the 22 list | recap

Earlier in June, with just a little over three months left to complete the 22 list, I realized that I had to face reality and accept the fact that I wasn’t going to get everything on the 22 list done before my next birthday. (This sounds vaguely familiar. Maybe this happened last year too? Are my overachiever tendencies showing through here?)

Anyhow, my overachieving self had a little trouble reconciling that fact. But then I decided that instead of focusing on all I wouldn’t accomplish, I would focus on working as hard as I could with the time left to do what I could.

So with my birthday just around the corner, here’s what I have to show for the 22 list. I will readily admit it isn’t much, but I like to think that at least something is better than nothing.

Since a lot of these items are in-progress, technically I can’t cross them off the list, although I did work on them during the past year.

1. Try 22 new recipes. I can proudly say that I completed this one and it’s still one of my favorite things to do on the list.
2. Read at least one book a month. I successfully finished reading six books, which is about one book in two months. Since I don’t typically have much time to read, I’d say that’s pretty good.
3. Run a half-marathon. So much fun with this one.
4. Write a business plan/start a business.
5. Document life. This is still a work-in-progress but I love everything that has been documented so far.
6. Make a recipe folder.
7. Make at least six creative projects. I have my six projects planned out. I just haven’t started on them yet (oops).
8. Bind a book.
9. Establish a routine. This one has been so hard. But it’s something I’m constantly, regularly working on each new day.
10. Learn to take better pictures. This one is always, always a work-in-progress. But I took the Phone Photography Project 2 with Big Picture Classes this summer and I’m starting to apply some of the things I picked up.
11. Learn how to use Photoshop/Photoshop Elements OR HTML/CSS (or both). I started with the basics of HTML; I need to finish this though.
12. Take an online/craft class. I signed up for several online classes this year and I’m taking my time to work through them because there’s so much good stuff! (But I’ll share more about this in a future blog post.)
13. Make a project using cork.
14. Sew something.
15. Make jewelry.
16. Stay on the Dean’s list. YES. So grateful for this.
17. Paint something. Does the cork project count?
18. Make something with canvas.
19. Make a DIY with bobby pins. 
20. Use a sharpie for a DIY. My supplies are ready to go – I just need to plan this out and do it!
21. Write/send five pieces of snail mail. The last piece of mail is going out next week!
22. Carve a stamp.

Like I said, I didn’t complete as many things as I would’ve liked because the days were so full with school and life (I’m not complaining though!).

But next year, I’m working on turning all my good intentions into action. Because as with each year, I’ll strive for progress, not perfection.

Here’s to 22. You were pretty good.