My big sister turns 50 this year; I won’t be 50 until 2 years from now. We are only 13 months apart in age, and apparently I am the only one fully entertained by that sentiment. So yeah, I will be turning 50 myself in about 16 months.

Last week, I started to compile a list of 50 things I wanted to do before turning 50. I added a lot of things quickly and then petered off, not sure what else to add. I’d made lists like these when I was turning 25 and 30 – coming up with nearly twice as many things isn’t proving all that easy! So I turned to my buddy Google.

There were several lists that popped up but they contained a lot of travel activities or experiences that were a little costly, both in time and money. I already had a few on my list (which is still a work-in-progress but I’ll share once it’s done). Sure I could fill up 50 expensive things I want to do over the next 16 months…but my husband can’t take that kind of time off and truth is, I don’t want this to be a costly experience. That isn’t the point. So I’m revamping most of my list down to smaller tasks that have meaning and are a bit simpler than visiting all 7 continents or every country. I’m considering keeping visit all 50 states on there though. I only have 14 left that I haven’t lived in, visited, or traveled through. And if I visit my sis (who will already be 50!) I can knock several more off. One cross country drive would knock out most of them if I’m up for that – haven’t decided yet…

Anyway, today I did one of my tasks! And yes it was simple – and I am truly surprised how I hadn’t done this before today.

I walked in the Pacific Ocean for the first time since we moved to California.

Sounds simple, right? We moved here over 10 years ago and I hadn’t done it yet. We live not even a 15 minute drive from the ocean and I had taken our dog there countless times because she LOVES running in the shallow waves. But I never took my shoes off! We live in NorCal and more often than not, it’s really chilly here – comfy for living, great weather for a dog, but not really I’m going to walk barefoot on the beach weather.

Today, we are experiencing a heat wave. Apparently we are having record breaking heat, at least according to one article I saw. So today was the day. I didn’t bother with real shoes; I put on my Vionic flip-flops and off we went!

The water was absolutely FREEZING…but after that first exposure, it felt refreshing. I wonder if that’s how cold showers work: the initial cold is awful but gradually you acclimate? I noticed that I missed the soft sand beneath my feet. I haven’t walked barefoot on a beach in I can’t remember when. And I felt that – something has been missing from my life for a long time now. Life – living a life has been missing. I’ve been going through day-to-day motions but there has been no progress, no joy.

It might be awesome to visit 50 amazing places over the next sixteen months, but that isn’t what I’m after with this project. I want to find my joy again; I want to feel alive.