To celebrate my final year in my 30’s I decided to throw together a list of 40 things I’d like to do before I turn 40. With the help of some of my blogger and work friends here is what I hope to get up to over the next 52 weeks!

I will change the title green when I have completed the challenge and link to the relevant post!

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1. Raise £500 for charity – Completed!

This was an easy decision for me to start the list. I always try and fundraise a couple of times a year anyway so having an overall goal in mind will be a good motivation.

Dementia UK – £72 raised

I have started this off with a Walk 1km a day for Dementia UK – You can find more information over on my Facebook sponsor page where I raised £72

The Little Princess Trust – £160 raised so far

Chloe wants to cut her hair short so we decided it would be a lovely idea to donate it to The Little Princess Trust who turn it into wigs for children with cancer.

It costs around over £500 to create each wig so fundraising is crucial to help them be able to do what they do!

Find out more on Chloes fundraising page

Tommy’s – £435 raised so far

As part of my half marathon racing I am raising funds for Tommy’s the pregnancy and baby charity to help fund their research.

Tommy’s funds medical research into the causes of premature birth, stillbirth and miscarriage. We’re dedicated to finding causes and treatments to save babies’ lives as well as providing trusted pregnancy and baby loss information and support.

Find out more on my fundraising page

Total raised so far £667

2. Adopt a child

Ok not actually bringing home a physical child but to virtually adopt one via sponsorship (although this was a Tom suggestion and I think he probably did think I would just bring one home!)

Fitness

3. Have a Pole Dance lesson

This came up in conversation on a girls trip to the cinema and I thought why not add it to the list, I look forward to the bruises!

4. Run an international parkrun

I have tried to book family holidays around an international parkrun but they aren’t really in any of the tourist places we visit. I think I will try and get over to Amsterdam to collect my ‘Z’ run.

5. Climb a mountain

I am not thinking Everest here, I think Snowden is looking like a possibility but lets get the fitness up a bit first!

6. Run a half Marathon – Completed!

With me currently doing couch to 5k and a couple of 10k’ s booked in it seemed like a natural progression to want to push myself to a half marathon – eeek!

Edit 21st July : I can’t believe I completed this almost 2 months before I planned on doing one – read all about it over on I ran a Half Marathon!

7. parkrun on a volcano

Mount Etna is 100% on the list for this one!

Relax

8. Read on my own in a coffee shop – Completed!

Doing anything on my own is a challenge so I can’t wait to complete this one.

Edit 5th October – I swapped reading for writing and blogged for over 6 hours in Starbucks without interruption! It was amazing and I highly recommend hiding yourself away at your nearest coffee shop.

9. Milan QC Termemilano Spa

If you are on tiktok you won’t have been able to miss this spa in Milan, it has a thunderstorm room!

10. Bath under the stars

My friend Sarah found a fabulous airbnb with bathtubs on the top of a hillside so you could bathe under the stars and well, I can’t wait to give that a go!

Can’t wait for my review? Find out more about Hill View

11. Read a book every month

I have had this goal every year for the last 3 years so I wanted to carry it on this year too

Edit : You can follow along with my reads over on my 2024 recommend reads

12. Cold water swimming

I’m weird and I quite like the idea of this, maybe a Christmas day thing to look forward too.

13. Saltwater spas Germany

Apparently they can make you look younger and I am all in for that.

Exploring

14. Visit The Valley of the Rocks in North Devon

Park near the town hall in Lynton then take the cliff railway down into Lynmouth, have a potter round the shops then wind your way back up, taking a detour along the coast path to The Valley of the Rocks. Utterly breathtaking views and amazing mountain goats roaming free. If you’re not a hiking fan, winding your way down the roads is spectacular too. There’s a car park in the heart of the valley.
– Steph @ StephLovesHoney

15. Visit a Bath spa

Bath is famous for it’s spa’s so it would be rude not have this on the list

16. Visit Herculaneum, Italy

I am obsessed with volcanoes and fascinated by the history of Mount Vesuvius so I would love to visit the area.

17. A Ghost Walk in York

Apparently there are lots of places to visit in York and a Ghost Walk is a must!

18. Stay in a Prison Cell Hotel in Oxford

Because hopefully I’ll never end up in a real one!

19. Paris

Twenty Two, I’m in Paris baby, got strippers ti…. erm yeah let’s get to Paris! (and if you don’t get the reference I’ve dropped it below, it is an absolute banger!)

20. Afternoon Tea in Harrogate – Completed!

Apparently these afternoon tea’s are legendary and it is a must-do.

Edit 19th October – We ended up going to Malmaison in Cheltenham for afternoon tea

21. Visit Puffin Island

Puffin Island (Welsh: Ynys Seiriol) is an uninhabited island off the eastern tip of Anglesey, Wales. It was formerly known as Priestholm in English (and Ynys Lannog/Glannog in Welsh). A hermitage was established here around the 6th century, and there are remains of a 12th-century monastery on the island. The island is also a Special Protection Area for wildlife. Source : Wikipedia

22. Fly somewhere for a day

There has been a lot in the paper about people doing this so I thought I’d give it a try but where will we end up?!

23. See a musical

At the moment Six is on my list so hopefully I will get to see it this year, I may even go alone if I can’t find someone to go with me

Edit 19th October – I have booked to see Moulin Rouge! in June 2025 so this one will be a little delayed due to ticket availability

24. Fly to dublin and have a Guinness

Anyone joining me for this one?

Family Adventures

25. London Open Top Bus Tour

Coming from London you would think I would have done this already, but I haven’t and Oscar is desperate to go on one.

26. Lapland/Northern Lights

This feels like it could be a joint trip with lapland for the kids and the northern lights for me!

27. Visit a kitty cafe – Completed!

While we were wandering round the Bullring I spotted this kitty cafe and just knew I needed it on my list! We didn’t visit because I think the kids will love it too and want to go when we can all go together

Edit 12th February : We completed this on 12th February 2024 you can find my Kitty Cafe Birmingham post here

28. Hire a narrowboat for the day/night

Gaz and I have talked about this looooooads and now Oscar is a bit older and both him and Holly are good swimmers I would feel more comfortable doing it.

29. Go to a festival – Completed!

I love festivals. Nuff said.

Edit Aug 2024 – Ok this wasn’t quite what I had in mind but it will do for the purpose of my challenges! Summerfest 2024

30. Visit the seaside – Completed!

Burnham on sea doesn’t count, it’s not a proper beach or sea. I want to visit somewhere I can swim in the sea – Possibly Great Yarmouth and combine this with running one of the toughest parkruns in the UK

Just for fun…

31. Go to a life drawing class – Completed!

Will I be the artist or will I be the model? Who knows!

Edit: I completed this (Spoiler, I wasn’t the model) read the Life Drawing Class post

32. Axe throwing

What could go wrong with my rubbish aim and weak arms? Bring it on!v

33. Ride a Jetski – Completed

It just looks so fun!

While we were in Rhodes I got to do this *Spoiler* I hated every second of it.

34. Visit a nudist beach – Completed

Because who doesn’t want to feel completely free??

Edit 28th December 2024 – I can’t believe I accidentally completed this one by booking a hotel which just happened to have a nudist area! H10 Timanfaya Palace

35. Dine in a Michelin Star restaurant

Will it be totally be wasted on me, or maybe they will convince me to try some new things?

36. Write a book

I mean, why not?

37. Fire a gun

See above.

38. Try a new food every month

Bit of backstory for this one – I am FUSSY when it comes to food, I am really weird about textures and I can be icked out just by the look of something. So this is a massive challenge for me that was suggested by someone at work (Cheers Tom!)

You can follow how I get on over on my Try a new food every month post

39. Get published in a newspaper – Completed!

Little did I know while I was writing this list that this one would happen accidentally before I even hit publish on this post!

Yes that is me (3rd pic down on the right with the pink jumper) at the Blackpool parkrun celebrating their 7th Birthday, I didn’t realise he was a photographer from the paper I just presumed he was a normal parkrun photographer!

40. Go stargazing – Completed!

I love the stars they are so fascinating (or maybe its all a simulation who knows) either way they are so pretty and I would love to view them properly!

Lets get started on 40 things to do before 40!

I am exhausted just thinking about it all but I can’t wait to get started! Make sure you are following me on social media to see what I am up to each week as I tick things off my 40 things to do before 40 list

ChrissyJ xx