So… it’s my last day of being 33.  If you were to ask me how was it, I tend to think of 33 as the year that if I could do over again, I wouldn’t.  There was too much time sitting.  Too much time waiting.  Too much time wasting.  I just thought I’d be doing more.  I would, and should have changed the world.  Sometimes, I think we’re a little hard on ourselves, eh?  Why do we tend to only see this negative perception, and blank out on all of the good stuff?

Today being the end of 33, I popped out of bed, and chose to close it off the best way possible.   Today I won’t leave room for the “should haves, could haves, well that was a waste” mindset.  Today I am prioritizing, focusing, and doing only what I set out to do.  Today, I am going to have the best ever good average day.

As Derrick left for work, I sat down with my eggs to write my plan for the day.   I found a scrap piece of paper in the recycling, and started writing a list: 33 @ 33.   My rules were simple.  Everything needs to be achievable today.   I need to be intentional.  Every task was an action item, and every task started with a different verb.  I write down whatever comes to mind (as you’ll see, some are silly, some are vague, some are practical).  By not overthinking it, I feel motivated, energized, and focused.  I included things that I am already scheduled to do, or need to do: why make it hard on myself?   I didn’t give space to evaluate worth- everything was worth it today.

And unless emergency strikes, this is my day: 33 things.

Okay!  Eggs are done- let’s get this party started!

So here is my 33 @ 33 List:

1. savor the sweet things
2. celebrate someone else
3. forward the Book Club
4. post a blog post (!)
5. breathe deeply
6. enjoy a massage
7. contribute to the Fur Ball Meeting
8. mindfully eat
9. watch the Flash
10. thank someone
11. appreciate the kids (our animals)
12. kick bum in Donna’s gym class
13. love my walk with Prim
14. feed Peeta
15. try a new place
16. reconnect with a friend
17. say no to something
18. hell yes to something
19. cuddle with Derrick
20. facial my face
21. shave before #20
22. throw out a pair
23. donate something
24. read a chapter (or two!)
25. unplug for 3 hours straight
26. turn off all screens fully 1 hour before bed
27. be in bed by 11:30pm
28. drink a warm tea
29. clean the litter
30. brush my teeth in the morning (flossing included)
31. cheer Cirie on Survivor
32. hug warmly, and
33. age with grace and a smile 🙂

From the need to do, the meant to do, and the get to do, afew highlights from my day:

1. Litter.  Done.

2.  Really, I’m smiling on the inside.

3. Hell Yes to being in the crowd for a random Ellen episode that just happened to be filming today.  My favorite sign is on the right until the one way sign.  Maybe they shouldn’t be skipping class…

(As one of the items was to be off my screens an hour before bed- it’s now the next day.  Just pretend with me for a moment that I’m writing to you as I’m brushing my teeth 🙂 )

It’s 11:27pm and I’m in bed.  As I cuddle in for the night,  I  look at my list.  I got to all but three: Drink a warm tea (tomorrow!), post a new post, and age with grace and a smile (I’m working on it! And hey, the facial helped 😉 ).

Today was focused, yet there still was space for life to happen.  Having my intentions written down allowed me to go back to it when I was getting off course, and gave me a way of evaluating was today a good day.    And today was a good one.

Ultimately, today was an ordinary kind of day.  By making it intentional, by removing myself from being in a state of “what’s next?”, and by being clear about what I wanted to do with it, ordinary somehow felt extraordinary.

And when I give myself space to take away the judgements of what should and could have been, it’s been a pretty extraordinary year.   I guess that’s what aging gracefully is all about.  Cheers to you, 33!

What’s your list today?   Do you ever get down on yourself for thinking you should be doing more, without pausing to realize all of the amazing you already are doing?  How do you measure what makes a good day?

Song of the Day: Anything’s Possible (Lea Michele)