it's my last year in my thirties. here are the things i'm hoping to accomplish.

i turned 39 in february and the milestone-counter in me can't let that number slip by without acknowledging it's my last year in my thirties. as a hugely nostalgic person, i spend a lot of time looking back, comparing then and now, and keeping a tally items on an imaginary list that i have or have not done. so, with just over 11 months until my 40th birthday, i'm taking stock of what i want to do before my next decade begins.

1. write! well what do you know, the first item on my list is... this. as a person who loves to write, i have done shockingly little writing in the last decade. i could blame the list of cliches: kids, moving, jobs, etc. but i think the real problem is i just haven't had the focus or the dedication. there is always going to be a distraction, but i have let enough time go by without exercising my greatest passion, and that ends now. i'm making a point to write here more in the next 11 months.
2. respond. one of the biggest ways the pandemic has impacted me personally is that i feel like i've lost or let dwindle some friendships that i wish were closer. much has been said of the death of the acquaintance thanks to the pandemic, and i have certainly been victim of that, but also, i have gotten into some terrible friendship habits that i need to stop. the first one i can think of is: responding to text messages! does anyone else read a text from a friend, smile, and then put your phone down? why am i so averse to responding in real time? i think i conditioned myself to thinking i had to wait to respond so i don't look desperate, and that has seriously damaged my ability to have text conversations. so i've been working on responding immediately, or as soon as i can, to text messages, and to reaching out to friends more often. i think this will increase my happiness and make me feel more connected to the people i love and don't get to see often.
3. reach out. along with #2, i am going to make a better effort with local friends. i've said for a long time that i had the best friends in chicago and prior to my life in cleveland, but now almost 5 (!!!) years into living here, i am feeling like i still haven't established a solid group here. i think this is hard because we all have families and kids, but it's also because scott and i tend to be very insular in our free time. we just stick to the 4 of us a lot, and i love that, but i need to remember that whenever we include friends and other kids in our plans, it's always better! fiona loves having other kids around and it makes things easier on us as parents too. so, i'm going to try reaching out to more local friends more often, even for spur-of-the-moment-outings.
4. rethink. at an age where most people are completely established in their careers, and even my own husband is devoted to the job he will likely be doing for the rest of his working life, i am at a point of rethinking my career. i've been considering a career change for the last several years, but have only recently resolved to do it. hopefully by this time next year i'll feel more fulfilled by my career, or be on my way there.

so that's it! i'm keeping this list short so that i can remain focused and committed to these goals. i hope future bridget's life is enriched by these efforts.