30 Before 30

It's my birthday week! I will be 27 – not 30 as the post title probably misleads. However, because I will be marking the close of another blessed year of life, I thought it fitting to share a personal list I developed in my early 20s of thirty things I hope to accomplish before I turn 30.

1. Live alone  –  I had the opportunity to live alone at a young age up until I was married, and I am very grateful to have had the experience. I learned so much about life and myself which came in handy for marriage.  
2. Earn my Bachelor's and Master's degrees – I hold a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications and a Master's Degree in Business Administration. Sometimes I think about going back to school. Right now is not one of those times.
3. Fall in love, plan a wedding, and get married – I have a wonderful husband of 4.5 years to prove it!
4. Be actively involved in at least three church ministries  –  I'm actively involved in the hospitality ministry and the media ministry at Pentecostal Tabernacle as well as a staff member of Apostolic Camp International.
5. Be a bridesmaid in a wedding – This seems like a silly goal, but it stems from cherishing the value of and feeling cherished in a friendship. Thanks to my good friend Karian who got married last year, I was able to cross it off of my list!
6. Invest in a quality black handbag – Again, thanks to Karian, she invested in one for me. Gotta love her.
7. Train for and run a half marathon  – Yeah.
8. Lose 10lbs 20lbs – All credit belonging to my son (OK, and maybe a little bit to my horrible eating and workout habits), I totally backtracked on this one.  
9. Hang up photos from my wedding in my home – Long story. But long story short, 4.5 years later this goal still has not been reached.
10. Redesign my blog – Reflecting on my old design, I'm so glad I took care of this goal sooner than later.
11. Go on a 40-day fast – The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
12. Develop a better/stronger relationship with my husband and family – I am SO happy to report that I have grown leaps and bounds since creating this list. Of course, there is always progress to be made, but trust and believe my relationships are not where they used to be.
13. Do something spontaneous – I'm still working on this one. I am NOT the spontaneous type.
14. Move to a new city (even if only temporarily for a job or ministry opportunity) – My husband and I were on the verge of making this a reality several times, but now that our son is here, this may be a tough one. We'll see!
15. Have a baby – This totally happened. Check my Instagram.
16. Grow my hair passed BSL – My hair is at BSL now, which seems to be its plateau. However, my goals have changed. I'm going more for strength and thickness than for length. I've never been disciplined enough to keep up with a hair regimen, but I started one last week. Let's see how well I do.
17. Learn Spanish (again) – I was fluent in Spanish throughout undergrad as a result of several years of high school and college Spanish classes under my belt coupled with working in a largely Hispanic community. I'd really like to regain my confidence in the language and pass it on to my son. I believe it would be one of the greatest gifts I could give him.
18. Go on a European Tour and/or visit South Africa – As of right now, I'm leaning towards setting the firm goal to do both. I'm hoping to tackle Europe in 2015 (previously, I've only been to the UK) which may leave room for me to visit South Africa the year after or definitely before I'm 30.
19. Volunteer and get more involved in my community – Within the last month, I volunteered to become a mentor with Women of Tomorrow, a not-for-profit mentor and scholarship program for at-risk girls in the public high school system. I was actually a beneficiary of the program myself when I was in high school, so I consider it a great honor to now be numbered among the elite group of WOT mentors.
20. Reach personal financial goals – I almost crossed this one off, but after giving it some more thought, there is just one more financial goal I'd like to accomplish before I do.
21. Complete 14 bible classes – To-date, I have completed 8, but I haven't taken a bible class in over a year. My schedule is so hectic right now, but it's a desire of mine to get back on track with bible classes. I must make time for the Word of God, and I found that taking bible classes was the best way for me to do that.
22. Reach personal blogging goals – My goals used to be numbers-based, but they aren't anymore. Now I want to focus on quality over quantity. Stay tuned.
23. Try a signature dish from all 196 countries – My husband doesn't think I can do it. I admit, I have doubts myself, but I'm positive that I have the appetite for it. 
24. Go skiing – Since I'm absolutely not going to sky dive, this will suffice.
25. Earn a senior level position at my place of employment – Woop, woop! You're reading the blog of a Senior Account Executive of a public relations firm, ya'll! It was a challenge to get to where I am, but it's definitely made me a stronger, more focused person and a better employee. Now, I have even higher professional goals to reach.
26. Do something fashionable or artistic that I’m proud of and will last forever – Thanks to my collaboration with Made By, I was able to design a dress! Love it.
27. Own a home (with a yard) with my husband – We. Are. So. Close.
28. Host a holiday dinner – We hosted Thanksgiving for 22 people last week! It was A-MAZING!
29. Vote in a state or city election – I missed the last one, but don't judge me. I'll have another chance before the big 3-0.
30. Read 30 books – See, what had happened was... I need to get on this one. I think I'm on book number two. Readers are leaders, and I do read. I have to read the news and articles to stay up-to-date on my clients' industries. However, reading for leisure is important to me, and I vow to make time for it.

There you have it, folks. This list was very personal to me, but I'm glad I shared it. It inspired me to hold myself accountable and reach the 17 goals that haven't yet gotten crossed off. Maybe I'll check in next year and update you all on my progress. Wish me the best!