love to try some other classes, like cake decorating or floral arrangements.

5.Re-prioritize my love for travel

Travel is probably my biggest obsession, and admittedly, it’s escaped me a bit in the last year. I’ve tried not to be too hard on myself since I was pregnant for a solid chunk of 2017 and I have a “normal” job again (that I love). But I do miss my international jaunts and I can’t wait to be in a position where those kinds of trips will be a frequent option again! In the mean time, I’ll try to travel as much as I can and make the most of every trip.

Attempting to travel while feeling a bit like a whale!

6.Commit more to my beliefs & calling

I serve in Young Women and it’s been such a fun experience so far. But like many people who grow up in a particular religion, I’ve been complacent at times about doing the small things that keep my faith strong and help me remain committed to what I believe. As I get older I want to be sure that I’m always growing in my faith and setting a good example for others.

7.Show off my personal style

This might seem like a silly one, but my motley, hand-me-down-filled closet is not at all representative of my style/fashion Pinterest boards…and that bugs me. Haha. So although I’m getting old and need to start dressing my age ( 😉 ), I’m going to focus more on finding clothes that I love instead of buying whatever’s cheapest. Which leads me too…

8.Worry less about spending money

I’ve always felt guilty about spending money, even on necessities. I’ve gotten a bit better in the last year but even tonight I was agonizing for a moment about whether to spend $15 on an item that I actually need. Restraint and common sense when it comes to spending are extremely important, but it’s also important for me to enjoy myself. So I want to have a healthier viewpoint about those dolla dolla bills as I hit 25.

9.Take a serious crack at language learning

I don’t know if I should expound on this one because I don’t know if it’ll happen…haha. It’s a bit of an ambitious goal to tackle with the little one on the way. But I would really love to have some actual proficiency in Spanish!

10.Perform more

I sang in church this past Sunday and it reminded me of how much I enjoy performing! It’s been years since I performed consistently but I’d love to make this a habit again.

11.Make time for my friendships

I’m a bit terrified about how my friendships might change once I become a mom, but I keep telling myself that if I put in the effort to be a good friend, then it will be reciprocated, whether by old friends or new ones. I think it’s easy for married couples to get so caught up in their own lives that they forget the outside world, but friendships are so important for a happy life!

12.Read more!

I love books and need more of them in my life…need I say more? True crime and parenting books have been my favorites in recent months.

13.Make a serious attempt to cook things that aren’t Top Ramen and Mac n’ Cheese

When it comes to cooking, I routinely sacrifice I routinely sacrifice healthiness for easiness, but I want to make a real effort to eat better. I know my body and mind will thank me for it! 

14.Find balance between work and home

I work from home, I work outside of the home, I work on the home…so striking a balance is pretty important. I want to set healthy and comfortable limits for how much work I’ll take on, and I want to make sure I’m focusing on projects that stretch my creativity and skills. 

15.Prioritize fitness and lookin’ good

2017 was probably my most active year yet. I consistently went to the gym and felt great! But pregnancy has obviously impacted some of that progress, and I’m not one of those women who looks at pregnancy and thinks “aw how beautiful, the creation of life!” Rather, I see myself in the mirror and cannot wait for this child to be on the outside instead of the inside, haha. After baby arrives it’ll be great to get back into a good fitness regimen. 

16.Be more authentic and bold

Not gonna expound on this one much, but it boils down to a few things for me: 1) keep saying no if something doesn’t feel right, 2) honestly evaluate my commitment level to different projects and plans and 3) be open about my opinions, even if they are unpopular at times. 

17.Make my home a more positive place

Everyone benefits from a happy home, and I want to do everything I can to have the type of home that feels welcoming, open, comfortable and inviting to all. 

18.Get better at photography (for real)

This is one of those things that’s always in the back of my mind but hasn’t panned out yet. I really have no excuse to be crappy at photography when there’s a wealth of free training and information out there. Good photos are priceless so I’d better start creating some! 😉 

Needs improvement, lol

19.Progress in my marriage

Five years on, I don’t think I’ve ever exited the honeymoon stage, but I know that marriages can take a hit when kids come along. Because of that I want to be conscientious and deliberate about prioritizing my marriage. And I want to make sure I’m always treating my husband right and reciprocating the love and respect that he shows for me. (Sappy, I know.)

20.See more of the United States

Two words: truck and trailer. 2018 has got to be the year; we’ve talked about this purchase since before we came home from our trip. I counted recently and I think I’ve been to like…13 states? That’s pretty sad considering that there’s so much out there to see! I love the idea of taking road trips with my little family in our own little space. 

21.Start volunteering again

I’m not sure how to accomplish this one yet since there are so many options out there in regards to volunteering. One of the most flexible ones I found was with Crisis Text Line, but that takes a lot of patience, and on some days I honestly struggled to get in the zone. But I do know that I love volunteering and want to find another opportunity that suits me well!

22.Spend more time outdoors

I set a goal at the beginning of the year to go on one hike a week, and so far I’ve pulled that off (with the exception of maybe 2 weeks). I love the outdoors and I always feel so at peace when I escape suburbia. As far as my passions are concerned, spending time outside is right up there with traveling! 

23.Waste less time (in general)

Netflix is a near-daily indulgence for me, and I have no shame about that. But in an effort to be more productive I’ve tried to maximize my Netflix time by working on little crochet projects, blogging or reconnecting with friends while I’m streaming my favorite shows. No need to feel guilty when you knock out two birds with one stone! 😉 

24.Invest in my business

We’ve had Sassy Steals for close to four months now and it’s been such an adventure! I’ve learned more running this business than I have with probably all of my work experiences combined up to this point. As I enter my 25th year, I want to make sure I’m investing time and resources into building and improving this business for myself and our customers. 

25.Teach my daughter important life lessons 

Okay okay, baby girl won’t even be one by the time that I turn 26, but maybe there are some important life lessons that I can impart to her in her first year of life…even if they’re super simple things. I do know that I can at least be a good example to her and that I can give her all the love and attention that she needs to feel secure and happy. 

Whew, that was quite the list…here’s to hoping that 25 will be a year for the books! 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *