September 2011 marks the start of my 25th year alive on this old earth.

I’m not having a quarter-life crisis. But I nearly am.

It’s not that I necessarily feel old—I have enough post-25 readers to know that I would get very much in trouble if I said 25 makes me feel old—it’s more that I just don’t have much to show for my life. At least, not as much as the 15 year-old me ten years ago figured I’d have. When I was 15 I fancied I’d be living in New York and curating for the Metropolitan Museum of Art by now. Making bank at my job—my job with benefits, ho, ho! Fluent in multiple languages. With six-pack abs and a collection of really nice power suits. A brownstone apartment with a walk-in closet. Daily market runs for organic crudités and Perrier™. Self-actualised. Thicker hair.

Pretty much Jennifer Garner is what I thought I’d be by the time I was 25.

This past month, every time I looked at the calendar I’ve felt a little shudder of terror resounding through my heart: I have to do something. I have to do something with my life. I’m turning 25. What if five more years pass and I turn thirty still with so little under my belt?

Since I’m having not-quite-a-crisis-but-certainly-an-awakening at this my twenty fifth year of life, I have kicked myself into high gear trying to accomplish things I can be proud of in the next five years. I am setting goals—and meeting them!—left and right.

Here’s some of what I’m trying to accomplish and how I plan on accomplishing it during year 25:

Physical Prowess:
• Become moderately active. Get outside and exercise for at least 30 minutes 5 days per week.
• Run a 5K without complaining about it.
• Weigh 142 again and stay there.
• Strengthen self control and will pimples away once and for all.
• Shower daily.
• No, seriously.

Mental Acuity:
• Earn at least $2,000/month through sundry employs (but really, the more the better).
• Write 3-5 blog posts every week.
• Double my blog stats by September 2012.
• Find someone to pay me for blogging. For reals this time.
• Draft a novel before I turn 26.
• Write at least 750 words per day outside of blog.

Spiritual Giantness:
• Pray daily.
• Read scriptures daily.
• Attend temple weekly. (I’m backlogged and owe God several months’ worth of temple trips. I’ll have to double up for a while.)

Character Development:
• Do something I dread at least once per week.
• Practice piano 45 minutes/day.
• Complete Royal Conservatory of Music certification.
• Take reusable bags every time I go grocery shopping.

Wifelyness:
• Do one nice thing for PK every day.
• Stick to self-imposed chore list.
• Write a budget every month. Stick to it. Get out of debt.

So there you have it. After a full and frenzied summer which was awful fun but none too productive, I am getting back on the bandwagon of fully functioning adulthood.

And I have to hurry. My 15 year-old self is waiting.

•••••••••••••••••••••

This post is written in conjunction with the Spin Cycle over at Sprite’s Keeper, the topic of which this week is What I Did Over Summer Vacation. But I wrote more about What I’m Doing Now That Summer Vacation is Dead and Gone. Hope that’s okay.

Share this post: on Twitter on Facebook on Google+