A few weeks ago, I told you that I want to branch out and blog about other things besides writing. I’ve decided to do something that I’ve wanted to do for a while now: create a challenge list.

First, a little background. Jodi Kendall, a fellow kid lit writer and one of my weekly write night buddies, has been challenging herself to try new things and documenting it on her blog. Each time I read one of her challenge posts, I feel so inspired. So far she’s done a little of everything, from taking a Bikram yoga class everyday for 30 days to learning how to cook organically. I love the idea of bettering yourself by having new experiences and – cheesy as it sounds - living life to its fullest.

I decided to take her idea and combine it with another challenge I’ve seen around the blogosphere: thirty before 30. As the title suggests, I’ve created a list of thirty things I’d love to accomplish before I turn thirty-years-old. My 27th birthday was in July so I have a little less than 3 years. I’m excited to see where this challenge takes me, and I think it will result in a happier and more well-rounded me.

Here’s my list, seperated into the following categories:

Writing/Reading
Social Media
Travel
Learning
Personal/Health/Wellness

1. Finish revising The Right Exposure
2. Query literary agents
3. Write at least two more novels
4. Write a picture book
5. Go to an SCBWI LA conference
6. Read 150 books
7. Go on a writing retreat
8. Create a vlog
9. Participate in 10 twitter chats
10. Improve my blog (add additional tabs to the top, etc.)
11. Travel to at least one other continent
12. Visit a local winery
13. Visit Las Vegas
14. Take a Spanish conversation class
15. Learn to knit
16. Purchase and learn to use a DSLR camera
17. Learn yoga
18. Do something I’ve never done before
19. Complete Couch to 5K
20. Run a 5K
21. Do 6 volunteer projects (2 per year)
22. Do something nice for a friend, just because
23. Send someone a handwritten letter
24. Do 5 touristy NYC activities
25. Treat myself to a spa day
26. Be a vegetarian for a week
27. Bake a cake
28. Buy a house
29. See Book of Mormon on Broadway
30. Throw a fun 30th birthday bash

I could come up with many more things I’d like to accomplish, but this challenge is a start. As I complete something on my list, I’ll blog about it. I’ll also create a new tab so I can cross things off the list as I go and share the links to the posts. Some of these I’ve done before but want to do again (travel to another continent) but others I’ve never done (like bake a cake!). At least one (buying a house) depends on timing but I hope to achieve every one of these things before I turn the big 3-0.

By the way, when it came to the writing challenges, I made a point to only list things I have control over. I can write a book and query agents but I can’t control whether or not I get published. I’ll do everything in my power to make that happen, but in the end, it’s up to the agents and publishers to sign me.

I hope you guys will enjoy my future posts about this challenge! If you were to make your own challenge list, what would be on it? Another popular one is the Day Zero Project, where you list 101 things you’d like to accompllish in 1001 days. Maybe I’ll do that one next!