Week 1 (Day 3)

I've decided that I'm going to aim to update this every Wednesday. Even though I just started this on Monday, which means this is logging the progress for only 3 days so far, I feel like updating mid-week will keep me motivated over time.

For starters, I've already failed two of my goals.  Bummer. I'm still going to do them AND will consider them completed if I keep trying until the end of this.  I'll mark my progress on every item from the list:

Daily Goals:

5) Tell Matt I love him every day. (3/1001 days)

8) Read something every day (newspaper article, journal article, some of a book, etc.) (3/1001 days)

33) Brush teeth and wash face absolutely every morning and night. (2/1001 days)

37) Start taking a multivitamin everyday. (3/1001 days)

38) Drink at least 64 oz. water every single day (3/1001 days)

39) Make exercise part of my daily routine (1/1001 days)

81) Limit myself to 1 hour of internet time outside of work every day. (2/1001 days).

I did: tell Matt I love him everyday, read something everyday, take a multivitamin everyday, and drink more than 64 oz. of water everyday.  I did not exercise on Monday, nor did I exercise yesterday.  I will do so today. I don't think I'll be very good at doing so every day, but I'll keep working on it.  I also have spent more than 1 hour outside of work online today, but some of it was playing map games, which I don't actually think is all that bad. 

I'm about to start on my goal: 35) Learn to like red wine and drink 3 glasses each week. (0/143 weeks). I can't put a 1 there yet, but I will be able to by next Wednesday. My parents left a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon open when they left for the hockey game, so I'm going to drink a glass.  Let me tell you, it's going to take a while to start to like this stuff.  It's way too dry for me-- I only REALLY like Rieslings.  So anyway, here's 1 glass for the week.  Need two more by Sunday night.

70) Clean up room once every week. This includes vacuuming every month. (1/143 weeks). This is preemptive, but I'm about to go do this, I swear. I'm going to drink my nasty wine while I clean up my room.  Seeing as there's really no purpose to lying here, because it's honestly just lying to myself, I'll just be completely frank about everything.

86) Update LJ at least once a week. Include in that update a highlight of the week, something funny that happened, and a person I am grateful for (and why). (1/143 updates). Also preemptive, but before I clean my room, this is what I'm going to do.  

So I'm going to go into my little sidebar list over there and update whatever I've done so far.  I think it's best to start slow like this so I don't totally burn out right away.  The one-time goals or "do at any time" things can wait a while to get started.

Here's to progress!

1) Create blog to track progress and update once weekly (1/143 updates)

My list needed tweaking. I've tweaked it. Here's the final product.

Start: February 23, 2009
End: November 21, 2011

Mission Logging
1) Create blog to track progress and update once weekly (0/143 updates)
2) Document as many items from this list as possible with photos and post to blog. (0/?)

Family and Friends
3) Make 3 new friends. (0 friends)
4) Send anonymous flowers to friend on a random day. (0 bouquets)
5) Tell Mom, Dad, Haley, and Matt that I love them every day (0/1001 days)
6) Go on a weekend trip with Haley. (0 trips)
7) Call Christina, Rachel, Laura, and Lindsey each once a month (0/33 months)
8) Do something to make Matthew feel special everyday. (0/1001 days)
9) Write a letter to everyone who made a difference in my life (apart from family/friends). (0 letters)
10) Tell everyone who is important to me “Happy Birthday” via card or phone call. (0 cards/phone calls)
11) Do something super-touristy/romantic in one city visited with Matthew. For example, taking a carriage ride in Central Park. (not completed)
12) Visit two friends out of state. (0 friends)
13) Plan one elaborate candlelight dinner for two. (0 dinners)
14) Give 10 "Just because" gifts. (0 gifts)
15) Send 101 cards or letters for reasons other than Christmas/birthdays. (0 cards/letters)
16) Bring baked goods to Grandpa once a month (0/33 months)
17) Do something anonymously nice for a friend or family member once a month. (0/33 months).
18) Have a girls’ weekend with my Mom and sister. (0 weekends)
19) Write a letter to Grandpa Lamping without being unkind. (0 letters)
20) Make time to spend time with Sarah, Ashley, Katie, Haley once every month (0/33 months).

Culture and Travel
21) Learn something interesting about every country in the world. (0/195 countries)
22) Visit Detroit as if I’m a tourist.(0 trips)
23) Get a wall map of the world and put pins in every city I want to go to. (0 maps, 0 pins)
24) Take pictures in a photo booth in every out-of-state city visited. (0 photostrips)
25) Visit 5 new places (0 places)
26) Add a stamp (or two) to my passport (0 stamps)
27) Participate in Gimme Your Stuff 3 times (http://gimmeyourstuff.blogspot.com) (0 exchanges)
28) Participate in PostCrossing 10 times (www.postcrossing.com) (0 exchanges)
29) Take a trip completely unplanned. Fill up the car, pick a direction and go. (0 trips)
30) Take a weekend trip to Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Saugatuck, and Mackinac Island. (0 weekend trips)
31) Try food from 10 different cuisines. (0 cuisines)

Health and Hygiene
32) Go one month without pop or coffee. (0/30 days)
33) Brush teeth and wash face absolutely every morning and night. (0/1001 days)
34) Lose 20 pounds (0/20 pounds)
35) Learn to like red wine and drink 3 glasses each week. (0/143 weeks)
36) Participate in 3 benefit walks/runs every year.
Year 1: (0 walks)
Year 2: (0 walks)
Year 3: (0 walks)
37) Start taking a multivitamin everyday. (0/1001 days)
38) Drink at least 64 oz. water every single day (0/1001 days)
39) Make exercise part of my daily routine (0/1001 days)
40) Complete the hundred push-up challenge. (www.hundredpushups.com) (day 0 of 42)
41) Complete a detoxification program. (0 programs)

Charity and Random Acts of Kindness
42) Pay for someone’s meal at a drive through. (not completed)
43) Leave a 100% tip for a meal at a restaurant. (not completed)
44) Donate 5 dollars for any item not completed. (not completed)
45) Donate 500,000 grains through www.freerice.com, and 200,000 trees through www.answer4earth.com)
46) Grow hair long enough; donate hair (find a place to donate to that does not charge clients). (not completed)
47) Clean out closet with the “keep one toss two” rule. Donate to charity. (0 items donated)
48) Participate in an Adopt-a-Child Christmas gift program every year.
Year 1: (not completed)
Year 2: (not completed)
Year 3: (not completed)
49) Send a care package to a soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Iraq: (not completed)
Afghanistan: (not completed).
50) Send 20 anonymous letters to friends to make them feel special (0/20 letters)

Education and Mental Growth
51) Read (or re-read) all 100 books on http://www.best100novels.com/. (0/100 books)
52) Take out 2 books every month from the library. (0/33 months)
53) Study for and retake the GRE, and the Psychology GRE.
General GRE: (not completed)
Psychology GRE: (not completed)
54) Get into a Ph.D. program for Clinical Neuropsychology (not completed)
55) Take two enrichment courses alone (0 courses)
56) Join or start a book club. (not completed)
57) Learn a new language. (not completed)

Finances and Budgeting
58) Put at least 50 dollars per paycheck into savings. (0/72 paychecks)
59) Record every penny spent for 100 days. (0/100 days)
60) Pay off my first loan. ($2,000/$4,000)
61) Get a new eco-friendly laptop. (not completed)
62) Create and stick to budget (not completed)
63) Go 20 non-consecutive weeks without spending any money on food (0/20 weeks)
64) Move CD funds to a higher yield account. (not completed)

Materialism (I’m allowed a little!)
65) Buy 3 new dresses every year (1 of which should be winter-appropriate)
Year 1: (0 dresses)
Year 2: (0 dresses)
Year 3: (0 dresses)
66) Buy a really nice pair of sunglasses that don’t hurt my nose and actually block the sun (not completed)

Personal Growth
67) Go camping. (not completed)
68) Look and feel great in a bikini. (not completed)
69) Master everything on the list of 75 Skills Every Woman Should Master (http://abundance-blog.marelisa-online.com/2008/05/15/75-skills-every-woman-should-master-the-first-25) (0/75 items mastered)
70) Clean up room once every week. This includes vacuuming every month. (0/143 weeks)
71) Watch 50 movies I haven't seen before. (0/50 movies)
72) Compile recipes, and create a cookbook. (not completed)
73) Cook a new dinner once a month (0/33 months)
74) Wake up before 8 AM every day for 2 weeks (0/14 days)
75) Get up without pressing the snooze button every day for 2 weeks (0/14 days)
76) Take the dogs on a walk once a month (between April and November) (0/24 months)
77) Sort all photos into albums. (0 albums)
78) Bake something from scratch once a month (and only eat one serving of it) (0/33 months
79) Do laundry from start to finish every week for 2 months (0/8 weeks)
80) Clean out my car once every other week. This includes washing car every six weeks. (0/72 weeks)
81) Limit myself to 1 hour of internet time outside of work every day. (0/1001 days).
82) Do holiday-related activities for every holiday (i.e. dye Easter eggs, carve pumpkins, make Valentines, make gingerbread houses, etc.) (0 holiday-related activities)
83) Learn to play one sport semi-well. (0 sports)
84) Buy a bookshelf and stock it. (not completed)
85) Identify 101 things that make me happy (0/101 things)
86) Update LJ at least once a week. Include in that update a highlight of the week, something funny that happened, and a person I am grateful for (and why). (0/143 updates)
87) Make a list of 101 things I love about myself. (0/101 things)
88) Say nothing negative about anything or anyone (including myself) for one week straight. (0/7 days)
89) Volunteer for 20 hours every year.
Year 1: (0 hours)
Year 2: (0 hours)
Year 3: (0 hours)
90) Take the stairs whenever possible for 1 month. (0/30 days)
91) Go two months without missing a single day of work or school. (0/60 days)
92) Actually participate in giving up something for Lent every year.
Year 1: (not completed)
Year 2: (not completed)
Year 3: (not completed)
93) Move out of my parents’ house (not completed)
94) Learn and master a new artsy craft (0 crafts learned)
95) Buy a piece of art from the Ann Arbor Art Fair. (0 purchases)
96) Reform wardrobe into all clothes that I like to wear, nothing I don’t like. (not completed)

Room for Inspiration
97) LEAVE OPEN FOR LATER INSPIRATION.
98) LEAVE OPEN FOR LATER INSPIRATION.
99) LEAVE OPEN FOR LATER INSPIRATION.
100) LEAVE OPEN FOR LATER INSPIRATION.

The End
101) Make a new list on day 1000. (not completed)

The List

Start: February 17, 2009
End: November 15, 2011

Mission Logging
1) Create blog to track progress and update once weekly (0/143)
2) Document as many items from this list as possible with photos and post to blog. (0/?)

Family and Friends
3) Make 3 new friends. (0/3)
4) Send anonymous flowers to friend on a random day.
5) Use all of my stationery from Ashley.
6) Go on a weekend trip with Haley.
7) Call Christina, Rachel, Laura, and Lindsey each once a month (0/33)
8) Do something to make Matthew feel special everyday. (0/1001)
9) Take 10 walks with Matthew in different places. (0/10)
10) Tell everyone who is important to me “Happy Birthday” via card or phone call.
11) Have one date a week with Matthew. (0/143)
12) Visit two friends out of state. (0/2)
13) Plan one elaborate candlelight dinner for two.
14) Give 10 "Just because" gifts. (0/10)
15) Send 101 cards or letters for reasons other than Christmas/birthdays. (0/101)
16) Bring baked goods to Grandpa once a month (0/33)
17) Give away/lend 10 books to people I think that will enjoy them. (0/10)
18) Have a girls’ weekend with my Mom and sister.
19) Write a letter to Grandpa Lamping without being unkind.
20) Make time to spend time with Sarah, Ashley, Katie, Haley once every month (0/33).

Culture and Travel
21) Learn something interesting about every country in the world. (0/195)
22) Visit Detroit as if I’m a tourist.
23) Get a wall map of the world and put pins in every city I want to go to.
24) Take pictures in a photo booth in every out-of-state city visited. (0/?)
25) Visit 5 new places (0/5)
26) Add a stamp to my passport
27) Participate in Gimme Your Stuff 3 times (http://gimmeyourstuff.blogspot.com) (0/3)
28) Participate in PostCrossing 10 times (www.postcrossing.com) (0/10)
29) Take a trip completely unplanned. Fill up the car, pick a direction and go.
30) Visit 5 museums in Michigan
31) Take a weekend trip to Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Saugatuck, and Mackinac Island. (0/4)
32) Take a train trip somewhere.

Health and Hygiene
33) Go two weeks without pop or coffee. (0/14)
34) Brush teeth and wash face absolutely every morning and night. (0/1001)
35) Lose 20 pounds
36) Learn to like red wine and drink 3 glasses each week. (0/143)
37) Participate in 3 benefit walks/runs every year (0/9)
38) Start taking a multivitamin everyday. (0/1001)
39) Drink at least 64 oz. water every single day (0/1001)
40) Make exercise part of my daily routine (0/1001)
41) Complete the hundred push-up challenge. (www.Hundredpushup.com)
42) Complete a detoxification program.

Charity and Random Acts of Kindness
43) Pay for someone’s meal at a drive through.
44) Leave a 100% tip for a meal at a restaurant.
45) Donate 5 dollars for any item not completed.
46) Donate 1,000,000 grains through freerice.com (0/1,000,000)
47) Grow hair long enough; donate my hair to locks of love.
48) Clean out closet with the “keep one toss two” rule. Donate to charity.
49) Participate in an Adopt-a-Child Christmas gift program every year (0/3).
50) Send a care package to a soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan (0/2)
51) Loan $25 via Kiva (http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=home)

Education and Mental Growth
52) Take out 2 books every month from the library. (0/33)
53) Study for and retake the GRE, and the Psychology GRE.
54) Get into a Ph.D. program for Clinical Neuropsychology
55) Take two enrichment courses alone (0/2)
56) Join or start a book club.
57) Learn a new language.

Finances and Budgeting
58) Put at least 50 dollars per paycheck into savings. (0/72)
59) Record every penny spent for 90 days. (0/90)
60) Pay off my first loan. ($2,000/$4,000)
61) Get a new laptop.
62) Create and stick to budget
63) Go 12 non-consecutive weeks without spending any money on food (0/12)
64) Move CD funds to a higher yield account.

Materialism (I’m allowed a little!)
65) Buy 3 new dresses every year (1 of which should be winter-appropriate) (0/9)
66) Buy a new pair of walking shoes/ everyday shoes

Personal Growth
67) Build a sand castle.
68) Look and feel great in a bikini.
69) Master everything on the list of 75 Skills Every Woman Should Master (http://abundance-blog.marelisa-online.com/2008/05/15/75-skills-every-woman-should-master-the-first-25/) (0/75)
70) Clean up room once every week. This includes vacuuming every month. (0/143)
71) Watch 50 movies I haven't seen before. (0/50)
72) Compile recipes, and create a cookbook.
73) Cook a new dinner once a month (0/33)
74) Try 15 new restaurants. (0/15)
75) Eat a picnic lunch or dinner in a park or on a beach. (0/1)
76) Go to Eastern Market three times per year. (0/9)
77) Sort all photos into albums. (0/1)
78) Bake something from scratch once a month (and only eat one serving of it) (0/33)
79) Do laundry from start to finish every week for 2 months (0/8)
80) Clean out my car once every other week. This includes washing car every six weeks. (0/72)
81) Limit myself to 1 hour of internet time outside of work every day. (0/1001).
82) Do holiday-related activities for every holiday (dye Easter eggs, carve pumpkins, make Valentines, etc.) (0/?)
83) Mail a secret to PostSecret (www.postsecret.com)
84) Participate in the 365 day challenge (http://www.flickr.com/groups/365days)
85) Identify 101 things that make me happy (not family or friend related) (0/101)
86) Update LJ at least once a week. Include in that update a highlight of the week, something funny that happened, and a person I am grateful for (and why). (0/143)
87) Make a list of 101 things I love about myself.
88) Say nothing negative about anything or anyone (including myself) for one week straight.
89) Volunteer for 20 hours every year. (0/3)
90) Create a time capsule to open when I am 50.
91) List one thing I am grateful for, everyday for a year. (0/365)
92) Actually participate in giving up something for Lent every year (0/3)
93) Get 3 people to do this with me (0/3)
94) Learn and master a new artsy craft
95) Buy a piece of art from the Ann Arbor Art Fair.
96) Complete a crocheted blanket.
97) Go one month without missing a single day of work or school. (0/30)
98) Have a movie night at a drive-in theater (and wear a 50’s outfit!)
99) Move out of my parents’ house

The End
100) Make a new list on day 1000.
101) Celebrate completion of List #1.

The Mission: 101 in 1001

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.