My Wish List
When I woke up this morning, I stole a few quiet moments to myself. I had a good night’s sleep and my mind was clear, so I began to think about…well nothing specific…just life. I thought about all the things I’ve accomplished, the people I love, the love I’ve lost, the new people I’ve met, and the places I’ve been. I said a quick prayer of thanks because my life is full, I enjoy what I do everyday, I am loved by many and blessed beyond measure.
What more can a girl want?
I am happy.
Then I began thinking about all the things I’d like to experience that will continue adding joy to my life. My post, I’ve Lived a Sheltered Life, came to mind. In October 2007, I wanted to experience:
1. Fourteen day European vacation.
2. Live abroad for 1 year to experience another culture.
3. Take a gourmet cooking class.
4. Attend a wine tasting/learn to select a good wine.
5. Learn to ski and ice skate.
6. Attend my BabyGirl’s college high school graduation.
7. Visit the Motherland.
8. Go scuba diving and deep sea fishing.
9. Go mountain climbing.
10. Help build a Habitat for Humanities house.
Some things change and some things stay the same. More than a year and a half later, I’ve only completed #4 and #5, and I no longer have a desire to do #8. Based on my thoughts today, the following experiences will fill my CUP OF JOY to the rim:
This Year and Next
- Attend my BabyGirl’s high school graduation
- Attend Family Orientation Day at BabyGirl’s college of choice
- Drop off my BabyGirl at college and help set up her dorm room
- Caribbean Cruise
- 7+ day European vacation
- 3 day solo beach trip
- Take a gourmet cooking class
- Go mountain climbing
- Achieve my goal weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle
- Sell my townhome
- Build a $50k liquid safety net
- Earn a promotion and increase income by $10k+
5+ Years
- Attend my BabyGirl’s college graduation
- Visit the Motherland
- Earn a law degree
- Practice law within my current career field
Lifetime
- Live abroad for 1 year to experience another culture
- Help build a Habitat for Humanities house
- Marry only the one man that God has created for me and become a mom again
- Attend my BabyGirl’s wedding
- Spoil at least one grand child
- Retire at 57, practice law PT, volunteer, and travel 4x per year
As you can see, my happiness quotient revolves around my BabyGirl and traveling. Most things are within my control and some are not. Very few items have anything to do with money or material things because money is merely a means to an end and provides a safety net to ensure that I focus on what’s important to me – family and life experiences. Despite the inevitable roadblocks of life, if I experience at least 80% of these things, my life will be complete.
Do you ever stop to think about what really makes you happy?
Is your current lifestyle aligned and on a path to accomplish the things that will make you happy? If no, why not and what are you going to do about it TODAY?
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I am glad that I learned early on, that family and those you love are what is worth having more then anything else.
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I am happy with the way things are. They are not perfect but life is always a work in progress. There are certain goals that I need to work harder towards, because I am the queen of procrastination. In the last few weeks I’ve leaned more on my close group of girlfriends to get me through. There is nothing like the love and support of friends and family.
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Just wanted to say I really enjoy your blog. I’ve been reading it on and off for a couple of years now and find fabulous financials inspirational, interesting and entertaining! At 42 I finally understand what really makes me happy…. Took a while I know but now that I’m here life just gets better and better. At 38 I had just come out of a long marriage, in a “new” country (New Zealand), with three children, no family nearby, minimal help from my children’s father and a lot of STD (No, not sexually transmitted disease – but sexually transmitted DEBT) from my ex-husband. Life was extremely tough financially but thanks to a positive attitude and capable mind, I’m finally on track financially and emotionally and am LOVING my life. Thanks again for the blog – reading the content certainly has inspired me along the way.
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This was a great post. I really have never sat down and thought about what would make me really happy. I’m happy now … but not REALLY happy. I’m hoping next week when I’m on vacation I’ll be able to do just that while I’m lying on the beach.
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Great post and I did notice how instrumental BabyGirl is to your happiness.
Being with people I love, travel and sports really bring me joy. I also have fitness and finance goals, but they serve to help me do the things that bring me joy.
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An MBA & JD?! Loves it! Your list is great…an inspiration to create my own. There is nothing like the power of writing it down and crossing off accomplished milestones. Lol at you crossing out becoming a mom again. Many blessings!
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“Build a $50k liquid safety net” you go girl!!!
My list is a little similar
I want to Visit Africa (Capetown) and stay here
I want to retire 45-50ish
I also want to take a long Carribean cruise
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How poignant — and honest — to return to your list from two years ago, and revise it.
Your list is so inspiration, and I love what you write about BabyGirl. Mine is similar, although I do imagine a life partner in there somewhere…. That’s what stood out about your list, as I read it: do you imagine having a reliable, loving, grounded man in your life in the next 5 years?
I can tell by your question that you didn’t really read the post. [-SM]
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Hi, I noticed that one of your goals was to go mountain climbing. I wanted to suggest a website that a co-worker told me about a few months ago that may help you cross that goal off you list. The website is called meetup.com. It is a website that lists clubs with special interests to help people with the same interests, “meetup”, like mountain climbing. My biggest challenge lately has been trying to find people who have interests in things outside of eating out, going to movies and shopping. Although, I love all of the things listed, I have other interests that my core friends just don’t seem to want to do with me. Since I found meetup.com, I’ve found an adult roller skating club, a club does only volunteer work, a hiking club and next week I’m going ziplining. I’ve also met some really nice people to boot. All of the clubs that I’ve joined have been free, although there are some that require a membership fee. When the club posts an activity, you just R.S.V.P. and you show up for the event. Yes, I know it sounds like an advertisement, but I’m being sincere in saying that I’m glad that I’ve found the website. I don’t know where you live but the website will ask you to type in your zip code and it will list all the clubs in your area. I recently told my best friend, who now lives in Hawaii, about the site and she joined a Spanish club so that she can brush up on her language skills that have gotten a bit rusty. You may want to see if you can find a club in your area.
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Oh, I also forgot to mention that in my city they also have a gourmet cooking class meetup as well as several travel clubs.
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Yes, I sometimes do think about what really makes me happy: being really connected to my family, intellectual stimulation and growth, feeling like what I do and how I do it matters in some way in the world and having a sense of balance within myself. Not really specific to a job, finances or experience, but I find when these things are in place, I am truly happy.
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Seeing success of my child would make me happy beyond anything else in the world. She got a second lease on life few years back and she is a good kid, but for the past couple of years she has been very difficult-both in school and at home. I think I would be happy just with knowing that she has a secure future-good education, good survival skills, a man whom she loves and who loves her, etc.
Everything that I did not get a chance to have so far and might not have at all, but for her I want it all. My mother had even less than me-we come from a former communist country and if you know anything about communism, then you know it is pretty Spartan lifestyle there. My mom had a degree in engineering, but she was earning less money than a factory worker would. and we had lines for everything that was not bread and potatoes-milk, cheese, eggs,meat, veggies, etc.-everything you had to get in line and wait for couple of hours to get what you needed at the grocery store.
I am greatful I have more than she could and can even share with her and give her some good things in life now, in her 70s.
I want my daughter never to know hunger or shortage or be afraid or be with a bad man just because he is a good provider.
That would make me really happy and content.
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What a great list. I have something similar, that I keep with me in a secret compartment of my wallet – along with it is a list of all the places I want to go.
Nice One!
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