Continuing the streak of more personal notes and the conundrum that each new year poses us. Ever tried to make a New Year’s resolution that failed? Ever wished you could do this and try that and go there – without any of the wishes ever coming true? Why do we spend more time dreaming than making dreams reality? Why do we speak of wishes “coming true” instead of “being made true”?

Sometimes it can be much quicker to make a dream come true than dreaming of it – especially if it comes to sending out that dinner invite or booking that flight or concert ticket.

Last spring I spent my nights coloring a coloring book. I also went to the Helsinki Music Center, had an Indian head massage, and finally went to the French Riviera. During this year I have managed to realize my dream of practicing yoga on Bali, of spending a weekend at a spa by myself, and going through my wardrobe. The challenge is called 101 things in 1001 days and is the core of the Day Zero Project.

My list is far from done – but it’s a good start for the first year. Having a list is certainly not the only way to experience new things, but I hope I can inspire you to start realizing your dreams and goals instead of just dreaming of them. Here are mine marked as “done”, one year in:

1. Host a board games night
2. Learn to knit socks
3. Spend a rainy day watching films in my PJ’s
4. Spend a weekend at a spa by myself
5. Make jam
6. Travel to New England
7. Crochet a quilt
8. Find a career mentor
9. Get an Indian head massage
10. Install a mirror in the hallway
11. Have a hot stone massage
12. Go back to Kathmandu
13. Read my old journals
14. Clean out my wardrobe
15. Go to the French Riviera
16. Complete a coloring book
17. See a performance at the Helsinki Music Center
18. Hire a cleaning maid
19. See a play at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre in London
20. Find a penpal and write real letters
21. Eat at a Korean restaurant
22. See a Broadway musical in London
23. Read all moomin books
24. Practice yoga on Bali
25. Make candles
26. Get in touch with 2 old friends

+ about 15 other things in progress, such as joining Earth Hour every year, learning how to make limoncello, going to the dentist every year, and paying off my study debt.

Life is not a rehearsal. You are the star of your show, every day, regardless of whether you are up for it or not. Trust me, the past few years I have mainly not been up for it. Yet life has happened anyway. It tends to do that, every day.

Stop dreaming. Start doing. And do kindly let me know if I inspire you to make a list of your own – so I can mark yet another goal as “done”! (Helsinki, Finland; January 2016)