Happy Saturday and happy weekend guys! 💙 How’s your weekend treating you so far? Regardless of what you do, I hope you have a good one! I kicked off Saturday morning with a good workout and it felt great! Now that I have established a new and steady workout routine, I also discovered the need to update my workout playlist.. I decided to keep some of the old good ones, but also added a few new ones. If you need to pump up your workout playlist, here’s whats currently on repeat on mine;
🎶 “You need to calm down” – Taylor Swift
🎶 “Play” – Alan Walker
🎶 “Fontena på Yongstorget” – Sondre Justad
🎶 “Hotel Walls” – Smith & Thell
🎶 “Salt” – Ava Max
🎶 “Blinding Lights” – The Weekend
🎶 “Changes” – Mike Perry feat Dimitri Vangelis & Whyman
🎶 “Haloes” – Ina Wroldsen
🎶 “Sucker Punch” – Sigrid
🎶 “Something New” – Axwell – Sebastian Ingrosso
A good mix between the old and the new, but I’m still looking for more tunes to add to my list. Any recommendations? Feel free to drop them in the comment section below! 🎶 Happy workout!
Buying gifts for family and friends is a thoughtful way of showing how much you care. One thing I’ve noticed, is that many people are concerned with the cost and the size of the gift, like it’s always supposed to be great and expensive.. Why is that? I think that personalized and thoughtful gifts, regardless of how big and expensive they are, are the best gifts one can give and receive.. A couple of days I got a gift from a childhood friend. We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember and we know each other well. This gift is a proof that she truly knows who I am and what I appreciate. It’s one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received! 🙂
It was a fill-in Bucketlist book for 2020!
There was a page with different Bucketlist genres, including creativity, adventure, body + health, family + friends, financial, love, career, self-improvement, food + drinks, travel, top secret and other.. A great way to get some inspiration!
The fill-in pages were great for reflection. One the first page, you’re supposed to fill it what you do, why you want to do it, who you want to do it with (if that’s the case), what has stopped you before, how to make it happen and how you expect it to be. On the second page, you fill in what you did (when, where, with, and how), what you learned, how it made you feel, the best part of the experience, and if you would do it again.. Such a cool concept!
The first thing I noticed when I opened the book, was a greeting written by my friend. The sweetest words about our friendship + she threw me a challenge (which I always love, hehe).. You gotta love thoughtful gifts like this! ❤
What’s the sweetest gift you’ve received or given to someone?
Christmas and new years is over, we already hit January 6th, which means it’s time to focus on this years goals! I’ve always been a big fan of creating a Bucketlist and setting goals for myself. While many people hate it, to me, it symbolizes a fresh start with an opportunity to make a change. I do believe the reason people often oppose it, it because they often feel a sense of disappointment if they fail the goals they set for themselves. The key is therefore not to drop everything called goals and resolutions, but maybe shift your perspective and set more attainable goals for yourself.. Because there’s nothing better when you reach one of your goals and can check it off your list! 🙂
Here’s my personal goals & resolutions for 2020;
Self-Improvement I’m a person that likes to grow and constantly seek ways to improve and become a better version of myself and what I do. I think that’s important for all human beings, because who doesn’t want to be the best version of themselves? 🙂 I want to focus more on self-improvement in 2020. I want to challenge myself more and look into getting a group exercise certification. I’ll also continue to volunteer for the non-profit organization I joined last year. With busy lives (which I know first hand!) it can be hard to find time to volunteer, but it all comes down to priorities and passion. The benefits of volunteering can be enormous, both for yourself and other individuals. To offer vital help to people in need, the community or worthwhile causes dear to your heart can truly make a great change. I experienced this first hand when I was so lucky to meet individuals in need; the feeling when they hugged me, eternally grateful after receiving food on the table and presents to open, can not be described. I can’t emphasize it enough; if you can find the time to volunteer for a cause dear to your heart, do it!
Continue to work towards a more stable financial situation Achieving financial independence is something most of us work towards every single day. From experience, it doesn’t take much effort to make small changes that will make a great impact, but it definitely takes patience, dedication and some sacrifice. A couple of changes we’ve made so far that’s made a big impact on our financial situation is; starting to shop for christmas presents early (I got such good bargains, but great gifts!), pay attention to different offers at the grocery store and stock up on items you use a lot, and maybe the most important thing of all; sell all the things you don’t use. I went through our stuff in our apartment, basement and attic, sorted everything we don’t use and sold it. All the money I make off of selling things I no longer use goes directly into our holiday savings account. We’re currently saving for an upcoming family trip to Thailand, so this addition of money comes in handy! My financial goals for 2020 is to pay of my credit card, save a total of 50 000,- on my BSU account (savings for buying a home), and add extra money into my retirement account. Once we’ve hit a more stable financial situation, I want to start saving for a trip to travel the world!
Continue the great investment in my overall health There is nothing that makes me feel better than a great workout! It also feels good to look back at 2019, were I was able to keep a somewhat stable workout schedule throughout the year and I was able to challenge myself, which is something I’ll continue to do in 2020. I’ll continue going to yoga and focus more on mindfulness and meditation, mainly because I’ve become more aware of being present and it’s really important to me. I will forever cherish spin class as one of my favorite workouts, but I’ll also continue to focus on mobility & stretching, body pump and strength training. After undergoing a huge renovation, my gym does not only look amazing but also offers a new group exercise schedule with lot’s of new classes I would like to try out. I will also focus on spending a lot more time outside in fresh air!
Travel and see more of Norway Since 2020 will be the year we’ll be working hard towards achieving a more stable financial situation, we have decided not to take any huge trips abroad. Instead, we’ll be seeing more of Norway and everything our beautiful country has to offer. It’s always been a goal of mine to see more of Norway, but let’s be honest – we always travel abroad (which I think is the case for most people). Last year I checked of a point on my Bucketlist and climbed Gaustatoppen, which was a great experience. This year I hope to climb Prekestolen and visit Stavanger, visit my sister in Arendal, visit Oslo to meet up with good friends, visit Kristiansand, spend days at seas in my in-law’s boat and hike outside in nature (we bought hammocks last year and I can’t wait to try them out!). Also, residing in Stavern (which is voted Norway’s best summer town several years in a row!) many great things are awaiting us this summer; hopefully many lazy days at the beach, walks along the coastal path, market days, celebration of my birthday, stand-up-paddle boarding, visiting the Citadel Island and Svenner Lighthouse, bike rides outside in fresh air, try out new restaurants, and spend quality time with family and friends. I don’t think we’ll have a problem keeping ourselves busy!
«Every man dies – not every man really lives» – William Ross
Do you ever feel like your life is flying by in the blink of an eye? Do you worry about all the things you want to do, often before hitting a certain age? Or maybe you just need that extra push to get off the couch and get moving? Looking back on the past six months, have you reached any goals, visited a place you’ve always wanted to visit, or maybe taken that one chance you’ve been thinking about? If not, now is the time!
I’m a big fan of Buckelists – they’re fun and often gives you the extra push you sometimes need to accomplish something or reach a goal you set for yourself. Summed up, a Buckelist is a list over all the goals, dreams, and life experiences you want to achieve/do before you die. Personally, I would rather regret all the things I did, rather than the things I didn’t do. I encourage everyone to create a Bucketlist, and in case you would like some inspiration, here’s mine;
My Top 100 Bucketlist Goals 🌍
1. Visit New England in the fall 2. Spend the night at a local Bed & Breakfast in the U.S. 3. Voluntair for a cause I’m passionate about ✔️ 4. Be a foodie at Mathallen, Oslo 5. Visit Svalbard (October 2018) ✔️ 6. Visit Brooklyn Flea Market in NYC 7. Become a certified spin/yoga instructor 8. Gamble in Las Vegas ✔️ 9. Visit 20 countries 10. Visit 50 countries 11. Drive Highway One from San Diego – San Francisco 12. Live in another country for more than a year (The U.S. + the Netherlands) ✔️ 13. Travel the world (set foot in every continent) 14. Quit I job I truly hate ✔️ 15. Attend a mediation retreat 16. Shoot with a weapon (in the Air Force) ✔️ 17. Try paddle-boarding 18. Complete a cooking class 19. Pursue higher education abroad (Went to college in the US + Netherlands) ✔️ 20. Celebrate New Year’s Eve in another country 21. Learn to surf 22. Work in another country 23. Work as an aupair (i the US in 2007) ✔️ 24. Help someone in need ✔️ 25. Learn a new language 26. Become an organ-donor ✔️ 27. Spend the night at a relax retreat 28. Ride the cable cars in San Francisco ✔️ 29. Create my own blog ✔️ 30. Swim in the Dead Sea 31. Travel solo 32. Go on a road-trip in the US (Drove from ND-FL)✔️ 33. Try couch surfing 34. Serve in the military (Air Force) ✔️ 35. Spend a full day at a SPA 36. Take a mud bad 37. Ride a bike like a local in the Netherlands ✔️ 38. Go to the movies alone 39. Go swimming at Miami Beach 40. Eat street-tacos + drink margaritas from a food truck in California 41. Fly first class on an international flight 42. Celebrate a local holiday (Thanksgiving + Kings Day) ✔️ 43. Party on a New York City rooftop 44. Host a theme party (Great Gatsby for my big 30!) 45. Spend the night in a tree house 46. Go snowboarding in the alps ✔️ 47. See the northern lights 48. See the midnight sun 49. Be portrayed in the media for something I’m proud of 50. Shop at Portobello Road Market, London ✔️ 51. Walk the High Line with a take-away iced coffee 52. Eat a lobster-roll from a local crab shack in New England 53. Watch a drag show (Both Drag King + Queens) ✔️ 54. Celebrate my 30th birthday with style (I had a Great Gatsby Party!) ✔️ 55. Swim in a waterfall 56. Try zip-lining (Down Holmenkollen ski jump) ✔️ 57. Celebrate Halloween in the U.S. ✔️ 58. Become debt free 59. Visit the Auschwitz/Birkenau concentration camps ✔️ 60. Start a non-profit organization 61. Attend a book signing with a favorite author + buy a book 62. Shop at a flea market in Los Angels 63. Go to a drive-in-movie theater (We saw Grease) ✔️ 64. Visit Rotterdam Markthall ✔️ 65. Be in the audience in a TV-show 66. Go on a girls trip abroad ✔️ 67. Get a tattoo 68. Eat a meal with locals in another country ✔️ 69. Try pole-dancing 70. Live in a big city (San Francisco + Leiden) ✔️ 71. Pay for a strangers coffee 72. Try a new profession 73. Stay at a 5 star Hotel (Mexico) ✔️ 74. Have a fish pedicure (Kos, Greece) ✔️ 75. Drink afternoon-tea in England 76. Visit Cornwall 77. Be on the cover of a magazine 78. See the House of Anne Frank in Amsterdam ✔️ 79. Climb Gaustatoppen ✔️ 80. Live in NYC for a month + get to know the city as a local 81. Eat a meal from a food-truck ✔️ 82. Get to know people from at least ten different countries ✔️ 83. Read a book at the NYC Public Library 84. Meet a celebrity 85. Manage to do 10 grandstanding push-ups 86. Climb the Pulpit Rock, Stavanger 87. Attend an American college keg party ✔️ 88. Have a picnic in Central Park, NYC 89. Attend a local food festival 90. Go skinny dipping outdoors ✔️ 91. Eat pasta at a local sidewalk restaurant in Italy 92. Sleep outside in a hammock 93. Get payed to travel 94. Go on vacation in the Hampton’s 95. See the Red Light District in Amsterdam ✔️ 96. Hold a management position 97. Eat at Jamie Oliver’s Restaurant ✔️ 98. Eat a meal at a restaurant all by myself 99. Have a meaningful conversation with a stranger 100. Ride a helicopter (in the Air Force) ✔️
