Appropriating a great List!

I stumbled across this great list of 30 Things You DON’T Have to Have by 30 the other day and thought it was so great that I’d share it with you all. Some of my favorite things from this list included:

[keep in mind this is a list of things you don’t have to have by the age of 30]

4. Your dream job. Or even an idea of what that might be. Should you figure it out? Yeah. But, because you deserve it—not because you have to have it by 30.

11. Ample storage. [ed’s note: I live in Washington, D.C. – this concept is almost unheard of!]

12. A car that was manufactured in the current decade [ed’s note: 1998 Camry, what what!!]. Or a car, period. Or, if you live in New York, a driver’s license.

13. A working knowledge of how to set up cable equipment.

19. Guilt for eating the (very large) remainder of cookie dough in the bowl.

29. Any list—“30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know” or otherwise—fully complete.

Number 29 particularly resonates with me because as I approach 30 and look at THE List I created, it’s becoming clear that I probably won’t cross off everything by October 16th. And that is okay. It’s also okay to not make a list of things to do before a big milestone birthday. Or to look at all (and there are quite a few) those 30 before 30, 40 before 40, 50 before 50, etc lists and think that they are the stupidest thing ever.  I’ve found it really fun and encouraging to have a list of things that I’m aiming to do. If I found that completing THE List was stressing me out or wasn’t fun anymore, I probably would stop.

The point I’m trying to make is that there are so many ways to celebrate a birthday, just as there are many ways to do most things in life. You’ve gotta be true to yourself and find what sticks.