Day Zero

Day Zero – 101 in 1001

I first stumbled across “101 in 1001” a couple of months ago, while perusing the blogosphere. Basically, you sit down and make a list of 101 things that you want to accomplish in 1001 days – about 2.75 years. They can be little tasks that you keep saying you want to do, but never seem to get around to, or major goals that involve significant effort and the expense of time or money. They should be measurable and clear, so that there isn’t any confusion about whether or not you can consider them accomplished.

The idea immediately spoke to me. I am one of those people who is always coming up with things that I want to do, but never seem to actually get around to making them happen. I have tendencies to daydream, and feel that I may often overlook the little pleasures that pop up when you are paying attention and living in the moment.

It took me a long while to make my list – 101 things is a lot of things!! The first twenty or thirty came pretty easily, but after that they trickled out like a leaky faucet. I would just keep a notebook with me all the time, and as I thought of something else that I wanted to add, I would write it down. The whole process took me about two months.

But, finally I’m done! My list is fairly eclectic. There are a lot of items that focus on things that I want to learn, or at least try out – surfing, scuba diving, learning how to knit. There are the major things that I really want to do, like write a novel, and visit New York City. And many other items are what I think of as rolling stone items – like practice yoga every day for a month, or give up television for a week. These are things that I want to incorporate in to my life on a more regular basis, so I hope that by trying them on for a while, momentum will gather and they’ll stick.

You’ll notice that there are dollar amounts behind each one in brackets. I’ve decided that to make things a little more interesting, I am going to put aside a bit of money for each task accomplished — sort of like paying myself for getting things done! Then, hopefully by the end of the 1001 days, I’ll have a nice little nest egg for something fun! (Plus, a couple of my goals are pretty big ticket items, so those savings could come in handy!)

So, without further ado… my 101 in 1001. Read more about the Day Zero movement (yes, it’s actually a movement!) here. What are you waiting for?

101 in 1001

1. Go to New York City! ($10)
2. Travel somewhere off the continent ($10)
3. Set aside money in a savings account for each item accomplished off this list, and write about it on Both Feet In.
4. Call a friend who lives out-of-town once a week ($1 per call) (2/140)
5. Write a novel – at least first draft!! ($20)
6. Submit a query at least once a month ($2 per query) (0/30)
7. Buy a home! ($10)
8. Practice yoga every day for a month ($20)
9. Keep a journal ($20)
10. Run another 10 km race ($20)
11. Complete a half marathon ($20)
12. Get my hair cut once every four months ($5 per cut) (0/7)
13. Relearn French ($20)
14. Go to five plays ($5 per play) (0/5)
15. Volunteer at least five times ($5 per time) (0/5)
16. Read at least 50 new books, and review them each on Goodreads.com ($2 per book) (2/50)
17. Go tubing down Lake Cowichan ($15)
18. Try at least two new recipes per month ($1 per recipe) (0/60)
19. Go without coffee for one whole week ($20)
20. Don’t watch tv for one full week ($20)
21. Don’t drink alcohol for one full month ($20)
22. Get off the Island at least once every six months ($5 per trip) (1/5)
23. Go to at least five concerts ($5 per concert) (0/5)
24. Take a pottery class ($20)
25. Give a homeless person $20 (for this one, the $20 goes to someone else!)
26. Buy five street people a coffee and snack ($2 per person) (0/5)
27. Go on a ski trip – Mt. Washington, Whistler…? ($20)
28. Grow and eat my own food ($20)
29. Take a photography class ($20)
30. Have mom and grandma over for dinner ($20)
31. Buy (and rock!) a pair of skinny jeans! ($10)
32. Go to dad’s grave ($20)
33. See the fireworks at Butchart Gardens ($15)
34. Golf at a “big girl” golf course ($15)
35. Go for a bike ride down the entire Galloping Goose trail ($20)
36. Set up a tax-free savings account ($20) Done!
37. Take a photo a day of something beautiful or interesting for one full month ($20)
38. Play a round of golf with an average of one over par on each hole ($20)
39. Write a positive letter to the editor ($20)
40. Have a picnic ($20)
41. Learn to scuba dive ($20)
42. Take a surfing lesson ($20)
43. Bake a pie with grandma ($20)
44. Take a video of Saylor and Bear and put it on YouTube ($20)
45. Go kayaking ($20)
46. Get at least four massages ($5 per massage) (0/4)
47. Spend an afternoon writing outside, in an inspiring place ($20)
48. Attend a writer’s workshop or conference ($20)
49. Teach Saylor to do three tricks ($5 per trick) (0/3)
50. Do the dishes before going to bed every night for a month ($20)
51. Do full “toilette” every night before bed for two weeks ($20)
52. Take at least three cooking classes ($5 per class) (0/3)
53. Practice mediation every day for a month ($20)
54. Read Smart Women Finish Rich, and complete the workbook ($20)
55. Have a Green Monster every day for two weeks ($20)
56. Write three positive notes about good customer service ($5 per note) (0/3)
57. Sweat every day for a month (nod to lululemon for the inspiration for this one!) ($20)
58. Make a perfect, authentic pad thai ($15)
59. Clear out closet – be brutal!! ($20)
60. Try ten new red wines and ten new white wines from a variety of countries, and make tasting notes ($2 per wine) (0/20)
61. Bike to and from work every day for two weeks ($20)
62. Learn more about WordPress to better work Both Feet In ($20)
63. Have a fun “pin up style” photo shoot ($20)
64. Fill a notebook with poetry and short stories ($20)
65. De-clutter the WHOLE apartment ($20)
66. Learn about the basics of feng shui ($20)
67. Learn to knit ($20)
68. Make a piece of clothing for myself and wear it ($20)
69. Make an inspiration board or book ($20)
70. Make a piece of jewelry and wear it ($20)
71. Write a letter to my Member of Parliament ($20)
72. Learn about and start a compost ($20)
73. Don’t buy coffee or tea out for a week ($20)
74. Watch a sunrise ($10)
75. Watch a sunset ($10)
76. Get up a half hour earlier than necessary for one (work)week ($20)
77. See the Northern Lights ($20)
78. Get to work every day by 8 am for a week ($20)
79. Drink 2L of water every day for two weeks ($20)
80. Go ziplining ($20)
81. Send ten cards or letters in the “regular” mail – other than Christmas cards ($2 per card) (0/10)
82. Find something fabulous to wear from a second-hand/thrift store ($10)
83. Clean the couch cover ($10)
84. Go horseback riding at least three times ($5 per ride) (0/3)
85. Do 30 “real” push ups ($20)
86. Do a two-minute plank ($20)
87. Watch ten “classic” movies from pre-1980 ($2 per movie) (0/10)
88. Send at least two care packages to Sam and Shino ($10 each) (0/2)
89. Read for at least 30 minutes a day for three weeks ($20)
90. Sleep out under the stars ($20)
91. Make a photo collection or collage of all ocean/beach pics ($20)
92. Go skinny dipping ($20)
93. Attend at least three farm food/slow food/winery events ($5 per event) (0/3)
94. Learn more about wine tasting ($20)
95. Participate in at least ten of the Write of Passage blog writing challenges ($2 per piece) (0/10)
96. Learn to read tarot cards ($20)
97. Don’t eat out for ten days ($20)
98. Submit three post cards to Postsecret ($5 per card) (0/3)
99. Read all the major religious texts – Buddhist Sutras and Tibetan Book of the Dead, Hinudism’s Bhagavad Gita, Bible, Islam’s Qu’ran, Judiasm’s Torah, Taoism’s Tao te Ching ($5 per text) (0/7)
100. Do my own Happiness Project a la Gretchen Rubin ($20)
101. Travel somewhere on my own – not to go visit anyone, not for work, just somewhere for fun, by myself. ($20)