To be totally honest, I have a love/hate relationship with turning 30 in 6 months. Getting older has been so wonderful to me because every year I discover another layer of myself. I’ve slowly become more and more me. I’ve ditched some bad habits, discovered more things that make me tick, and found happiness in my own skin. But then again, 30 sounds like I should have my life together, right?! I don’t. 😆
I have already completed a ton of things that I would suggest you put on your 30 before 30 bucket list..
Things like running a half marathon, skydiving, skiing, catching a sunrise on the beach and a sunset on the beach on the same day (we get to do that in Florida), or going to the movies alone. And throughout this last year in my twenties, I’ve subconsciously been listening to all of the gut feelings that I have inside of me guiding the bucket list I didn’t necessarily have written down.
And with that said, I really believe that a bucket list before a certain age is kind of silly. I know that’s totally contradictory to this post, but I believe you are never too old, too young, too much, not enough, or anything else to chase after your bucket list dreams. Writing them down into a “bucket list” is just a physical way of holding myself accountable. I realized that items on this list hit everything from travel goals to ongoing health goals. You could say this list is pretty well-rounded.
I hope that if you’re looking to make your own 30 before 30 bucket list, this will inspire you to throw things on there that help you grow as a person.
So with 26 weeks left in my twenties, here’s my last minute 30 before 30 bucket list!
1. Travel somewhere solo.
I don’t think I can tell you how much this excites me and scares me at the same time, but that’s exactly why I want to do it! From weekend trips to traveling out of the state, I have a few things in mind and I know I’ll knock this off my list a few times over the next 6 months.
Completed! >> Sedona, Arizona
2. Visit Disneyland for the first time.
I’m a 6 year Walt Disney World Annual Passholder and it just makes sense to finally get to Disneyland, am I right?! You can find me there next week! 🏰
Completed! >> Disneyland Post
3. See Hamilton (or any broadway show!)
Ok, this is kind of cheating because I marked this off my list a couple of months ago. But, it’s my list and I like crossing things off. Seeing Hamilton has been on my list for years and it makes me so happy that I got to see it this year. I recommend this to be on everyone’s bucket list. And don’t stop there. Broadway shows are some of the greatest forms of entertainment in this world.
Completed!
4. Book that first-class flight.
This should be on everyone’s bucket list. While I have flown first class before, it’s usually a last-minute upgrade and I don’t think it’s ever been on my own dime. So, this almost 30 chick is going to dish out the dime and splurge on a first-class flight! #YOLO
Completed! By signing up for my Delta credit card, I’ve also made Platinum Status with Delta! This means I’ve been upgraded to first-class for several flights in the last couple of years. Totally worth it.
5. Take another weekend girls’ trip.
My girlfriends are a blast and traveling with them is so soul-satisfying. Making our time together a priority is not only awesome for our relationships, but it allows us to create memories that we get to hold onto forever. I want to be old and gray drinking wine with my girls while reminiscing on our adventures together.
Completed!
RELATED: 10 PERFECT PLACES FOR A GIRLS GETAWAY IN FLORIDA
6. Practice daily meditation.
Meditation is actually pretty difficult for me, but when I get in the groove, it’s something I look forward to every day. I can easily commit 10 minutes of meditation into my daily routine.
Still working on it.
7. Go camping.
As a kid, we spent weeks and weeks “glamping” in an RV across the country. I’ve camped in a tent a few times, too, and I just love the outdoorsy feels of being in a campground. Whether it’s renting an Airstream AirBnB or pitching a tent in a National Park, I want to disconnect and go camping again.
Completed! I stayed in a friend’s van at a campground in California and looooved it!
8. Eat in a restaurant alone.
So, I’ve done this before but it’s always been at a bar or someplace like Chipotle, you know? I want to walk into a restaurant, ask for a table for one, and be a grown-up eating out all by myself. My 30 before 30 bucket list is definitely catering to my independence.
Completed! More than once, too!
9. Purge & simplify my life. Minimalism allows room for more growth.
To be honest, I don’t hold onto too many material things. However, I know I have one too many junk drawers, a whole row of shoes that I never wear, and boxes full of “things” that I’m simply never going to need again.
Completed on more levels than I could’ve imagined. Right after turning 30, I filed for divorce.
10. See the sunrise at least once a week.
This is one of the ongoing goals for the next 26 weeks. The beach and the sunrise are two of my favorite things in the entire world. So now I’m telling myself that I get to wake up once a week to catch the sun peeking over the horizon first thing in the morning. Don’t worry, everyone. I’m a morning person. This should be easy peasy lemon squeezy.
I see the sunrise when I can, but I don’t go once a week.
11. Forgive, but don’t forget.
With 29 years of ups and downs behind me, one of the worst things to hold onto is a grudge. There are a few topics in my life that can trigger such anger inside of me that it can’t be healthy. I’ve forgiven in the past when I didn’t receive an apology and the lightness that followed was so refreshing. Forgiving takes a lot of courage. I don’t have to forget, but I’m choosing to forgive and move forward, not backward.
Ongoing.
12. Read all of the Harry Potter books.
I might be one of the very few millennials that have not read all 7 Harry Potter books. In fact, I’ve read the first chapter of the first book probably seven times, but I’ve never finished. I’ve seen all of the movies and I feel the magic of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, but I know it’s time to read the books!
Still working on it.
13. Go sailing.
Maybe it’s the Moana in me, but this is something I’ve thought about for over a decade. I don’t know if I just want to be on a sailboat or if I want to participate in the actual sailing, but either way, it’s on my list.
Not completed.
14. Donate $1000 to a local student’s college fund.
Making a $1000 donation to a local student was on my list when I turned 25 and I never did it. I’m giving myself 6 months to figure out the best way to make this happen. And if you have any tips, send ’em my way!
Not completed, but high on my list of to-do’s!
15. Set up a solo photoshoot.
Solo travels will call for some solo photoshoots. Even though I’m a blogger, I can be totally camera shy at times. I want to book some photoshoots that just make me feel comfortable with this season of life. I want to capture the beauty of embracing my thirties and toasting my twenties goodbye. 🥂
Completed! I did one in San Diego and one in Lake Tahoe with Flytographer!
16. Write in my journal every single day.
I have probably started over a dozen different journals over the last 29 years. I’ve also abandoned over a dozen journals. Some of the journals have been travel-specific, but I’m committed to writing in a journal every single day.
Not completed. But I still have a journal.
17. Learn to play the piano again.
My 30 before 30 bucket list has me reflecting on things that I’ve loved in the past. The piano has always been my favorite instrument. I took lessons for a few years when I was younger, but I never really learned how to read music. When A Star is Born came out, I taught myself how to play the beginning of ‘Shallow’ on the piano. The challenge of learning again, feeling the music, and creating art is such a magical process.
Not completed, but still on my list.
18. Take a cooking class.
Want me to bake cookies? No problem. Want me to make you breakfast? I’m on it. Want me to cook a four-course meal? Um, nope. Plus, the idea of a cooking class for a date night or girls’ night sounds like a lot of fun!
Not completed.
19. Take a free (or cheap) college course.
Education is so important to me and the older I get, the more I crave a continuing education in my life. Whether it’s a photography class, writing class, or even astronomy, I can’t wait to stretch my mind and expand my knowledge.
Not completed just yet!
20. Create a 10+ year financial plan.
I’m officially at that age where I think, “if only I was saving like this when I was 20“. The truth is, the older we get, the less time we have to build the foundation of our financial freedom. I’m looking forward to putting a plan into action. Personally, I need to see numbers on paper to help me follow financial goals.
LOL, not completed.
21. Let go of the guilt.
Guilt is the dirtiest word in my vocabulary right now. I have said, “I feel so guilty” more than I’d like to admit over the last several months. I’m tired of feeling it and I’m letting it go. *Cue Elsa’s breakthrough moment in Frozen*.
Completed. I think, I hope. Still working on it.
22. Start swimming again.
My 29th year has already been one of the fittest years of my life. I think it’s important to regroup with fitness in a 30 before 30 bucket list.
I’ve always enjoyed fitness. As a kid, I grew up riding horses and dirt bikes. In college, I started running and completed a couple of triathlons. Once I started pushing my boundaries with my running goals, I got back on my bike and I’m loving it. So it only makes sense to finally get back in the pool and start swimming again. Ultimately, I know this will encourage me to sign up for another triathlon. Stay tuned, ya’ll.
Completed! Raced twice since I turned 30 and now I’m signed up for a FULL Ironman.
23. Compliment my body every single day – out loud.
Like many of us, I have spent years looking in the mirror and pointing out everything I hated. I’m done with that. Perfect doesn’t exist and I’m also not willing to give up my wine or cheese. Heading into my 30th year, I’m committed to giving my body the love she deserves. I’m going to look in the mirror and lift myself up with sweet compliments. Like, damn legs you can run fast. And, wow, eyes, you are really freaking gorgeous. What compliment can you give your own body today?!
Not completed.
24. Donate blood.
I’ve never done this! I tried a couple of times, but one time they told me to eat and come back. I didn’t. Then the second time I had just gotten back from a cruise to Haiti and I guess they didn’t want my blood because of that. So, it just seems right to go ahead and cross this off my 30 before 30 bucket list. Let’s all cross our fingers that I don’t pass out.
Not completed.
25. Visit 2 new states.
I think I counted correctly, and if so, I’ve visited 28 of the United States in my lifetime. It might be more, but I don’t count the states that I’ve just had a layover in or drove through in an RV when I was a kid. My goal is to mark off two more states so that I hit 30 before 30. Some of the states that I want to get to include Maine, Oregon, Washington, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Alaska.
Completed! I’m right at 30 states now. Still need to visit a lot of the northeast and Pacific North West.
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26. Get a psychic reading.
I just love dabbling in anything that really makes my mind grow. All the woo-woo stuff might not be for everyone, but it totally fascinates me. After researching more about my sun and moon signs, my birth chart, and more, I’m ready for more. I recently had my aura read by email, too! Have you ever had a psychic reading?! Tell me about your experience or send suggestions on how to pick the place to go! 🔮
Completed! It was pretty incredible.
27. Say ‘yes’ to something that scares me.
Bunjee jumping? Swim with sharks? Rock climbing? We grow when we push our comfort zones. Saying ‘yes’ to things that scare me over the next 6 months will force me to go beyond the comfortable little bubble I’ve built for myself.
Completed. Again and again.
28. Run my fastest 10k.
Well, I just did exactly this earlier today. It wasn’t totally planned, but now I feel like I need to go even faster. Maybe even turn this into “run my fastest half marathon”.
Completed! I also ran my fastest 8 miler. And right after I turned 32, I ran my fastest half-marathon!
29. See the Grand Canyon [as an adult].
I saw the Grand Canyon when I was 10 and was in complete awe. I can only imagine what it’ll be like to go back as an adult.
Not completed.
30. Be unapologetically me.
It’s as simple as that. I’ve been listening to my intuition and gut feelings now more than ever. I’m following my heart and making decisions based on my desires and needs. For the first time in my life, I’m realizing that I’m allowed to be 100% me. I’m shedding the layers that were created completely to please the expectations of others. My twenties have been filled with so many life lessons and love, but having the ability to just be me, without apologies, feels liberating. Committing to this now will only make my thirties that much sweeter.
Never completed, but I love this one so much.
Do you have a bucket list for a certain age?! Have you completed any of these things or do you think I should add something else?! Tell me some of the items on your 30 before 30 bucket list!
