Back in October, I had a simple realisation: in November 2026 I will celebrate my 45th birthday. The thought didn’t bother me in the slightest – as I have aged my mindset has very much become that ageing is a privilege, and despite having my ass kicked by perimenopause I actually really enjoy being in my 40s. What it did make me think about, however, was how I wanted the coming year ahead to feel. I know myself well enough to recognise that I function best when I have goals and the sense that I am moving forwards and making progress. The problem is that for the last few years, most of my goals have been professional ones, focusing on work, productivity and getting things done, rather than about doing things simply because they matter to me as a person. 

So, I feel it is a good time to shift the balance.

I decided that I wanted things to look forward to, things that would make the next twelve months a bit more intentional and a bit more enjoyable. Turning 45 doesn’t feel like a big dramatic milestone, but it is a good moment to check in with myself and decide what I want the year to be about.

That is how the idea of a 45 Before 45 list started.

At the beginning of 2020 I actually made a 40 Before 40 list, giving myself just under two years to complete it. 

And then covid happened, which meant a huge chunk of it never stood a chance. Travel plans were cancelled, events were postponed and a lot of the experiences I had wanted to try became completely off limits. The list never really got its moment, and in the challenging years that followed my priorities shifted. This time, I wanted a fresh start.

The aim for my 45 Before 45 list is not to cram in huge, dramatic achievements or pretend I am starting a whole new life chapter. Instead, it is much more simple: a set of goals and experiences that would make the coming year feel enjoyable, interesting and personal. A mixture of everyday tasks and a change of routine, small adventures, things I keep putting off, things I want to learn, and things I want to experience just because I can. Nothing extreme, nothing that requires a major reinvention, just a collection of actions that help me feel like I am moving with purpose rather than drifting from one work project to the next.

Some of the items on the list are very personal. Not in a secretive way, but in the sense that they involve areas that I want to work on quietly. I won’t share those just yet, but not because I am hiding anything – I simply want to give myself space to work on them first and share them once they are underway or completed.

The rest of the list is a mix of practical tasks and, most importantly, things that bring joy. Some involve travel, some are about trying activities I have always said I wanted to do but never quite got around to. A few are about health and wellbeing, not motivated by pressure or guilt but by wanting to feel good and take care of myself as I get older. Some are about making a difference, not just for myself but the wider community around me.

What I like about the list is that it gives the next year a bit of structure and excitement without feeling heavy or complicated. Over the coming months I will be sharing parts of the list and documenting the progress, the surprises and the stories that unfold along the way. Some items might be ticked off quickly, others might take time, and a few may unfold in ways I did not expect at all. For me, that is part of the fun. Either way, it gives me something positive to focus on as the year unfolds.

So, as I head towards 45, I am choosing to see this as a year filled with opportunity, creativity and intention, and a year to step into with a sense of anticipation rather than urgency. 

Here is to creating a year that feels rich with purpose and possibility. And here is to embracing every part of the journey.