One of the things on my list is that I want to be known for something food-related. Like I want people to say "can you bring your famous cake/bread/salad/whatever". Weird thing, I know.
I completely understand this, not weird at all! I have a similar one on my mental list that I want to have a skill where friends/people can call me up to perform for them. For example, hair styling, make up, etc. There are definitely more examples but that’s all I can think about right now 😅
I’m turning 40 this year, and you inspired me to write a list of 50 before 50. I think, particularly for women, that the focus is heavily on ‘your 20s’ and there’s a lot of life to live in each decade, just just seen as dwindling because society values youth in women but no experience or joys.
i feel like keeping the 40th goal unfilled is actually a nice way to acknowledge that you never know what's gonna happen and maybe you reach 39 and then realize that you want to put something completely different you've never even considered there
Also one of my favourite quotes by the late great Agnès Varda is “you have to invent life” which I think is very relevant here. Like there’s definitely this idea that life is this weird societal checklist of marriage and babies. And I much prefer the idea that nothing in life exists and you have to literally invent your own life like it’s a piece of art
#18: being a vegan myself I hereby declare that I will defend you until the end of my days when you upload that vegan video, regardless of if you’ll do it *~right~*. e v e r y o n e who raises awareness helps. just do it. I believe in you (as always) 💛
Yupp I never understand why a small but loud number of people seem to get madder at people who try to be vegan but don't do completely right than people who don't try at all
I'm a vegan. I call myself a vegan and I tell people I'm a vegan. I ate a Yorkshire pudding at Christmas that very much wasn't vegan because I wanted to and my mum cooked it. I ate a croissant one morning, again because my mum bought it for me and I was staying with her and I wanted it. I am still a vegan. We don't have to be perfect to identify as vegan and talk about the benefits. GO FORTH AND BE IMPERFECT
I was in therapy the other day and I was talking about how our issues don’t just go away with age. For instance, i have a 50 yo coworker who deals with body image related insecurities and is always anxious. She’s also passed that on to her daughter who kinda learns her mom’s shame. Being 21 I just want to be happy in my 30s. I want to develop healthy coping mechanisms and tools to navigate through life without falling apart so much
I just turned 31 and you’ve inspired me to go and make my own list immediately! ✊🏻Also side note - please could you make a video solely on not having kids/getting married? I’d love to just sit and listen to your words of wisdom on this subject as I am the only one in my friendship group that is taking this path. I think it would be very comforting to lots of your like-minded followers 🌷
Aw maybe I will in future, but if you pop over to Hannah Witton’s podcast Doing It, I’ve JUST been interviewed on that very topic so that might be faster for now :)
I had tonsilitis on my 30th birthday and I spent it metaphorically dying in bed before attending a doctor's appointment and getting antibiotics. I was recently unemployed and it was the lowest point in my life. Everything I've done since then has been better and better. I got a job in Manchester, returning to the city I was at uni in and reconnected with old friends, and then got a better job in London and loads of new friends and experiences. Now I'm living my best life.
I just turned 27 on Tuesday and I'm sick of people telling me that I'm nearly 30 (getting old) and should be doing XYZ things. A lot of those things are social normalised things. I still live at home, have recently swapped jobs (still finding my feet on that one) and save a decent amount of money for doing things later on in life. I also love being able to go travelling so having my base at home works. I'm Ace (people are still confused by this) and have no desire to have kids, and strangely people have opinions on that too 🙄. I'm still finding my feet, dealing/coping etc with mental and physical health too. Bottom line, I feel this. As I'm not reaching certain milestones that are placed upon us the harder it becomes to explain why or how to people who should mind their own business. I want things for my future, but they do differ from what people expect. 🙂
I have been dealing with the same comments from my family...I’m 26, turning 27 in a couple of months and I don’t understand why they all feel the need to tell me “ you’re almost 30” and need to get my shit together. Unbeknownst to them, I do things like work on my finances, job security, housing for the future and trips with my bf and it’s extraordinarily difficult NOT telling them about things that I’m doing or want in my life because each time I do, I deal with their reactions and push-back. (Their) reasons why it’s not a good idea to do what I’m excited about and future goals I have. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and they’re supportive, it’s just always been on their terms since I am the youngest.
I loved goal 6, my godmother doesn't have any children and I've always felt like she was my second mum and definitely affected the trajectory of my life.
* find a partner to go through life with * find people I can be emotionally vulnerable with (AKA "find my family") * learn skills I've been putting off and really master them (knitting, embroidery, flemish sign language, book binding, ...) * explore who I am and learn to love all of me and if that proves impossible: be kind to the parts of myself that I can't love * adult (sort my life out financially (pension planning, understand my taxes, fuck it fund, ...), move out of my parents' house, cook more) * STOP AVOIDING OR PUTTING OF THE THINGS THAT SCARE OR INTIMIDATE ME (AKA buck up and get shit done)
Omg Leena, I'm 25 and I've been feeling a TON of anxiety around adulting, and all the stuff you're supposed to do as an adult vs the things you actually want, and how to balance doing the things you HAVE to do (pensions, taxes, learning to cook, etc), with the things that you want to do (creativity, cultivating friendships + relationships) etc...gah! Even just writing that out makes me anxioooouuus but this video made me feel surprisingly calm, and you always have a way of making hard scary adulting things sound like exciting possibilities for living the life you want to live (which they are! if we just take ownership of them rather than trying to avoid them!) So thank you! Thank you for living an adventurous life full of books and (hopefully) saving the planet. Thank you for sharing even a little bit of it with us. Excited to see where all your fabulous goals lead you!
You're such an inspiration. Thank you very much. I turned 30 last year and get through a lot of change already: go to therapy, get my own place and financial indepedence. But now i feel lost and not knowning what to do with my life. Definetly not getting kids, mortgage and other "adult" stuff because i basically lost my twenties to my illness. And thanks to this video i'm thinking of my own list :)
I'm turning 28 this year and really want to use the last 2 years in my 20s to find out what I really want. I feel like there is little time to just sit with yourself and think about what you want out of life. Gonna use this "you know what" time to get that process started. Love a good list :) and I really want to get a tattoo in my 30s
your videos radiate such a cheerful and powerful energy, they actually make me excited about life haha i'm 21 and have got some similar things on mind btw (growing my own vegetables, enjoying local holidays, cutting down on fast fashion,...)! loved this video x oh and your outfit & earrings look so great on you!
As someone who’s only turned 18 half a year ago seeing someone talk about turning 30 in a way that’s not negative is really interesting and motivating, especially the way you talk about your life right now, in the future and in the past. I feel like in this day and age there’s so much pressure to have your entire life figured out and your entire moral compass already set straight that it’s sometimes hard to not feel down about how your own life is going when you only see people your own age showing their “staged” lives on Instagram and co. I think that’s why I find you so inspiring & refreshing, because while I may not even be close to the point you are at in your life right now (I mean I’m only gonna graduate high school this year) the way you talk about “failures” in your 20s has been very comforting for me, and one certain quote of yours that you said in (I think) a cleanup video is something I wrote down immediately which now hangs next to my desk. Keep doing what you do! PS: I’ve been vegan for a little over 2 years now and I’d love to see you make some videos about that topic, but yeah, some vegans can be brutal, so I 100% understand if someone wants to figure that stuff out for themselves.
Hi, Leena. I am almost 32. Thirties are the best thing that happened to me. My 40th thing on the list would be - I want to fully acknowledge, accept and LIVE the fact that I don't have to do anything, and I can do everything I want. Meaning - just because I am living my life a certain way today, doesn't mean I have to live it the same way tomorrow - I have the power to change it. Best regards!
I am heading toward 42 in a month and I love this list!! And it has inspired me to make a list for the next 8 years. 50 before 50? And honestly some of these will make their way into my list. Thank you for all of your content!! You make me smile every time I watch you!
I never comment on TH-cam videos but...I grew up on a small island in Orkney. It's a very beautiful, interesting place to live but faces many many issues - but as a holiday, very peaceful! As an easier trip, I'd reccomend Skye - there's a lovely non-profit ferry (last turntable ferry in Scotland) that makes the crossing - if you want to support a local business rather than the bridge. I also lived on a narrow boat for several years as a child - another lovely, slower pace of life. Finally, as an alternative to London, Edinburgh is wonderful and has a very vibrant literary/creative scene. I love it here. Love your videos and you are a regular source of wisdom in my life - keep being you!
Hi Leena, l picked up sewing a couple of years ago and it has transformed my relationship with clothes shopping. I make 90% out of thrifted fabric. Professor pincushion is a great channel for instruction, but Dorothys daughter has a great Friday sewing school for beginners. Love your channel, you remind me of my daughter who also lives in London and wants to learn to sew!
Gumptioner here :D I'm 19 so still have all that to come but I've been thinking a lot about coming to the end of being a teenager, and looking back at what I have/haven't done compared to what's expected of 'teenagers' as a group. I'm pretty quiet and shy but also do want a lot of the typical expected and extroverted stuff yet feel like I've wasted the decade in a way as I haven't lived up to all the things I expected of myself, though I realise that some of those expectations have been imposed on me and some were also just not the right fit for me. I'm trying to come to terms with who I am and also challenge why I already feel like that's who I have to be and stay being. For some reason I feel as though I can't do 'teenagery' things when I'm in my twenties so will have missed out on what many people say is the best time (though I hope that's not true), but I'm trying to convince myself that these things don't have an age limit :')
Hello from your friendly neighbourhood thirty-plusser - this time is not wasted! Other people's idea of what a decade of life looks like isn't the answer. If you've got closer to understanding what it is that makes you happy, or what it is that you DON'T want your life to look like, you're nailing it. Be kind to yourself x
I'm thirty-five and I'll frequently do teenage stuff because I want to and it makes me happy 😁. The one thing I unfortunately learned too late for my actual teens & twenties, because I unfortunately spent those in an emotionally abusive family and tried to just survive the experience XD, is that you can do whatever! the! heck! you! want! (as long as it doesn't harm others of course). Maybe it's a female bodied thing, but the amount of compliance to silly rules I've felt has veen way too much. Now I'm just "too old to care" anymore. Do I want to own a purse with cute Anime style animals on it? Heck yeah! Do I want that way too dressed up fancy style for a family dinner? Go for it! Do I want to roll off a hill and laugh like a child! Ooooh yeah! I have felt way too weighed down and unhappy trying to squeeze myself in that societal norm of grown-up-ness and my inner voice taunting me "a grown woman bodied person doing/wearing/saying XYZ? Pathetic! You know better... You want to be taken seriously right!?" Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr 😡😖 So I'm applauding you for learning that lesson wayyyyy earlier and having fun in life NOW instead of denying it because life didn't work out in a way for you when it was socially acceptable XD Lots of love! We're in this together!
Leena, you should make your own literary prize! I mean, why not? You have a great audience, you can decide the criteria and really give some authors a leg up in this world. I'd be interested to see who you pick and why you picked them.
Just wanted to let you know I appreciate your videos. Had an incredibly shitty day at work-not the fault of my workplace-, and it is really nice to come home and play stardew valley with your videos playing in the background. Reminds me the world isn't all horrible. So, thanks.
I'm 31 now and one of my goals for the decade is to have an adventure, a spontaneous one or like being a yes-woman for a week, because in life so much is planned, but there is no excitement about it, so maybe you can top your list off with something like that - the great unknown is great for a reason :D Also, I hope you finish a book one day, would love to read it and kudos to the plan of reading everything M. Atwood has written, I am on my way to finishing all her books also! Love watching your videos, thanks for making them!
I thought you'd said "go to Ireland and buy a boat" and didn't even question it. I was like, yeah, a decade is a long time. Sounds reasonable. ANYWAY, love this so much. Life-shaping very much on the brain, as I'm sure is true for so many people in the comments. For me it's that the end of uni is hurtling towards me (3 months to go! Ahhhhh!) and I don't have any really strong instincts about what I want to do next. (A few about what I *don't* want to do, so that's something I suppose!) Would quite like a video about volunteering: where to look, how to decide where you want your time to go when there are so many causes and organisations, how to match your skills, idk, whatever you think you'd want to know if you hadn't grown up volunteering. Going vegan is a goal of mine too, so also that, and all the fast fashion/making your own clothes stuff as well! Many thanks for the great video as always :)
As far as volunteering... A great place to start is to think about your value system, & how you want the world to look in the future... What are the main things you want to see changed? Once you've sussed that out, try find organisations that are in line, & ideally are smaller scale, or have good track records of transparency etc. A great place to physically start, if the idea of linking up with an organisation seems daunting, is to have a browse of places like HelpX or WorkAway... Hope that's at least a little helpful 🌹 All the best with it all hun. Sending love from Australia ❤ Emma 🌈🔅
Loved this as a 31 year old with no plans for kids or a mortgage, wondering what my 30's are about! I would love to hear more (perhaps a video) about pensions and the process to combining multiple pensions, building a healthy relationship with food and also building community when you more around alot/ live in a city in which people are very transient. Thanks Leena ☺️
Omg what I would give to be 30 again and as together as you are...I was a complete mess !! you are doing well believe me and you have some great life goals.I think you're going to smash it ...definitely go and do the writing retreat,make that a priority and also moving somewhere away from London...don't put that off for too long either because there is nothing like changing places to give you a whole other perspective.I realise I have written this post covid so it may take a while but if there s one regret that I have more than any as a older person it that I did not nearly travel or live in other countries anywhere near enough.Also you would make the best auntie or mentor to any child so do that too.
i think one of my goals would be to get to know myself better. i've been working on it, i've been making progress!! i know what i need when i feel like i'm in the aura of a potential anxiety attack. i need my heating pad, my weighted blanket + a soft one if it isn't too hot, a hot shower, hot cocoa or lukewarm is good too if i forget about it long enough, kleenex nearby, and a good and happy movie i know what i need when i feel like i'm in a rut, when i'm depressed about it. i need to go the gym and do some simple chores; completing those tasks make me feel accomplished. maybe a hot shower, showers always feel like "wash the physical filth and the mental funk off" for me, plus i play happy music whenever i shower. sometimes i bake cookies for another simple "you accomplished something!". im usually too depressed to do complicqted things like cook, but walking to get take-out helps me feel healthier for a low amount of effort. it's also premptively good of me to go work out for even just 10 or 25 min a day to make those days happen less i just do the eliptical for now but that + a video while i do it helps my brain a LOT already i'm learning more about what i need from my close relationships with other people unanimously, and i'm learning how to productively put in that love for another and, in response, they give love back rather than just asking for it. it's more mutual and healthier to say "i saw/heard [x] and it made me smile because i thought of you!! i miss you and i love you so much, i hope we can find the time for a chat soon, you're really good company" than it is to say something bad about yourself to fish for being given the love you need. plus, giving love??? it makes you feel more loved before they even send a response; 12/10 exp, must reccomend. juliet was right about love being like the sea-- the move i give, the more i have, for both my heart and the sea are infinite i've also learned that i need a pet, always, as a part of the stability of my mental health. so i spoke to my doctor and got certified for an ESA or Emotional Support Animal. i can't bring my pet into any sort of resteraunt or workplace, but it is a v proactive little slip of paper that says anybody in housing or real estate of any kind cannot ask me to pay an extra fee for having an animal or disallow my application because i have one. so i have a rescue cat now, she's extremely cuddly and clingy and talkative and i adore her i think i still need more therapy, i went for a while in hs, but i don't have the fiances for it here in America. but, it's within my own 10 year goal to go back to that because i think i might need that regularly anytime i don't want to do something in the morning: make myself hot cocoa. i'm not a morning person. i have yet to find a tea i like, and caffeine induces migraines so coffee is a no-go, but a warm drink helps me feel comforted that i just gotta go do that thing i dont wanna in the morning. its still not great but, that and some warm food, it makes the ordeal better and i feel more awake and soothed my migraines mean i can't read in the midst of one or look at screens cuz they both hurt. and i can't sleep it off cuz its too painful. so i started calling friends (after texting to see if they're free to chat for an hour or two) and that makes me feel productive and not like a lump for two hours, and like. love helps soothe the pain, y'know? i've also been learning more about my ADHD and executive dsyfunction and inducing the "Might As Well" mindset of setting up X next to Y so when i go do X i "might as well" do Y, and other tricks i've been learning to check in with myself emotionally when i'm with people, esp new people, like how my thoughts are making me physically feel (uncomfortable= chest is tight, excited= face feels warm and i'm smiling, etc). edp important for dating; doesn't matter if we're perfect on paper if i feel jittery and like i have to prove myself to this person all the time-- i want to feel comfortable around who i surround myself with. im learning to recognize my body's feelings as deciding factors on if i continue seeing a person; its my evolutionaryily-built jury for a reaaon, i need to listen to it more before deciding a verdict it's been handy, learning more about how i function and how to manipulate that into my own process of living rather than be frustrated that i don't know how to "fix" myself when i haven't even done the work to learn aboit how to productuvely fix anything about myself. it's like i'm researching for developing manual about myself, it's been really good
Having a fuck off fund kept me going when I quit my horrible job and was unemployed for 5 months. I'm still so grateful I had one and that I could put my mental health first. Now I tell everyone to have one!
Come to Bristol! All the best bits of london (diverse, culture, full of things to do and amazing community!) whilst on the doorstep if cornwal, devon, wales and somerset (walking and sea advenures!). You would love Ah Toots, Hyde and co (google these!). Minus the pollution and crazy traffic. Its a win!
I'm knitting a minty sweater while I watch this, drink coffee and wake up -- clothes can be made! And, when you put the initial effort into making them, you keep them, repair them, cherish them... very sustainable. People rarely wear and chuck a sweater they spend 60 - 100 hours making.
Noo the boat travel to Ireland is so beautiful! You can take the overnight boat and you will be rocked to sleep by the boat. As long as you're not terribly sensitive to seasickness it can be lovely.
I am a teenager but I actually judged a literary prize in a book club! It was the best, we went to book fairs, played theater and read so many books! Would recommend
Lists are really useful in helping you see what you actually value Vs what you don't and need to let go of. I'm turning 27 this year and the way of looking at time - a year Vs ten - hit home so much! I still feel like a child but I kinda know why and what I need to change to feel more like I have agency over my life and future. So I'm gonna do a 5 key things to do before I turn 30, and then do a proper holy hell I'm an adult now how do? 40 before 40 list like you have. ❤️
Lady with a safety razor here - There's a bit of a learning curve, but a couple months in I was shaving comfortably, and now I can do my armpits (and all else) in the shower and it's totally fine. This one is not nearly as scary as we think, you can definitely do this! Also once you get a shaving brush, you can use bar soaps forever and you'll be grand.
In regards to #15 (wearing a petticoat/historical clothing is cool) and whichever number making clothing was, look up "Historybounding", I have a sneaking suspicion you'll fall in love with it. Also a petticoat is a great beginner sewing project, just sayin'...
Also on growing your own food, you can grow a lot of food in pots! Which works if you have a balcony? If not there’s a lot that can be grown inside at a window!
Hi! Not a pension expert but someone who had the same goal and sorted herself out this year. It sounds harder than it is! If you are currently being hosted a pension I would recommend putting all your old ones into it as a first step. A few reasons, one, that on each of those pensions you will be paying fees. You want to avoid paying tonnes of fees repeatedly. Two, the one you/ your employer is paying into is set up, and active, if you want to set up an independent one when you go freelance and everything is aligned you just have to move over your current one. If you have the name of the company who hosted your past pension you are half way there. If you have any account details you are 90% there. Contact them, ask them to find your plan, your account number and the amount in it and make a note Let your current pension know that you want to transfer in, for some it's a simple page on the website and list the details you found from past companies. They have to transfer and sort. It can take a while. But ultimately, whatever you instructed they will act on. Final tip is, some companys offers to match contributions BUT ONLY IF YOU ASK. DAMN CAPATALISM. But do ask, as it's worth it. I know I'm just a random on the internet but women aren't given lots of information and often we fall short of government pension support (you need to be paid a lot, we aren't, you need 40 years working, we often take career brakes to care for others) etc. So invest in yourself. Golden years Leena will thank herself....
very tiny side comment, currently from dissertation land: I am very grateful for your place in my online media diet, dear Leena. And I have the same bullet journal!
I'm 30 in 2 years 8 months. So inspired to make a 30 before 30 list, but I'm going to have to make some of them super achievable or things I was going to do anyway. Feeling like there isn't enough time to do 30 things, however I've totally done loads of things in my 20s I'd have never believed when I was 19. I think your 20s is all about taking the opportunities that arise when they arise, rather than planning them, or it has been for me.
I feel like several of these could be accomplished by volunteering / fostering dogs ! That could be awesome. If you're not ready to settle down with a long term commitment pet, begin with fostering. It can save so many lives! If you fall in love with an animal, you might foster fail and have a pet for life! Win win all around
You can check off the eating something you grew one really quickly and easily. I live in a studio flat and all I have is a tiny window sill in the kitchen. I grow chives , basil and salad leaves as a lockdown hobby and have had great success!!
Sewing is much easier than people assume it will be. I’ve just started sewing and it’s so much easier than I thought. My suggestion would be just for it. Annika Victoria is a TH-camr who makes videos about sewing clothes and she makes it very simple. Also the thing with sewing certainly when you start is it doesn’t have to be perfect it just have to be functional. Good luck just have a go you’ll probably be surprised
Excellent Topic. I love this thought process. Please keep us updated. I'm very interested in your vegan journey. I also feel the need to go vegan, but am not there yet.
#8: I recommend you read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (there is also a 2018 film but it wasn't filmed on Guersney) and then visit Guernsey. Obviously its fiction(ish) but 1) I think it's fun to then imagine you're one of the characters on the island, and 2) it does give a little peek into the history if the Channel Islands which, if you're then curious, you can then learn about it
I usually like to make the goals and then put them in a folder and put it away somewhere and then after a certain amount of time I'll open the envelope. It puts less pressure of myself and it's cool to see where I actually went with the couple of years
I just turned 20 and wow this video really spoke to me. I obviously have no idea what I'm doing in life and am really at that stereotypical early 20's point were I'm like "how do I adult? What choices can I make? What do I want my life to look like? What's even realistic and affordable??" and even though it's kinda freaking me out, I think that's very okay. It's a good place to be rn even if I sometimes lay awake at night scared for my future. It just feels so calming to me that these questions do evolve and settle down a bit over time, but no matter what age you are, you're not going to know the perfect way to live your life or what the future will bring. A thing that really spoke to me in your video was figuring out what causes or things are the most important in your life, things you are willing to work for and pour your life into. Right now I kind of balance these two big passions of mine and I don't really know which one I want to pursue with higher education and make a career out of. At the same time as I low-key just want to go live on a farm with my friends, be self-sustainable and not have to think about having a "real" job ever again.
I stopped journalling to watch this, lawl. I'm turning 31 soon and am also not going to do the whole kids thing -- I should really make a list like this! The only before-40s goal I have currently is to earn a six-figure salary, which is not only a reach, it's probably coming from an unhealthy place of feeling fearful and insecure, and there are probably goals I can have that are better for me. Like your goal #34 -- it really got me. That's definitely something I've been thinking a lot about lately. Anyway, you've made a great list and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do over the next 10+ years!
As a 28 soon to be 29 year old, I found this was such a brilliant way to think about goals throughout the decades of life. By the way if it helps, the ferry crossing to/from Ireland really isn't as bad as you think! Try it in the summer to start with and it'll be grand. I've done Liverpool-Belfast and its looooonnngg but a steady crossing and if you wanted to do a wee Scottish/Irish camping travel, the Cairnryan-Belfast is lovely xx
Go to the Hebrides!!! They’re absolutely stunning, you can go through quite a few on one trip, the beaches are amazing and the culture and history is wonderful! You could do two in one and camp up there as well, there’s some really nice campsites near beaches that are lovely!
The Hebrides are stunning. I recommend Vatersay - you do have to wild camp HOWEVER when I went, admittedly 15 years ago, there was a free public toilet and sink right by the beach
I'm 32 and still can't really picture what the rest of my thirties will look like! We've got a lot of the same goals, and I just started the process of consolidating my various pensions- SO dull but I feel really good about it. One of mine for this year and beyond is working out what activism can mean for me- I've been making personal choices about sustainability and ethics for a while, but know that for true change to take place there needs to be huge policy shifts and systemic change. When I think about 'activism' it feels scary and for people with entirely different personalities to me, but there's loads of forms of activism and I want to work out what my kind of activism is, then do it!
i started to feel really anxious this sunday evening and this video (which i had already watched a couple of times) really soothed me. my goals and life can be about fun and joy and pleasure and beauty. thanks for that reminder leena
The boat journey to Ireland is great! I know it takes a lot longer than a plane, but I genuinely find it much less stressful. It's very chill, you can nap and read, and the boat itself is very fun. Have done it countless times. Would recommend x
I love the self portraiture one, and it reminds me that one of my life goals generally is to get a proper self-portrait painted. In my childhood family home we have portraits of all the family members, and even mine of when I was about 1 year old fills me with joy.
This is a great list, such an interesting way of getting to know a person by hearing about their long-term goals! I volunteer at my local library, reading to young children every week who might not get read to them at home by their parents - maybe that would be something for you, too? (re: volunteering regularly/keeping books alive)
I'm turning 29 this year and a big, consistent goal for me is have a career - not a job. I've been in the same job for 7 ish years now and I don't even like it. I just need employment and a paycheck. Trouble is, I'm not the person who has ever been able to figure out what I want. 10 years after leaving college and I'm still clueless and filled with regrets about things I can't even name because I don't know what they are.
A couple of years older than you, but that aside, I feel like you've described my life. I know your comment is old, but if you still feel that way, just know that you're not alone 🙂 Also, one thing that helped me was shift my focus to things I can do outside of the job that make me happy. Still hoping to have a job I like one day, but in the meantime there's a lot we can enjoy in life regardless of what we do for money 💚
@@WaffleTraveller You are so right! Its hard to get into the mindset of a more positive outlook and focus on the things we can do outside of work. I feel like I'm finally getting there and learning what is truly important to me. I'm 30 now and life is still throwing me through the ringer (I got made redundant from the aforementioned job last year). I've got a new job lined up and I've been learning how to drive and diving into my hobbies as much as possible. Its really tough being one of those people whose job doesn't bring them much meaning or satisfaction. So many of my friends feel the same. We'll get there somehow. Its hard trying to remind ourselves that happiness doesn't have to come from hussle and careers; especially with the lifestyle being pushed on social media so much.
Many recipes aren't as complicated as we like to make them, you just need to learn a few basic ones (eg pasta sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, onion, herbs) that you can then play with to mix it up. I did find the metaphor of goals being like a lighthouse a bit weird as most lighthouses are to let boats know not to come too near as they will run aground, and isn't necessarily to do with where land is. Being disabled by chronic illness means my life has been put on pause for the past 9 years and may continue so for the rest of my life (or it may not), so I totally get the idea that we overestimate what we can do in shorter periods of time, but other than with weightless hadn't thought that we could be underestimating how much we can do in a decade etc (ie we only see change for some things over long periods of time but because it's not so easy to see it makes doing the small steps harder but more vital). Goodluck with your 30s, I'm sure they'll be amazing because you seem to have a good balance between making goals and being flexible with them.
I loved this! I'm always setting goals for myself and then don't do them, but I think it's nice to do it anyway cos it feels good in the moment. I'm in my 20s and I'm now at the point where I can actually think about longterm goals and this has been really great to watch
I take the ferry Holyhaed- Dublin about every other month as a foot passenger and it's fantastic outside of the summer school holiday season. In the winter it's pretty much empty - very calming and lovely! Highly recommend :)
Firstly, I love this 20s series so much ❤️ also you should watch Rachel Nguyen’s videos about turning 30. Everything she makes is so beautifully produced and edited and for some reason watching her set goals is extremely calming to me
I’m about to turn 31, loved this video! Excited to journal about this topic more. Kind of related to your “build a healthy relationship with food” I want to do so with my body. I want to give more time to an activity or sport that brings me joy. For me, that would be dancing and board sports (current skateboarding, maybe snowboarding and surfing later) and just developing that intuitive communication with my body, understanding when I need to move, eat, stretch, sleep, etc.
I think it’s important to set goals even if it’s unlikely you’ll actually achieve them. Because just like how the journey is usually more important than the destination; working towards the goals is more important than achieving the goal. You’re still better off for having tried.
As a 21 year old about to graduate from university (but doing my final semester online cause apparently this is the worst year to be in university) it was really helpful to hear you talk about how you’ve grown to know what you truly value. It’s scary seeing the future of the planet and knowing I have to start my adult life & career in a world that will probably look very different in 10 years. I resonated with your anxieties but I also want to say thanks for sharing your knowledge of what matters to yourself. I’m still figuring that out and it’s comforting to think that I might be doing a bit better about that in 9 years (even if the planet isn’t).
Love your look & your positivity. I had similar mindset when I turned 30 & made my own list "30 for 30s" but never completed it. Figure I will add goals as I go thru the decade. But at 32, I reviewed my list and realize many of my goals could be consolidated. Had similar theme
So bloody relieved that I'm not the only one who's done a lot of temp/ self employed work, ended up with X number of pensions and not a scooby doo how to sort it out 😰 Leena when you get around to it do a video please! Xx
I loved how you mixed- and matched a little bit of everything (that is important to you) to reflect 'ahead', so to speak. Very authentic and inspiring! Thank you
If you head to Jersey, drop by one of the Arthouse Jersey places - thye'd be hyped to meet you. Also Greve de lecq is a very quiet calming beach. St Ouen / north coast are good walks.
When I first heard about We Are the Weather I thought you would like it, and it gives me such a thrill as an admirer/audience member to find out I was right! Also I saw that you were listening to it over and over again on audiobook, which is super smart. Like the writing it so beautiful, and the facts are so important that I think I'm going to copy that strategy so I can make sure it all sticks in my brain.
I'm a londoner who's lived the majority of my adult life so far in sheffield. I personally will probs move back to london one day, but if you're looking to move out of london for a bit i think you'd love it here. Great DIY cultural and creative scene, lot of local activism, good sense of community, and affordable housing! (the job market leaves something to be desired tho)
GO TO ORKNEY!!! my family all live there and although its windy if you like history orkney is a wonderful place to go to, also super peaceful and scenic too
One of the things on my list is that I want to be known for something food-related. Like I want people to say "can you bring your famous cake/bread/salad/whatever". Weird thing, I know.
I completely understand this, not weird at all! I have a similar one on my mental list that I want to have a skill where friends/people can call me up to perform for them. For example, hair styling, make up, etc. There are definitely more examples but that’s all I can think about right now 😅
Being food-famous is such a goal lmao 😅
I love that because it's two goals in one... to cook well and have a lot of friends! Or at least some good friends.
That is really cool and sweet! It feels community oriented to me and that is always wonderful :)
I’m turning 40 this year, and you inspired me to write a list of 50 before 50. I think, particularly for women, that the focus is heavily on ‘your 20s’ and there’s a lot of life to live in each decade, just just seen as dwindling because society values youth in women but no experience or joys.
Im turning 40 sept 2023... i do my 40before40 last minute edition🤣
i feel like keeping the 40th goal unfilled is actually a nice way to acknowledge that you never know what's gonna happen and maybe you reach 39 and then realize that you want to put something completely different you've never even considered there
Also one of my favourite quotes by the late great Agnès Varda is “you have to invent life” which I think is very relevant here. Like there’s definitely this idea that life is this weird societal checklist of marriage and babies. And I much prefer the idea that nothing in life exists and you have to literally invent your own life like it’s a piece of art
ThePrimeOfLife omg that is amazing!!
Les glaneurs et la glaneuse 💙
This comment of yours made me look up Agnes Varda and now I am in love with her! Thank you
#18: being a vegan myself I hereby declare that I will defend you until the end of my days when you upload that vegan video, regardless of if you’ll do it *~right~*. e v e r y o n e who raises awareness helps. just do it. I believe in you (as always) 💛
Yupp I never understand why a small but loud number of people seem to get madder at people who try to be vegan but don't do completely right than people who don't try at all
haha aw thank you that means a lot x
Another vegan here (over 3.5 years now) and I wholeheartedly support you and believe you can do it!
I'm a vegan. I call myself a vegan and I tell people I'm a vegan. I ate a Yorkshire pudding at Christmas that very much wasn't vegan because I wanted to and my mum cooked it. I ate a croissant one morning, again because my mum bought it for me and I was staying with her and I wanted it. I am still a vegan. We don't have to be perfect to identify as vegan and talk about the benefits. GO FORTH AND BE IMPERFECT
I was in therapy the other day and I was talking about how our issues don’t just go away with age. For instance, i have a 50 yo coworker who deals with body image related insecurities and is always anxious. She’s also passed that on to her daughter who kinda learns her mom’s shame. Being 21 I just want to be happy in my 30s. I want to develop healthy coping mechanisms and tools to navigate through life without falling apart so much
Another 21 year old here with the same goal. Wish you luck mate!
Same here, what advice did your therapist give you for that?
Considering how many of the goals are an ongping process or need years-long preparation, it's truly amazing how many you already achieved!
I just turned 31 and you’ve inspired me to go and make my own list immediately! ✊🏻Also side note - please could you make a video solely on not having kids/getting married? I’d love to just sit and listen to your words of wisdom on this subject as I am the only one in my friendship group that is taking this path. I think it would be very comforting to lots of your like-minded followers 🌷
Aw maybe I will in future, but if you pop over to Hannah Witton’s podcast Doing It, I’ve JUST been interviewed on that very topic so that might be faster for now :)
Good luck with your list ☺️
Highly recommend this podcast episode, it is GREAT
i loved this episode so much!!!! I recommend it as well!
I had tonsilitis on my 30th birthday and I spent it metaphorically dying in bed before attending a doctor's appointment and getting antibiotics. I was recently unemployed and it was the lowest point in my life. Everything I've done since then has been better and better. I got a job in Manchester, returning to the city I was at uni in and reconnected with old friends, and then got a better job in London and loads of new friends and experiences. Now I'm living my best life.
I just turned 27 on Tuesday and I'm sick of people telling me that I'm nearly 30 (getting old) and should be doing XYZ things. A lot of those things are social normalised things.
I still live at home, have recently swapped jobs (still finding my feet on that one) and save a decent amount of money for doing things later on in life. I also love being able to go travelling so having my base at home works. I'm Ace (people are still confused by this) and have no desire to have kids, and strangely people have opinions on that too 🙄. I'm still finding my feet, dealing/coping etc with mental and physical health too.
Bottom line, I feel this. As I'm not reaching certain milestones that are placed upon us the harder it becomes to explain why or how to people who should mind their own business. I want things for my future, but they do differ from what people expect. 🙂
I have been dealing with the same comments from my family...I’m 26, turning 27 in a couple of months and I don’t understand why they all feel the need to tell me “ you’re almost 30” and need to get my shit together. Unbeknownst to them, I do things like work on my finances, job security, housing for the future and trips with my bf and it’s extraordinarily difficult NOT telling them about things that I’m doing or want in my life because each time I do, I deal with their reactions and push-back. (Their) reasons why it’s not a good idea to do what I’m excited about and future goals I have. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and they’re supportive, it’s just always been on their terms since I am the youngest.
I loved goal 6, my godmother doesn't have any children and I've always felt like she was my second mum and definitely affected the trajectory of my life.
Leena: I have a list of people I think are going to have kids.
Me: and Hannah Witton is probably at the top of it.
Lolll I also whispered Hannah :P
🤣
Luckily she has made her intentions very clear on her channel.. best of luck to Hannah with her budding family!
Now make a list of all you accomplished in your 20s! Have a little celebration, you made it!
* find a partner to go through life with
* find people I can be emotionally vulnerable with (AKA "find my family")
* learn skills I've been putting off and really master them (knitting, embroidery, flemish sign language, book binding, ...)
* explore who I am and learn to love all of me and if that proves impossible: be kind to the parts of myself that I can't love
* adult (sort my life out financially (pension planning, understand my taxes, fuck it fund, ...), move out of my parents' house, cook more)
* STOP AVOIDING OR PUTTING OF THE THINGS THAT SCARE OR INTIMIDATE ME (AKA buck up and get shit done)
I LOVE THIS
Omg Leena, I'm 25 and I've been feeling a TON of anxiety around adulting, and all the stuff you're supposed to do as an adult vs the things you actually want, and how to balance doing the things you HAVE to do (pensions, taxes, learning to cook, etc), with the things that you want to do (creativity, cultivating friendships + relationships) etc...gah! Even just writing that out makes me anxioooouuus but this video made me feel surprisingly calm, and you always have a way of making hard scary adulting things sound like exciting possibilities for living the life you want to live (which they are! if we just take ownership of them rather than trying to avoid them!) So thank you! Thank you for living an adventurous life full of books and (hopefully) saving the planet. Thank you for sharing even a little bit of it with us. Excited to see where all your fabulous goals lead you!
You're such an inspiration. Thank you very much. I turned 30 last year and get through a lot of change already: go to therapy, get my own place and financial indepedence. But now i feel lost and not knowning what to do with my life. Definetly not getting kids, mortgage and other "adult" stuff because i basically lost my twenties to my illness. And thanks to this video i'm thinking of my own list :)
I'm turning 28 this year and really want to use the last 2 years in my 20s to find out what I really want. I feel like there is little time to just sit with yourself and think about what you want out of life. Gonna use this "you know what" time to get that process started. Love a good list :) and I really want to get a tattoo in my 30s
your videos radiate such a cheerful and powerful energy, they actually make me excited about life haha
i'm 21 and have got some similar things on mind btw (growing my own vegetables, enjoying local holidays, cutting down on fast fashion,...)! loved this video x
oh and your outfit & earrings look so great on you!
As someone who’s only turned 18 half a year ago seeing someone talk about turning 30 in a way that’s not negative is really interesting and motivating, especially the way you talk about your life right now, in the future and in the past.
I feel like in this day and age there’s so much pressure to have your entire life figured out and your entire moral compass already set straight that it’s sometimes hard to not feel down about how your own life is going when you only see people your own age showing their “staged” lives on Instagram and co.
I think that’s why I find you so inspiring & refreshing, because while I may not even be close to the point you are at in your life right now (I mean I’m only gonna graduate high school this year) the way you talk about “failures” in your 20s has been very comforting for me, and one certain quote of yours that you said in (I think) a cleanup video is something I wrote down immediately which now hangs next to my desk. Keep doing what you do!
PS: I’ve been vegan for a little over 2 years now and I’d love to see you make some videos about that topic, but yeah, some vegans can be brutal, so I 100% understand if someone wants to figure that stuff out for themselves.
Hi, Leena. I am almost 32. Thirties are the best thing that happened to me.
My 40th thing on the list would be - I want to fully acknowledge, accept and LIVE the fact that I don't have to do anything, and I can do everything I want.
Meaning - just because I am living my life a certain way today, doesn't mean I have to live it the same way tomorrow - I have the power to change it.
Best regards!
11:48 don't be afraid, I'm a vegan myself, just do things in your own time and everything will be cool.
I am heading toward 42 in a month and I love this list!! And it has inspired me to make a list for the next 8 years. 50 before 50? And honestly some of these will make their way into my list. Thank you for all of your content!! You make me smile every time I watch you!
I never comment on TH-cam videos but...I grew up on a small island in Orkney. It's a very beautiful, interesting place to live but faces many many issues - but as a holiday, very peaceful! As an easier trip, I'd reccomend Skye - there's a lovely non-profit ferry (last turntable ferry in Scotland) that makes the crossing - if you want to support a local business rather than the bridge.
I also lived on a narrow boat for several years as a child - another lovely, slower pace of life.
Finally, as an alternative to London, Edinburgh is wonderful and has a very vibrant literary/creative scene. I love it here.
Love your videos and you are a regular source of wisdom in my life - keep being you!
Hi Leena, l picked up sewing a couple of years ago and it has transformed my relationship with clothes shopping. I make 90% out of thrifted fabric. Professor pincushion is a great channel for instruction, but Dorothys daughter has a great Friday sewing school for beginners. Love your channel, you remind me of my daughter who also lives in London and wants to learn to sew!
Thanks for the recommendations!!
Gumptioner here :D I'm 19 so still have all that to come but I've been thinking a lot about coming to the end of being a teenager, and looking back at what I have/haven't done compared to what's expected of 'teenagers' as a group. I'm pretty quiet and shy but also do want a lot of the typical expected and extroverted stuff yet feel like I've wasted the decade in a way as I haven't lived up to all the things I expected of myself, though I realise that some of those expectations have been imposed on me and some were also just not the right fit for me. I'm trying to come to terms with who I am and also challenge why I already feel like that's who I have to be and stay being. For some reason I feel as though I can't do 'teenagery' things when I'm in my twenties so will have missed out on what many people say is the best time (though I hope that's not true), but I'm trying to convince myself that these things don't have an age limit :')
Hello from your friendly neighbourhood thirty-plusser - this time is not wasted! Other people's idea of what a decade of life looks like isn't the answer. If you've got closer to understanding what it is that makes you happy, or what it is that you DON'T want your life to look like, you're nailing it. Be kind to yourself x
I'm also 19 and I feel the same way :)
I'm a bit younger than you but already feel the same way :)
I'm thirty-five and I'll frequently do teenage stuff because I want to and it makes me happy 😁. The one thing I unfortunately learned too late for my actual teens & twenties, because I unfortunately spent those in an emotionally abusive family and tried to just survive the experience XD, is that you can do whatever! the! heck! you! want! (as long as it doesn't harm others of course).
Maybe it's a female bodied thing, but the amount of compliance to silly rules I've felt has veen way too much. Now I'm just "too old to care" anymore. Do I want to own a purse with cute Anime style animals on it? Heck yeah! Do I want that way too dressed up fancy style for a family dinner? Go for it! Do I want to roll off a hill and laugh like a child! Ooooh yeah!
I have felt way too weighed down and unhappy trying to squeeze myself in that societal norm of grown-up-ness and my inner voice taunting me "a grown woman bodied person doing/wearing/saying XYZ? Pathetic! You know better... You want to be taken seriously right!?" Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr 😡😖
So I'm applauding you for learning that lesson wayyyyy earlier and having fun in life NOW instead of denying it because life didn't work out in a way for you when it was socially acceptable XD Lots of love! We're in this together!
If you're comfortable with it - would love to see a video about your journey with food!
Yes
It is better to be private and autonomous about your food. What you take into your body is actually as intimate as sex.
Herbs are super easy to grow in a windowsill. I recommend basil as a starter. No garden needed
Rosemary is another super easy one that tastes great in many dishes!
Leena, you should make your own literary prize! I mean, why not? You have a great audience, you can decide the criteria and really give some authors a leg up in this world. I'd be interested to see who you pick and why you picked them.
Just wanted to let you know I appreciate your videos. Had an incredibly shitty day at work-not the fault of my workplace-, and it is really nice to come home and play stardew valley with your videos playing in the background. Reminds me the world isn't all horrible. So, thanks.
oh my god, seeing goals as lighthouses!! Mind blown, what a great way to look at them!
Full. Personal. Contentment. And. Acceptance
I'm 31 now and one of my goals for the decade is to have an adventure, a spontaneous one or like being a yes-woman for a week, because in life so much is planned, but there is no excitement about it, so maybe you can top your list off with something like that - the great unknown is great for a reason :D Also, I hope you finish a book one day, would love to read it and kudos to the plan of reading everything M. Atwood has written, I am on my way to finishing all her books also! Love watching your videos, thanks for making them!
I thought you'd said "go to Ireland and buy a boat" and didn't even question it. I was like, yeah, a decade is a long time. Sounds reasonable. ANYWAY, love this so much. Life-shaping very much on the brain, as I'm sure is true for so many people in the comments. For me it's that the end of uni is hurtling towards me (3 months to go! Ahhhhh!) and I don't have any really strong instincts about what I want to do next. (A few about what I *don't* want to do, so that's something I suppose!)
Would quite like a video about volunteering: where to look, how to decide where you want your time to go when there are so many causes and organisations, how to match your skills, idk, whatever you think you'd want to know if you hadn't grown up volunteering. Going vegan is a goal of mine too, so also that, and all the fast fashion/making your own clothes stuff as well!
Many thanks for the great video as always :)
As far as volunteering... A great place to start is to think about your value system, & how you want the world to look in the future... What are the main things you want to see changed? Once you've sussed that out, try find organisations that are in line, & ideally are smaller scale, or have good track records of transparency etc.
A great place to physically start, if the idea of linking up with an organisation seems daunting, is to have a browse of places like HelpX or WorkAway...
Hope that's at least a little helpful 🌹 All the best with it all hun. Sending love from Australia ❤ Emma 🌈🔅
Like you, I've seen lots of 30 before 30 lists but nothing about 40 and I LOVE IT! Might pinch for myself as 30 also approaches...
I just dicovered you and it’s made these last day about 78% better.
Loved this as a 31 year old with no plans for kids or a mortgage, wondering what my 30's are about! I would love to hear more (perhaps a video) about pensions and the process to combining multiple pensions, building a healthy relationship with food and also building community when you more around alot/ live in a city in which people are very transient. Thanks Leena ☺️
Omg what I would give to be 30 again and as together as you are...I was a complete mess !! you are doing well believe me and you have some great life goals.I think you're going to smash it ...definitely go and do the writing retreat,make that a priority and also moving somewhere away from London...don't put that off for too long either because there is nothing like changing places to give you a whole other perspective.I realise I have written this post covid so it may take a while but if there s one regret that I have more than any as a older person it that I did not nearly travel or live in other countries anywhere near enough.Also you would make the best auntie or mentor to any child so do that too.
i think one of my goals would be to get to know myself better. i've been working on it, i've been making progress!!
i know what i need when i feel like i'm in the aura of a potential anxiety attack. i need my heating pad, my weighted blanket + a soft one if it isn't too hot, a hot shower, hot cocoa or lukewarm is good too if i forget about it long enough, kleenex nearby, and a good and happy movie
i know what i need when i feel like i'm in a rut, when i'm depressed about it. i need to go the gym and do some simple chores; completing those tasks make me feel accomplished. maybe a hot shower, showers always feel like "wash the physical filth and the mental funk off" for me, plus i play happy music whenever i shower. sometimes i bake cookies for another simple "you accomplished something!". im usually too depressed to do complicqted things like cook, but walking to get take-out helps me feel healthier for a low amount of effort. it's also premptively good of me to go work out for even just 10 or 25 min a day to make those days happen less i just do the eliptical for now but that + a video while i do it helps my brain a LOT already
i'm learning more about what i need from my close relationships with other people unanimously, and i'm learning how to productively put in that love for another and, in response, they give love back rather than just asking for it. it's more mutual and healthier to say "i saw/heard [x] and it made me smile because i thought of you!! i miss you and i love you so much, i hope we can find the time for a chat soon, you're really good company" than it is to say something bad about yourself to fish for being given the love you need. plus, giving love??? it makes you feel more loved before they even send a response; 12/10 exp, must reccomend. juliet was right about love being like the sea-- the move i give, the more i have, for both my heart and the sea are infinite
i've also learned that i need a pet, always, as a part of the stability of my mental health. so i spoke to my doctor and got certified for an ESA or Emotional Support Animal. i can't bring my pet into any sort of resteraunt or workplace, but it is a v proactive little slip of paper that says anybody in housing or real estate of any kind cannot ask me to pay an extra fee for having an animal or disallow my application because i have one. so i have a rescue cat now, she's extremely cuddly and clingy and talkative and i adore her
i think i still need more therapy, i went for a while in hs, but i don't have the fiances for it here in America. but, it's within my own 10 year goal to go back to that because i think i might need that regularly
anytime i don't want to do something in the morning: make myself hot cocoa. i'm not a morning person. i have yet to find a tea i like, and caffeine induces migraines so coffee is a no-go, but a warm drink helps me feel comforted that i just gotta go do that thing i dont wanna in the morning. its still not great but, that and some warm food, it makes the ordeal better and i feel more awake and soothed
my migraines mean i can't read in the midst of one or look at screens cuz they both hurt. and i can't sleep it off cuz its too painful. so i started calling friends (after texting to see if they're free to chat for an hour or two) and that makes me feel productive and not like a lump for two hours, and like. love helps soothe the pain, y'know?
i've also been learning more about my ADHD and executive dsyfunction and inducing the "Might As Well" mindset of setting up X next to Y so when i go do X i "might as well" do Y, and other tricks
i've been learning to check in with myself emotionally when i'm with people, esp new people, like how my thoughts are making me physically feel (uncomfortable= chest is tight, excited= face feels warm and i'm smiling, etc). edp important for dating; doesn't matter if we're perfect on paper if i feel jittery and like i have to prove myself to this person all the time-- i want to feel comfortable around who i surround myself with. im learning to recognize my body's feelings as deciding factors on if i continue seeing a person; its my evolutionaryily-built jury for a reaaon, i need to listen to it more before deciding a verdict
it's been handy, learning more about how i function and how to manipulate that into my own process of living rather than be frustrated that i don't know how to "fix" myself when i haven't even done the work to learn aboit how to productuvely fix anything about myself. it's like i'm researching for developing manual about myself, it's been really good
Having a fuck off fund kept me going when I quit my horrible job and was unemployed for 5 months. I'm still so grateful I had one and that I could put my mental health first. Now I tell everyone to have one!
Come to Bristol! All the best bits of london (diverse, culture, full of things to do and amazing community!) whilst on the doorstep if cornwal, devon, wales and somerset (walking and sea advenures!). You would love Ah Toots, Hyde and co (google these!). Minus the pollution and crazy traffic. Its a win!
I'm knitting a minty sweater while I watch this, drink coffee and wake up -- clothes can be made! And, when you put the initial effort into making them, you keep them, repair them, cherish them... very sustainable. People rarely wear and chuck a sweater they spend 60 - 100 hours making.
Omg that's so spooky! I'm actually seeing AS WE SPEAK. Agreed, clothes CAN be made!
Seriously one of the best videos I have seen on TH-cam in a while! Absolutely loved the intro.
+
ALSO about pensions- you can easily consolidate them, they've recently made it a lot easier, and it's very satisfying, good luck!
Noo the boat travel to Ireland is so beautiful! You can take the overnight boat and you will be rocked to sleep by the boat. As long as you're not terribly sensitive to seasickness it can be lovely.
I am a teenager but I actually judged a literary prize in a book club! It was the best, we went to book fairs, played theater and read so many books! Would recommend
Lists are really useful in helping you see what you actually value Vs what you don't and need to let go of.
I'm turning 27 this year and the way of looking at time - a year Vs ten - hit home so much! I still feel like a child but I kinda know why and what I need to change to feel more like I have agency over my life and future. So I'm gonna do a 5 key things to do before I turn 30, and then do a proper holy hell I'm an adult now how do? 40 before 40 list like you have. ❤️
Lady with a safety razor here - There's a bit of a learning curve, but a couple months in I was shaving comfortably, and now I can do my armpits (and all else) in the shower and it's totally fine. This one is not nearly as scary as we think, you can definitely do this! Also once you get a shaving brush, you can use bar soaps forever and you'll be grand.
Come and live in Manchester!
And yes to a vid on cleaning out our old childhood bedroom!
In regards to #15 (wearing a petticoat/historical clothing is cool) and whichever number making clothing was, look up "Historybounding", I have a sneaking suspicion you'll fall in love with it. Also a petticoat is a great beginner sewing project, just sayin'...
Literally started to make my 40 before 40 list and now I came across this video because of your insta shoutout!
Also on growing your own food, you can grow a lot of food in pots! Which works if you have a balcony? If not there’s a lot that can be grown inside at a window!
Hi! Not a pension expert but someone who had the same goal and sorted herself out this year.
It sounds harder than it is!
If you are currently being hosted a pension I would recommend putting all your old ones into it as a first step. A few reasons, one, that on each of those pensions you will be paying fees. You want to avoid paying tonnes of fees repeatedly. Two, the one you/ your employer is paying into is set up, and active, if you want to set up an independent one when you go freelance and everything is aligned you just have to move over your current one.
If you have the name of the company who hosted your past pension you are half way there. If you have any account details you are 90% there. Contact them, ask them to find your plan, your account number and the amount in it and make a note
Let your current pension know that you want to transfer in, for some it's a simple page on the website and list the details you found from past companies.
They have to transfer and sort. It can take a while. But ultimately, whatever you instructed they will act on.
Final tip is, some companys offers to match contributions BUT ONLY IF YOU ASK. DAMN CAPATALISM. But do ask, as it's worth it.
I know I'm just a random on the internet but women aren't given lots of information and often we fall short of government pension support (you need to be paid a lot, we aren't, you need 40 years working, we often take career brakes to care for others) etc. So invest in yourself. Golden years Leena will thank herself....
very tiny side comment, currently from dissertation land: I am very grateful for your place in my online media diet, dear Leena. And I have the same bullet journal!
I'm 30 in 2 years 8 months. So inspired to make a 30 before 30 list, but I'm going to have to make some of them super achievable or things I was going to do anyway. Feeling like there isn't enough time to do 30 things, however I've totally done loads of things in my 20s I'd have never believed when I was 19. I think your 20s is all about taking the opportunities that arise when they arise, rather than planning them, or it has been for me.
I feel like several of these could be accomplished by volunteering / fostering dogs ! That could be awesome. If you're not ready to settle down with a long term commitment pet, begin with fostering. It can save so many lives! If you fall in love with an animal, you might foster fail and have a pet for life! Win win all around
You can check off the eating something you grew one really quickly and easily. I live in a studio flat and all I have is a tiny window sill in the kitchen. I grow chives , basil and salad leaves as a lockdown hobby and have had great success!!
regular old rogan - obviously make sure youre aware of any side affects - but it can be really good for hair loss!!!
Sewing is much easier than people assume it will be. I’ve just started sewing and it’s so much easier than I thought. My suggestion would be just for it. Annika Victoria is a TH-camr who makes videos about sewing clothes and she makes it very simple. Also the thing with sewing certainly when you start is it doesn’t have to be perfect it just have to be functional. Good luck just have a go you’ll probably be surprised
Excellent Topic. I love this thought process. Please keep us updated. I'm very interested in your vegan journey. I also feel the need to go vegan, but am not there yet.
#8: I recommend you read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (there is also a 2018 film but it wasn't filmed on Guersney) and then visit Guernsey. Obviously its fiction(ish) but 1) I think it's fun to then imagine you're one of the characters on the island, and 2) it does give a little peek into the history if the Channel Islands which, if you're then curious, you can then learn about it
I usually like to make the goals and then put them in a folder and put it away somewhere and then after a certain amount of time I'll open the envelope. It puts less pressure of myself and it's cool to see where I actually went with the couple of years
A year plus later, you are well on your way with this list! Maybe a yearly update on these goals?
I just turned 20 and wow this video really spoke to me. I obviously have no idea what I'm doing in life and am really at that stereotypical early 20's point were I'm like "how do I adult? What choices can I make? What do I want my life to look like? What's even realistic and affordable??" and even though it's kinda freaking me out, I think that's very okay. It's a good place to be rn even if I sometimes lay awake at night scared for my future. It just feels so calming to me that these questions do evolve and settle down a bit over time, but no matter what age you are, you're not going to know the perfect way to live your life or what the future will bring. A thing that really spoke to me in your video was figuring out what causes or things are the most important in your life, things you are willing to work for and pour your life into. Right now I kind of balance these two big passions of mine and I don't really know which one I want to pursue with higher education and make a career out of. At the same time as I low-key just want to go live on a farm with my friends, be self-sustainable and not have to think about having a "real" job ever again.
I stopped journalling to watch this, lawl. I'm turning 31 soon and am also not going to do the whole kids thing -- I should really make a list like this! The only before-40s goal I have currently is to earn a six-figure salary, which is not only a reach, it's probably coming from an unhealthy place of feeling fearful and insecure, and there are probably goals I can have that are better for me. Like your goal #34 -- it really got me. That's definitely something I've been thinking a lot about lately. Anyway, you've made a great list and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do over the next 10+ years!
As a 28 soon to be 29 year old, I found this was such a brilliant way to think about goals throughout the decades of life. By the way if it helps, the ferry crossing to/from Ireland really isn't as bad as you think! Try it in the summer to start with and it'll be grand. I've done Liverpool-Belfast and its looooonnngg but a steady crossing and if you wanted to do a wee Scottish/Irish camping travel, the Cairnryan-Belfast is lovely xx
Go to the Hebrides!!! They’re absolutely stunning, you can go through quite a few on one trip, the beaches are amazing and the culture and history is wonderful! You could do two in one and camp up there as well, there’s some really nice campsites near beaches that are lovely!
The Hebrides are stunning. I recommend Vatersay - you do have to wild camp HOWEVER when I went, admittedly 15 years ago, there was a free public toilet and sink right by the beach
I'm 32 and still can't really picture what the rest of my thirties will look like! We've got a lot of the same goals, and I just started the process of consolidating my various pensions- SO dull but I feel really good about it. One of mine for this year and beyond is working out what activism can mean for me- I've been making personal choices about sustainability and ethics for a while, but know that for true change to take place there needs to be huge policy shifts and systemic change. When I think about 'activism' it feels scary and for people with entirely different personalities to me, but there's loads of forms of activism and I want to work out what my kind of activism is, then do it!
i started to feel really anxious this sunday evening and this video (which i had already watched a couple of times) really soothed me. my goals and life can be about fun and joy and pleasure and beauty. thanks for that reminder leena
The boat journey to Ireland is great! I know it takes a lot longer than a plane, but I genuinely find it much less stressful. It's very chill, you can nap and read, and the boat itself is very fun. Have done it countless times. Would recommend x
I kinda hope you make one of these for as many decades possible
You could come camping in Ireland. We have plenty of lovely mountains and lush greenery!
Fuck I loved this!
Terry Pratchett. Read all the books. Best of luck.
I love the self portraiture one, and it reminds me that one of my life goals generally is to get a proper self-portrait painted. In my childhood family home we have portraits of all the family members, and even mine of when I was about 1 year old fills me with joy.
This is a great list, such an interesting way of getting to know a person by hearing about their long-term goals! I volunteer at my local library, reading to young children every week who might not get read to them at home by their parents - maybe that would be something for you, too? (re: volunteering regularly/keeping books alive)
I'm turning 29 this year and a big, consistent goal for me is have a career - not a job. I've been in the same job for 7 ish years now and I don't even like it. I just need employment and a paycheck. Trouble is, I'm not the person who has ever been able to figure out what I want. 10 years after leaving college and I'm still clueless and filled with regrets about things I can't even name because I don't know what they are.
A couple of years older than you, but that aside, I feel like you've described my life. I know your comment is old, but if you still feel that way, just know that you're not alone 🙂 Also, one thing that helped me was shift my focus to things I can do outside of the job that make me happy. Still hoping to have a job I like one day, but in the meantime there's a lot we can enjoy in life regardless of what we do for money 💚
@@WaffleTraveller You are so right! Its hard to get into the mindset of a more positive outlook and focus on the things we can do outside of work. I feel like I'm finally getting there and learning what is truly important to me. I'm 30 now and life is still throwing me through the ringer (I got made redundant from the aforementioned job last year). I've got a new job lined up and I've been learning how to drive and diving into my hobbies as much as possible. Its really tough being one of those people whose job doesn't bring them much meaning or satisfaction. So many of my friends feel the same. We'll get there somehow. Its hard trying to remind ourselves that happiness doesn't have to come from hussle and careers; especially with the lifestyle being pushed on social media so much.
Many recipes aren't as complicated as we like to make them, you just need to learn a few basic ones (eg pasta sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, onion, herbs) that you can then play with to mix it up.
I did find the metaphor of goals being like a lighthouse a bit weird as most lighthouses are to let boats know not to come too near as they will run aground, and isn't necessarily to do with where land is.
Being disabled by chronic illness means my life has been put on pause for the past 9 years and may continue so for the rest of my life (or it may not), so I totally get the idea that we overestimate what we can do in shorter periods of time, but other than with weightless hadn't thought that we could be underestimating how much we can do in a decade etc (ie we only see change for some things over long periods of time but because it's not so easy to see it makes doing the small steps harder but more vital). Goodluck with your 30s, I'm sure they'll be amazing because you seem to have a good balance between making goals and being flexible with them.
I loved this! I'm always setting goals for myself and then don't do them, but I think it's nice to do it anyway cos it feels good in the moment. I'm in my 20s and I'm now at the point where I can actually think about longterm goals and this has been really great to watch
Thanks!
If you get a train ticket from London to Dublin it’s usually cheaper than buying the ticket to Holyhead and then the boat ticket!
i keep coming back to this video
Leena Norms is my spirit animal.
I take the ferry Holyhaed- Dublin about every other month as a foot passenger and it's fantastic outside of the summer school holiday season. In the winter it's pretty much empty - very calming and lovely! Highly recommend :)
Firstly, I love this 20s series so much ❤️ also you should watch Rachel Nguyen’s videos about turning 30. Everything she makes is so beautifully produced and edited and for some reason watching her set goals is extremely calming to me
I've actually read all of Meg Wolitzer's books and my favorite by far was "The Interestings", so definitely give that a try!
I’m about to turn 31, loved this video! Excited to journal about this topic more. Kind of related to your “build a healthy relationship with food” I want to do so with my body. I want to give more time to an activity or sport that brings me joy. For me, that would be dancing and board sports (current skateboarding, maybe snowboarding and surfing later) and just developing that intuitive communication with my body, understanding when I need to move, eat, stretch, sleep, etc.
hair-related: you can still dye the tips of your hair, or you can look into Henna-dies and see if and how they affect your condition
I think it’s important to set goals even if it’s unlikely you’ll actually achieve them. Because just like how the journey is usually more important than the destination; working towards the goals is more important than achieving the goal. You’re still better off for having tried.
As a 21 year old about to graduate from university (but doing my final semester online cause apparently this is the worst year to be in university) it was really helpful to hear you talk about how you’ve grown to know what you truly value. It’s scary seeing the future of the planet and knowing I have to start my adult life & career in a world that will probably look very different in 10 years. I resonated with your anxieties but I also want to say thanks for sharing your knowledge of what matters to yourself. I’m still figuring that out and it’s comforting to think that I might be doing a bit better about that in 9 years (even if the planet isn’t).
Love your look & your positivity. I had similar mindset when I turned 30 & made my own list "30 for 30s" but never completed it. Figure I will add goals as I go thru the decade. But at 32, I reviewed my list and realize many of my goals could be consolidated. Had similar theme
So bloody relieved that I'm not the only one who's done a lot of temp/ self employed work, ended up with X number of pensions and not a scooby doo how to sort it out 😰 Leena when you get around to it do a video please! Xx
I loved how you mixed- and matched a little bit of everything (that is important to you) to reflect 'ahead', so to speak. Very authentic and inspiring! Thank you
If you head to Jersey, drop by one of the Arthouse Jersey places - thye'd be hyped to meet you. Also Greve de lecq is a very quiet calming beach. St Ouen / north coast are good walks.
If there is something you want to do, just do it because I learnt you never know what is round the corner
When I first heard about We Are the Weather I thought you would like it, and it gives me such a thrill as an admirer/audience member to find out I was right! Also I saw that you were listening to it over and over again on audiobook, which is super smart. Like the writing it so beautiful, and the facts are so important that I think I'm going to copy that strategy so I can make sure it all sticks in my brain.
I have the same cathartic experience on city walking tours :) did a few cool ones on my own in Dubrovnik!
I'm a londoner who's lived the majority of my adult life so far in sheffield. I personally will probs move back to london one day, but if you're looking to move out of london for a bit i think you'd love it here. Great DIY cultural and creative scene, lot of local activism, good sense of community, and affordable housing! (the job market leaves something to be desired tho)
I have been hooked on your twenties tool kit videos. I will be 22 this year and I love your advice. One of my new favorite channels.
GO TO ORKNEY!!! my family all live there and although its windy if you like history orkney is a wonderful place to go to, also super peaceful and scenic too
I'm all about the low-dairy veg goal!!! I've been vegetarian, vegan, now somewhere in-between... go for it! To whatever end it takes you!