101 in 1001 (parts 3, 4, and 5)

Ok all- I had no idea that the move would be this time consuming (and internet-withouting- when I finally figured out that in the UK I can tether my phone and therefore wouldn't be without home internet for two weeks I almost cried). I kind of just pictured it being like a vacation that I don't come home from, and that has been.... not the case.

I want to finish up this series because a goal of mine for personal self improvement is finishing what I start (never my strong suit) and my New Year, New Me verve is already starting to fade. So now that Scott is back at work (and by that I mean currently on a flight out of the country for a business trip), and I am living without TV, its the perfect time to bang this out before I start telling you all about my first week in London.

So let's do this.

Blogging
- Make a vision/inspiration board for what I want the blog to look and feel like
- Do a custom blog redesign- change is good
- Blog posts 3 times a week for 3 months (and not an average of 3 times... 3 times MINIMUM!)
- Blog posts 5 times a week for 5 months (same rules apply!)
- Leave at least one blog comment a day for a month (I love receiving them- I need to get better at leaving them!)
- Do morning pages every day for 60 days (3 pages of free writing in the morning)
- Meet a blogger I like to read in person
- Go to a blogging conference
- Do a guest post on somebody else's blog
- Have somebody do a guest post on my blog
- Introduce a regular/weekly feature to write about. And then follow through on it.
- Sit down to write for 2 hours every day for 3 months. Use a timer. No surfing the internet. Not even a little.
- Business cards! I love having something tangible
- Become Google-able (as in show up when I search Dangerous Enough without wading through like 10 pages of non-me junk)
- Get 5,000 page views in a month
- Create different pages on the blog (start with my 101 in 1001 list)
- Try creating a posting schedule for a month ahead of time so sitting down each day doesn't feel like a blank slate
- Go one month with comments on each of my blog posts (I'll need some reader participation here... ahem)
- Get a scanner and printer!
- Host a competition or giveaway. Swag is wonderful (who DOESN'T love free stuff?*)

*I just needed to share this story about the last time Scott and I flew when he was in Business and I was in Economy... He comes back to my part of the cabin, asks if they're giving me real food (all I had so far were pretzels), and I say "Tell me what they're going to be serving you for dinner... let me live vicariously" and he says "Oh, I already ate... they're about to do dessert but I think I am going to pass on the MAKE YOUR OWN SUNDAE BAR (emphasis mine) because I'm too full" and then he delicately pats his stomach. Ugh.

Long story short- Scott. Scott does not appreciate free stuff.

Wellness
- Drink only water (and lots of it!) for a month
- One month without any pre-packaged or restaurant food followed by
- One month without dairy followed by
- One month with no white stuff (rice, flour, sugar) followed by
- One month whole food vegan (baby steps, baby steps)
- See which of these makes me feel best and try it for three months
- Run a 5k
- And then a 10k
- And then a half marathon
- Do 100 pushups
- Meditate every morning for a month
- Try 25 new recipes. Write down ones I like in my recipe book.
- Take off my makeup before bed every night for a month (I know my not doing it skeeves you out, mom, I'm sorry, I'll do better)
- Stop being such a shut in (AKA- go outside at least once a day for a month)
- Go on a half hour walk (OUTSIDE!) every day for 6 months (acts of god weather exceptions permitted)
- Play catch, ride bikes, go for a run, or other free outdoor activities with Scott every weekend for a month
- Juice everyday for a month- get my vitamins from food not pills
- Go a week with only one hour of access to technology (phone, computer, tv) a day. Whim-per.
- Don't complain for 1 week. Also no "I told you so"-ing (MUCH harder for me).
-  Go to the doctor for a physical, the dermatologist for a skin cancer check, and the dentist and the gynecologist for checkups

Personal
- Go one year without a TV in the house
- Have 10 conversations in French
- Go to the movies by myself. Don't skimp on the drinks and Milk Duds, self!
- Pick a list of "100 Best Novels" to read 10 books off of
- Get married
- Buy and arrange fresh flowers for the house five times
- Organize all the photos on my computer and devise a system to keep them organized going forward
- Get a picture I like of Scott and I printed and framed
- Keep a plant alive for 6 months. No killing it out of spite like I did the last one (I don't want to talk about it)
- Send notes or cards in the mail every month for a year
- Put the house to bed every night for a month (no dirty dishes, no clutter, house clean and "company ready")
- Write a list of what I always thought being "grown up" would look and feel like. Try to live like that for a month.
- Make my bed first thing every morning for a month.
- Join one group, club, or organization
- Volunteer at least once a month for a year
- Buy one piece of real, non-Ikea or assemble-yourself  furniture.
- Go on a trip (even just an overnight) with just my sisters
- Buy a Lotto ticket and go to a casino (I didn't do it when I turned 18, and then I never did afterward... slacker, I know)
- Have a birthday party.
- Finish this list.... And then start another one

You'll notice I have a lot of one-month-long goals- I always hear that it takes a month to form a new habit. I figure with trying things for a month at a time, it gives me time to see if I like the way it makes me feel, and if it is something I want to continue with, it also gives me enough time to help cement the habit.

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So those are my goals for the coming year(s). If anybody else is feeling ambitious and making goals of their own, I'd love to hear about them- I'm hella competitive, and it'll make me work harder to accomplish the goals I set for myself ;) Let me know in the comments or at amanda@dangerousenough.com XO