A few days ago I was reading this post by WhatOliviaDid and decided that since I am also at a point in my life where 25 is close enough to set goals for but far enough away to not be terrifying I would compile a list of my own.
1. Have a book publishedHaving a book finished is a goal for the next year, so I thought we should go big or go home for the big 2-5.
2. Have written and released at least one album/EP
There is literally no valid reason for me not to have done this yet, let alone by the time I'm 25.
3. Be fluent in at least one language other than English
Languages are something that I find really interesting and am reasonably good at, so I feel like the fact I'm only fluent in my first language is a bit of a waste. Plus considering how much time I plan on spending in Italy 'twould only be logical to kick it up a notch and learn to talk about things other than food, tourism and farm animals.
4. Move overseas
Slight cop-out in that I already have plans in place to do this, but realistically it is one of my main goals as well as quite a big dealio.
5. Be financially independent and stable
Pretty self explanatory. Financial stability is a big thing for me because I am accustomed to a certain standard of living, and I would like for my father to be able to stop having to support that at some point. I mean of course charitable gifts and donations from all parental units will always be welcome, but there comes a time when one should probably pay one's own rent.
6. Be published in a magazine
Pay me to tell your readers how to live.
7. Spend at least a month living in Italy
Italy is one of my favourite places in the world, but I'm also pretty certain that I want it to remain somewhere that I go as a break rather than where I properly base my life. That being said, an extended vacanze never hurt anyone. Apart from Jude Law in that really freaky movie with Matt Damon I thought was going to be light hearted and ended with a whole lot of death. REGARDLESS, I've spent a month or so in Italy before, but never all in one place just livin' ma life, so that's what we're going for.
8. Find some form of exercise I actually enjoy
I would like not to die prematurely of cardiovascular disease so we had best be getting health conscious.
9. Read Opa's memoirs
Opa - aka my hungarian grandfather, Julius - pulled a whole lot of badassery in WWII and although I've had the choice to read his memoirs before I don't think I was ever really in the right place to absorb and appreciate them properly, so it's still on my list.
10. Visit all the Nordic countries
Gimme dat.
11. Work from home
I do not want to be working in retail when I'm 25. I do not want to be working in an office probably ever. Like we'll see where the jolly old wave of life takes us and I'll never say never but ideally I'd like to be able to do some kind of creative - probably writing - job from home or wherever I want to, at least part of the time.
12. Finish some kind of screenwriting project
I liked screenwriting at uni and I was quite good at it, I'm just not as into it as I am writing books or articles so it would have to be the right idea for me to really put in the time. It is something that I don't want to completely forget about though.
13. Start performing again
I did a lot of music and musical theatre in high school, but since then I haven't really done anything publicly and I would like for that to change. For my own sake but also the good of the people.
14. Finish my reading list
That core list of books and plays I feel like I should have read by now but just haven't.
15. Finish my watching list
Same thing but with movies innit.
16. Don't mess up my hair again please god
Every time I cut my hair I regret it. Every time I dye my hair I regret it. Just leave it. Let it be brown. Let it be long. Learn from the past, Madeleine. Don't screw up your hair. (Since writing this I have actually cut my hair but it was to get rid of the dead bits so it can continue to be long so we're okay)
17. Be more minimalistic
I'd say the move is going to help me with the material side of that whether I want it to or not, but overall I just want to streamline my entire life. Remove the clutter and distractions so that I just have things and activities I really enjoy or that actually benefit me.
18. Buy an Antigona
Or whatever bag I decide I want most at the time, although tbh I think this is the one. The important factor here is that I want to buy it myself. More than happy to accept further additions as gifts after that, but the first one's gotta be on me.
19. Keep in touch with everyone
Moving away from so many of my friends is going to be a bit shit, so I want to make a conscious effort not to drift away from people that are important to me just because I've decided to galavant off to Mother England.
20. Maybe learn to drive
Look the 'maybe' is there for a reason. This is something that I want to do by the end of this year but that I'm pretty sure is going to be completely overshadowed by everything else I'm trying to get done. However, think of the roadtrips. In Europe.
21. Meet Jedward
They already send me periodic encouraging twitter DMs, I'd say this is a realistic goal.
22. Expand my culinary horizons
Seeing as I have now permanently moved out of home I feel like it's definitely in my best interests to learn how to cook something other than tacos, lasagne and soup. Grown ups need honey soy chicken every now and again, and maybe a nice risotto.
23. Maintain a socially acceptable sleep schedule
I was 100% the sleep-til-3pm kind of teenager, but since I've been waking up like a normal human being I've realised how much of an impact your sleep pattern really does have on your productivity, and beyond that I just really like being awake in the mornings. Continuing with the theme of the functional adult I hope to become, being responsible with my slumbers is definitely going to be a necessary factor.
24. Stay motivated
I think it's a pretty reasonable fear to have that I'll wake up 25 and not have actually done anything. ...Reasonable in that it would be a shit time, not that it's likely to happen. I may be a master procrastinator but I don't ever want to be at a point in my life where I become complacent and don't have any ambition, because A. that doesn't sound like fun and B. my tarot cards have specifically warned me against it. And I always listen to my tarot cards.
25. Perfect the Busta Rhymes verse in Justin Bieber's Little Drummer Boy
Thought I'd end it on a powerful yet achievable note. I'm already most of the way there, just need to work out the kinks, and when I do I feel it will put me in fantastic stead for the rest of my life.
