21 in 2021 List Recap
This essay originally appeared in the Monday morning newsletter on 11/15/21.
Hi! How was your weekend? Whatever you did, I hope it was great. 🙂
I am writing this while on a flight home from San Antonio. It was my first time visiting that city, and I had the best time!! One of my friends from college and I visited our other friend who lives there now with her husband, two dogs and adorable, almost-four-month-old baby girl (Charlotte Elizabeth).
It was a weekend filled with some great conversations, long walks with the stroller, and multiple daily outfit changes for little Charlotte (who was the best sport and really just all-around best baby). It was so surreal seeing my friend in her new role as “mom” and getting to see parts of her life in San Antonio. Such an exciting new chapter.
So, now I’m flying home with my friendship cup filled up and sad the weekend went by so fast… so thank you for indulging me and letting me chat about it for a little bit 😉
In other news, I can’t believe we are at the midpoint of November as of today. Time continues to fly! One thing I’m doing while on my flight today is taking another look at my 21 in 2021 List, or list of 21 things I want to do by end of year. Since end of year is fast approaching, I need to see which things I’ve crossed off and which things I still want to do in these next couple of weeks. I made one of these lists in 2020 as well and find the exercise to be really fun! Stay tuned for my 22 in 2022 List! 🙂
I’m sharing an update on my progress this morning in case it prompts you to take a look at yours too. If you haven’t made a 21 in 2021 List yet but think the idea sounds interesting, I definitely don’t think it’s too late to do so. It could be really fun to make an abbreviated list of things (big and small) that you want to complete before the end of the year. Let me know if you do!
21 in 2021 List:
1. Listen to The Daily most weekday mornings Thanks to a recommendation from one of you, I actually switched from The Daily to NPR’s Up First and do listen to that podcast most mornings. I love including it as part of my routine as I get ready!
2. Buy a light that attaches to my laptop for better lighting in video calls Done!
3. Decide on a note-taking method for nonfiction books Done! To keep it simple I started transcribing my notes into one Google Doc. No fancy organization, although I did add a Table of Contents so that I can remember which books I have notes for.
4. Write in my new one-line-a-day journal most nights Still am doing this and excited to do it next year too!
5. Write 12 monthly recaps to remember little things that happened On track with this! All monthly recaps can be found here if you are interested. Love writing these.
6. Organize photos from college to now Okay, I have not started this at all, so am thankful for this reminder! Going to try to do this in December.
7. Read 50 books I am currently at 42 books for the year, so feel like I should be able to hit this one! When thinking about my favorites, it is hard to get my list down to just a few. Feel like I have read some really great books this year! But if I was picking some to highlight, I would select Malibu Rising, People We Meet on Vacation, Homegoing and Midnight Library for fiction and Drop the Ball, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and Think Again for nonfiction.
8. Read for 21 minutes every day This is now part of my routine and while I don’t do it every single day, I definitely do it MOST days and think that is a win!
9. Go the whole year without mindlessly scrolling social media before bed (see above) Similarly, love that this is just part of my routine. Of course, there are some days I still find myself scrolling before bed, but yay that it’s no longer automatic.
10. Help plan a unique celebration of life event for my grandma This happened over Fourth of July weekend and it was so special <3
11. Purchase art for apartment Done!
12. Weekly phone call with a friend or family member I realized a call feels daunting to me for some reason, which makes me likely to put this off. So instead of not reaching out altogether, I adjusted this one to proactively text a friend or family member each week and I’ve been doing that consistently!
13. Say “yes” as much as possible when asked to do something by someone for the first time Going well!
14. Make a meaningful donation to two different organizations Need to get on this… maybe for Giving Tuesday?!
15. Join a running group I put this off with my running inquiry, which I am mostly over (yay!), but I don’t have plans right now to try one… maybe next year.
16. Plan a virtual get-together or trip with friends or family members each quarter Check!
17. Go on a solo adventure monthly My solo adventure usually involves me taking myself out for dinner with a book, but need to definitely do some kind of festive adventure before end of year.
18. Purchase a meaningful piece of jewelry Done!
19. Start a new monthly series for the newsletter Lighter & Brighter series!
20. Get a facial and learn more about my skin from an esthetician Went to Leah Chavie in July and she was wonderful. Highly recommend if you are in Chicago or Amelia Island! (She has locations in both those areas).
21. Master baking a dessert and declare it my “go-to” dessert dishThink these cookies are going to be my new go-to dessert recipe SO GOOD!
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