“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”- Steve Jobs

Okay, full disclosure here: bucket lists freak me out. A lot. I hate being confronted with the possibility that our time is limited. But as 2016 comes to a close and I prepare to move into the year when I graduate college and start the next chapter of my life, I’m realizing that I’m facing stagnation.

When people ask me what I miss most about my semester abroad, I tell them I miss my relentless pursuit of activities and absorption of the world around me. Now, I’m afraid of just going through the motions without taking the time to push myself, like I did when I was abroad, to get out of my comfort zone and experience things.

My friend, mentor, and all-around inspiration Keri Betters made one of these bucket lists a long time ago. I thought it was awesome how she challenged herself to accomplish goals, whether they were short-term or something she wanted to do for most of her life. I always told myself that, eventually, I would make my own list and get myself to try things I’ve wanted to do, but never had the courage to pursue. As I move into 2017, I’ve decided this is the time.

I hope you’ll join me and encourage me as I pursue 101 goals over 1001 days, and I hope I come out of this challenge a different person than I am today as I write this blog. It’s time to embrace life, embrace experiences, and embrace bucket lists as we all start this New Year.

101 in 1001 Days Challenge

Start Date: January 1, 2017

End Date: September 29, 2019

Educational

1. Complete the Mass Communications major from the University of Delaware (May 2017)
2. Earn my honors degree in Mass Communications from UD (May 2017)
3. Graduate Magna Cum Laude in May 2017 (May 2017)
4. Write thank you notes to everyone who impacted my college career, both students, mentors, and professionals alike (May 2017)
5. Create an awesome graduation cap design (May 2017)
6. Give the speech at the Communications convocation ceremony
7. Leave guides for all of the leadership roles in clubs and organizations I am leaving behind
8. Make Dean’s List every semester (May 2017)
9. Get inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa society

Professional

10. Land a full-time job or internship after graduation (March 2017)
11. Do the work you love
12. Read the news every day, from both PR and global publications
13. Find a podcast you like and listen to it regularly (The Vergecast; February 2018)
14. Commit to watching at least one TED Talk a week
15. Create a list of professional development books you’d like to read
16. Create a content marketing calendar for your blog at paxtonmittleman.com– and stick to it
17. Create your own email for the website
18. Kickstart a professional inspiration newsletter for students in college (March 2017)
19. Learn the Adobe Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, etc.)
20. Take a coding class
21. Become a member of PRSA (June 2017)
22. Guest blog at least 3 different times (1/3 August 2017) 
23. Get recognized in my new job for quality performance (Two promotions; June 2018 and April 2019) 
24. Hit 2,000 followers on my Twitter account @PaxtonMittleman
25. Attend a PRSA Conference
26. Make new business cards (LATEST business card update- May 2019)
27. Find my tribe, or my solid network of contacts (Paxton’s Army)
28. Create a master resume to draw from when sending out applications
29. Attend a FindSpark event

Physical

30. Run a 10K (September 2019) 
31. Run a half marathon
32. Try boxing (July 2019) 
33. Try martial arts
34. Try a BodyPump class at the University of Delaware
35. Try spaghetti squash (February 2017)
36. Create a healthy recipe book

Mental

37. Learn the proper way to mediate
38. Once you’ve learned, practice meditation
39. Make an effort to get to more yoga classes
40. Keep track of your finances (Ongoing, but truly got my financial life together in July 2018) 
41. Learn and invest in stocks (May 2019) 
42. Say “I love you” to family and friends every day
43. Go one week without complaining
44. Create and keep a budget (February 2019) 

45. Go on a social media detox (Multiple weeks of this!) 
46. Schedule regular bubble baths, and stick to that promise
47. Purge the Facebook friends off of your account
48. Start change jars for: savings, spending, giving, and going.
49. Unsubscribe from unwanted emails
50. Learn how to coupon, and coupon well
51. Get your own bank account, separate from The Parentals

Travel

52. Go back to London
53. Visit a new country
54. Visit a new state (Portland, OR, January 2018)
55. Visit a new city (June 2017)
56. Go on a cross-country road trip
57. Create a travel savings plan
58. Deposit money into the travel savings “account” at least once a month
59. Keep a travel journal
60. Finish scrapbook from London study abroad trip in 2016
61. Create a wall piece out of the postcards accumulated from the study abroad trip
62. Move to a new city (June 2017)
63. Visit 3 new National Parks (1/3 – Muir Woods, June 2017) 
64. Go on a solo travel adventure
65. Explore a new park, without your phone
66. Master the NYC subway
67. Get lost in Greenwich Village for the day
68. Visit the Paley Center for Media

Personal Lifestyle

69. Participate in a Habitat for Humanity project
70. Learn to play the guitar
71. Go to a Paint Night (December 2018) 
72. Learn a new language
73. Reconnect with an old friend
74. Go through and get rid of memorabilia that lacks meaning
75. See Hamilton on Broadway (November 2017) 
76. Fall in love again (July 2018) 
77. Move into my own apartment (August 2017)
78. Get my own cats (Yay cats!)
79. Ski at Vail
80. Invest in regular manicures
81. Skydive
82. Get your ears pierced for those second holes (February 2017) 
83. Find a pen pal
84. Create a Boredom Jar to limit your use of technology
85. Complete a major DIY project
86. Save and buy my own car
87. Join a singing group again
88. Re-start my “3 Things I’m Grateful For” journal
89. Learn to curl my hair really well
90. Do a Color Run (October 2017) 
91. Become a morning person
92. Get rid of old clothing and books and donate them to charity (May 2019) 
93. Have a Harry Potter movie marathon- no sleeping!
94. Go to Harry Potter World at Universal Studios in Florida
95. Be part of a musical
96. Get a tattoo
97. Attend a taping of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert
98. Swim with dolphins
99. Go scuba diving
100. Give yourself the gift of a spa day
101. Inspire someone to take on the 101 in 1001 Days challenge (January 2017)