Personal Musings

Bringin’ It Back — 100 In a Year: A List Of Fun, Engaging + Spontaneous ISH To Do In One Year’s Time

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If you’ve been following my blog for a couple of years, then this is nothing new to you. I started this project (100 In a Year) within my first year of blogging back in 2012. Around that time, I was in my last year of graduate school and simply living life in a city where there’s an endless amount of fun ISH to do and consume your free time with. Unfortunately, after a few months of starting the project, I kind of, sort of… let it drift away — without the intention of doing so. I mean come on, surviving Howard University as a graduate student is NO. CUP. OF. TEA!

But I survived :) And although it’s been a couple of years later, I’m at a point in my life now where I’m blessed to be able to come + go as I please, travel and have the complete freedom to do what I want — and when I want. (Well, as long as I can work something out with my job, then sure, why not?)

Needless to say, this 20-something is bringin’ it back — full throttle like it never left. I’m young and in charge and I’m ready to pick-up the pieces from minor setbacks, downfalls, failures, mistakes, heartbreaks and much more of what life throws at me. And of course, just to LIVE LIFE because you owe it to yourself. You’re owed to having amazing adventures and happiness wherever the wind blows you. One thing’s for sure, just NEVER STOP living, regardless.

So let me explain.

My list of 100 In a Year aren’t necessarily goals… well majority of them aren’t, but I believe them to be fun, inspiring, motivating, reflective, uplifting, positive, + just things to keep me busy as I continue to grow + discover who I really am, and other qualities that I possess, while I live my life on a more happier, experienced, worry-free level.  The original game came from Day Zero Project in which the ultimate task is to complete 101 goals in 1,001 days; however those are more thought out and require more of a life changing result type of thing. But instead of going that extreme route, I’m going to take it slow and just do a year long challenge. So join me?

  • The Mission: To complete 100 personal projects in exactly one year.

  • The Criteria: Projects must be specific, measurable, realistic and well defined.

  • MY Start Date: April 1, 2016

  • MY Deadline: April 1, 2017

  • Items Completed: 6/100

As I complete each project, I will come back and mark through them as well as blog about the experience I had. And you don’t have to go in order… you just only have a year!

  1. Take a spontaneous, unplanned trip somewhere for 1 weekend.
  2. Lay down on the grass, and stare at the stars.
  3. Update/renew my passport. (Ended up doing the entire process over again because I had little validity and well… my hair. What a shame? Application is currently at the Department of State. I’m awaiting to receive it in the mail.) Completion// June 3, 2016
  4. Take myself on an international trip (either with friends, or solo.)
  5. Kiss in the rain.
  6. Go completely vegetarian for 1 week. (0/1)
  7. Go completely vegan for 1 week. (0/1)
  8. Write a message in a bottle — set it free.
  9. Write an old fashioned love letter and send it in the mail (I suppose you have to be in love for this one, ha. Or could be something I’d like to repair from my past.)
  10. Discover a new hobby.
  11. Buy 3 random meals for homeless people. (2/3)
  12. Read + Study the New Testament.
  13. Try uncooked sushi.
  14. Write down all of my bad memories on paper… and burn it.
  15. Travel back home and surprise my family.
  16. Completely unplug from social media + distractions for one week.
  17. One night, get cozy in a bathtub full of bubbles with candles lit and wine on the side, and tweet inspirational sayings like @RevRunWisdom.
  18. Get my eyebrows threaded.
  19. Buy a small caged pet and take care of it, lol. I couldn’t even finish the sentence without laughing at myself. (Beta fish, turtle, rabbit..) If you know me, then you know this is probably a #fail.
  20. Visit my 1st cousin and God brother in California. (He’s an engineer for Apple, like the real deal, so that should be pretty cool + adventurous.)
  21. Start my own business and let it thrive.
  22. Get invisalign. (What a shame I have to do this. I got braces way back while in high school, under my parent’s expense of course — and I only had to get them for my bottom teeth because my top are pretty legit. Well, that experience was successful until I kept losing my bottom retainer. Teeth shifted back and now I have to take care of it on my own expense.)
  23. Take a culinary class. (Seriously, i LOVE cooking and having fun in the kitchen creating flavors and such… but where’s the time?)
  24. Go sailing.
  25. Meet, befriend and hang out with a foreigner. (I’ve completed this several times, however, not recently. Would love to make more foreign friends.)
  26. Start a new wardrobe that compliments my personal style and trends. (A lot of people don’t know that I really am into fashion, but I’ve completely fallen off. Big Time. I’ve started, but will document once I’m satisfied :)
  27. Go cycling in the city. (I’ve done this in both NYC and DC, but again — not recently. Enjoyed it enough to want to do it again!)
  28. Read a book/month. (This is easy-peasy for me, but since I love reading, it’s a go!) (0/12)
  29. Go on a BAEcation (Actually looking forward to this one. Haven’t gone on one since my  last SERIOUS relationship.)
  30. Go apple and berry picking.
  31. Go on a real picnic date — full — with food, wine, snacks and conversation)
  32. Go on a day trip.
  33. Paint + Sip.
  34. Make homemade pizza on a Friday night.
  35. Assist a family member with one expense/bill.
  36. Go shooting at a gun range.
  37. Spend half a day at a spa/massage salon.
  38. Try 10 types of ethnic cuisine. (I’ve done this before also, but never documented.) (3/10)
  39. Go ice-skating.
  40. Write letters to 5 people who’ve inspired or influenced me in some way. (0/5)
  41. Ban negativity from my life. (Completion // April 1, decided I was not going to involve myself in mess, drama, FOOLS who make bad decisions that affect the ones that love them, or around people who are just bored with life.)
  42. Get something pierced. (Got my nose re-pierced with a tiny diamond — Completion // April 2, 2016)
  43. Go hiking in the Fall. (Nothing new. I’ve gone hiking plenty, plenty and I truly enjoy it.)
  44. Post to Instagram at least once, daily. (I’ve fallen off already, because… well I just fell off. But picking back up in 3.. 2..)
  45. Start an emergency/savings fund. (Actually started this prior to 2016 and it’s been growing nicely :)
  46. Forgive others.
  47. Forgive myself.
  48. Make homemade pickles.
  49. Play a game of paintball.
  50. Plan an interesting date night.
  51. Get a henna tattoo.
  52. Cook with my partner.
  53. Go 24 hours in silence.
  54. Learn conversational Spanish (Given that I work at a bilingual school, I’m almost there!)
  55. Read a classic novel.
  56. Send a care package to someone.
  57. Drink only water for a week.
  58. Jump at a trampoline house.
  59. Participate in the color run and/or marathon.
  60. Take a pole dancing class.
  61. Take a Zumba class.
  62. Go horseback riding.
  63. Take a train to another state.
  64. Vacation solo.
  65. Write a mini ebook.
  66. Take a writing break in the sun.
  67. Get fitter than I’ve ever been.
  68. Complete the Pantone Project.
  69. Purchase a bike.
  70. Attend AfroPunk Fest.
  71. Bake a cheesecake.
  72. Go on a date, doing random things for one day.
  73. Attend a broadway show.
  74. Create new content on my blog.
  75. Re-start my internship blog program.
  76. Crochet one complete backpack collection (maybe for Winter 2016/Spring 2017)
  77. Read/have a picnic/or dance in Central Park, NYC.
  78. Fill-up an entire Adult Coloring book.
  79. Make amends with my past.
  80. Be featured on a social media platform, article, or anywhere else on the internet. (Completion // April 7 on Instagram @LocLivin)
  81. Attend a ballet.
  82. Create an entire family on The Sims 4 via macbook.
  83. Shoot + edit a mini video of any sort.
  84. Do a photoshoot with a professional photographer.
  85. Eat something foreign that looks disgusting.
  86. Go go-kart racing.
  87. Go to the airport and take a flight randomly. (Idk about this one, but my spirit is down for risk-taking!)
  88. Call someone, tell them to look out their window, and be standing on their front lawn. (lol)
  89. Collect 50 shot glasses.
  90. Complete the IMDB Top 250 Movies.
  91. Do something absolutely spontaneous and risky.
  92. Don’t use my phone for a day.
  93. Become someone’s mentor. (I’ve actually been a mentor several times before, but I’d love to take this to the next step of making someone my protege.)
  94. Attend an MLB game.
  95. Get a professional media invite to an A-List event.
  96. Successfully prank someone.
  97. Donate to breast cancer awareness.
  98. Speak to a class at my alma mater’s, Jackson State — Mass Communication Dept. (I’ve done this several times before, but recently got asked to speak this Spring.)
  99. Pay my tithes, every month.
  100. Spend one day doing fun stuff with both of my nephews (Austin + Jace).

So there you have it folks — I’ve created my list and ready to go forth into this year of happiness, fulfillment + achievement of life’s little tasks while continuing to inspire and share my heart with the world :)

Ready… Set… GO!

xoxo, Char