20 in 20 Bucket List: 20 Things I Want to Do in 2020

And just like that, it’s 2020. The start of not only a new year but a new decade. Many people, like myself, are glad to put 2019 behind us and move forward with a fresh start. It was an incredibly difficult year filled with heartbreak and loss and I’ve been looking forward to a new beginning for some time now. Rather than focus on the negative, I thought it would be fun to do something uplifting as we set a course for a new decade.

I saw this “20 in 20” bucket list idea floating around social media. 20 things that you want to do in 2020. I’ve participated in a lot of the new year trends like picking a word of the year (btw, mine is unapologetic) and establishing goals to accomplish. I thought that choosing 20 “bucket list” type of items could be a nice change instead. It gives us something to look forward to. 

In an effort to inspire you to create your own list, I’ve decided to share mine! While thinking of 20 things to do this year, I kept in mind a few timely events that I knew would work in my favor as well as staying realistic about what I could actually make happen in one year. Some of these have been on my mind for a long time, others are just opportunistic. Take a look and tell me in the comments a few things you’d like to do this year.

THINGS FOCUSED ON ME:
1 - Work Towards a Daily Meditation Habit: I started meditating this past fall and while I’m far from mastering the practice, I do find it incredibly beneficial. I’ve used sleep meditations, morning meditations, meditations for grief, and for anxiety. I haven’t created a consistent habit with it though and I’d really like to. It’s far too ambitious to say I’ll start daily today but by the end of this year, I’d like to have a consistent routine.

2 - Work Out 3x Each Week: This is paired closely with the meditation habit because I’m making it a priority this year to focus on myself. I want to establish a much healthier lifestyle so that I feel great inside and out. Working out is something that used to be a stress reliever for me but consistently getting to the gym has been low on my priority list. That’s something I very much want and need to change. I don’t see myself becoming a daily gym rat, which is completely fine, but if I can get into a consistent 3x weekly habit, I’ll consider that a success. I’m already one in for this week!

3 - Stop Apologizing to Make Others Feel Good About Themselves: This one is also in the realm of “focusing on me.” I had to learn this lesson the hard way in 2019. Apologizing to others when you have done nothing wrong only feeds toxic relationships. Boundaries are vital to creating healthy relationships whether that’s with friends, family, coworkers, etc. Sometimes that means standing up for yourself and refusing to apologize just to make others feel better. We need to be kinder to ourselves and that starts by not letting others walk all over us. 

4 - Treat myself to a day of fun and adventure one day each month. My lifestyle has become incredibly stale. What I mean by that is there isn’t a whole lot of spontaneity or excitement. I take a handful of trips throughout the year but when I’m home, I can get reclusive and withdraw into an extreme state of introversion. So this year, I’m planning to schedule one day in my calendar each month for a day of fun and adventure. I haven’t quite decided what these days will include just yet but I’m sure I’ll share them on Instagram. A few ideas I have include taking a day trip to another town and spending the day exploring it, visiting a museum, and things like that. Let me know if you have any ideas!

5 - Take a DNA Test. I’ve wanted for the longest time to find out where I’m from. I know that I’m Polish and Italian but my dad was adopted (fun fact about me) and we don’t have any information about his birth family. I’m really curious to see where I have roots and maybe even integrate that information into future travel plans.

GET SOCIAL:
6 - Send a handwritten letter to someone each week (or at least 2x each month): I love stationery and a long time ago, I even had pen pals. Handwritten letters are a lost novelty with the digital age making it easier to connect than ever. I feel that letters are a great way to reconnect or just surprise someone and brighten their day. I’m not sure if my brain will remember to do this weekly (although I could add a note in my calendar), but I think the goal of sending 2-4 letters each month is satisfactory!

7 - Host My First Dinner Party: There are a lot of big changes coming in 2020 that I’m very much looking forward to but it’s a tad premature to talk about them now. However, one thing I can definitely say is that I’ll finally be able to host my very first dinner party. Having people over for a meal is something that I absolutely love but I haven’t been in a position to be able to do that yet. 

8 - Go to Monthly Networking Events: As a publicist, I know how important networking is and I have been exceedingly terrible at it the last few years (see #4 for explanation). There are so many opportunities for women in business to network here in Chicago and I plan to start taking advantage of them at least once each month. 

9 - Co-Work At Least Once Each Week: Last year, I took up a coworking membership and it was the best decision I’ve made in a while. My only regret is not using it more often. This year, with the exception of vacation time and holidays, I’m planning on heading to a coworking space at least once each week. My productivity is going to skyrocket!

FUN & ENTERTAINMENT:
10 - Read 10 Books I’ve Never Read: I’ve finally developed a bedtime reading habit! I’ve been the worst bookworm lately but the last few months I’ve actually been great about reading. So in 2020, I pledge to read at least 10 books! Now I need to go add that to my Goodreads profile...

11/12 - See Dear Evan Hansen & Waitress: The week before Christmas, my friend Cece and I went to see Hamilton and Phantom of the Opera. It was both of our first time seeing Hamilton and her first time seeing Phantom (my third). I am a HUGE theater nerd but I don’t see nearly as many shows as I’d like to. This year, both Dear Evan Hansen and Waitress are coming back to Chicago and you can bet that I’ll be at both!

13 - Dine at a French Restaurant for Bastille Day: I love everything about French culture, history, and food. One of the most incredible experiences of my life was watching fireworks at the Eiffel Tower on Bastille Day. To celebrate this year, I’m grabbing a friend and heading to a French restaurant on July 14th!

14 - Start Re-Learning French: While we’re talking about France, I’ve wanted to get my French back these last few years. I picked the language up pretty well while I was in Paris with only one year of classes prior to. If I’m consistent with practice, I’m confident I can become fluent again.

15 - Take a Quarterly Cooking Class: It’s no secret that I love food and cooking, so this year, I’m planning to take one cooking class each quarter. This could be a good idea for #4. There are plenty of opportunities in Chicago to take fun cooking classes and I’m sure I could schedule something on a trip too!

TRAVEL:
16 - Go Back to NYC for a Do-Over: I planned a birthday trip to New York City last year after getting tickets to see Moulin Rouge! The Musical for its second night on Broadway. After a brief 36 hours, I was on an early plane home because of a family emergency. Needless to say, the trip was not what I had planned it to be and I barely got to see New York. While the time I did have there was amazing (seriously, Moulin Rouge is the best musical I’ve ever seen), I’m allowing myself a redo. 

17 - Visit Canada: I’m leaning towards Quebec but have an open mind. I’ve wanted to visit Canada for a while, especially since it’s so close to Chicago. It never happened for me and this year feels like the one! 

18 - Travel to Germany & France for Christmas and visit the Christmas Markets: I’ve decided to start a new tradition for myself over Christmas and that’s to travel. I’ve thought about it for a few years now but never had the chance. I’d love to spend the week of Christmas exploring different Christmas markets in Europe and different cultures around the world. To kick things off, I’m hoping I can make a trip to the German and French border. 

19 - Go on a Hike: It’s no secret that nature and I aren’t friends but now that I’ve started to conquer my fear of bugs, I’d really love to take an amateur hike to see what it’s like. I have a friend who absolutely loves nature so something tells me that she’ll be more than willing to lead the way. This could be another idea for #4!

20 - Take a Weekend Road Trip: There are a lot of cute Midwestern towns within a few hours’ drive from Chicago. I’ve talked to friends about taking a weekend road trip for a while now but we never made it happen...until this year! I haven’t decided which state I’ll be venturing to but a weekend road trip will absolutely be in order.

WHAT ARE A FEW THINGS YOU PLAN TO DO IN 2020? SHARE BELOW IN THE COMMENTS.