Goals For My 40s

I am equal parts feeling very nonchalant about being 40 {I think turning 39 was harder??} and shocked that I'm 4-0. I'm pretty darn happy with my life, so that might be why I wasn't too upset for this milestone birthday??? Thinking about the last decade has made me think about what I want to do with my next decade, and I thought I'd jot down a few goals.

As a disclaimer, this list is completely about things I want to do for myself. I OF COURSE want to continue in a happy marriage and raise kind humans and be a good citizen and vote and learn and be a good friend/daughter/sister, etc. This is everything else. {grin}

1. TRAVEL!!!! I've always wanted to travel, ALWAYS. Yet somehow I have made other things a priority over the years - buying a house, having a kid, having another kid, making a job switch that made less money, having another kid, ha. My 30s largely revolved around children - having them, paying for them, etc. Well, that chapter has closed, and I really want to make travel a priority again. That might not happen on a large scale until Paige is out of preschool. I REALLY want to go to the United Kingdom, that is my #1. I am really open to traveling anywhere and anytime. I could probably make a list specifically related to travel and maybe I should!

2. Run a 10K I used to run a lot pre-kids. It was my main form of exercise. After having kids, it took me YEARS to find my groove with exercise, and it didn't involve running. Since being home in quaratine, I have run once a week every week and for about the last 2 months that has included my neighbor/high school track partner {who is in WAY better shape than I am}. The most I've run in a race was 5 miles, and the last time I ran in a race was in 2008. I was pregnant with Trent, and I knew after that 5 miles, I needed to hang up the running in pregnancy - my body was DEAD for days after that race. But I'm getting back into it and can run 4 miles now. So I'd like to run a 10K and keep up some sort of running in my exercise routine. 

3. Up Our Retirement I want to max out my 401K contribution in the next few  years. I need to increase my contributions by about 4% so I plan to increase by 1% each year. I want to retire RICH!!!

4. Hit My Goal Weight Even with a little bit of slippage over the summer, I am really proud of my gains in 2020 with weight loss. I'm about halfway to my goal and will HOPEFULLY hit my goal in 2021. But I don't want to lose this momentum and start to slack off. I'm sure at 50 I won't weigh exactly what I hope to in the next few months, but I'd like to maintain a healthy weight!

5. Gain New Hobbies I have said for probably 20 years that I'd like to learn to play the guitar. And I want to learn to knit with Drew. And finally use my sewing machine. And...and...and... So I don't know what the next 10 years will bring in terms of hobbies, but I'd like to be able to say more than just 'read and exercise'.

6. Start Volunteering I'd like to really give back. And preferably find an organization the kids can volunteer with too. I have had a very fortunate life, and it's time to give back.

7. Buy Something Frivolous I want to buy a Louis Vuitton purse or something equally frivolous. To save for it and splurge and treat myself!

8. Treat My Parents I want to do something really amazing for my parents - send them on a vacation or to a spa day or something fun. They spoil me and take care of so much for me and have always made me feel special and loved, and I'd like to find some way to give back to them.

I'm sure I'll think of new things along the way or adjust these, but I think this is a good set of goals for the next decade! What else should I aim for??