20/20

Jacquie Here.

Today, I am 20. I think that is funny. (intentional rhyme)

But really, I do think it's funny. I still get mistaken as a high school freshman at the grocery store. (awesome.. NOT. I hate that more than anything.) I feel like 20 is a pretty big milestone, though. I mean, right? It means I'm officially out of the "teen" years. It means I'm a real-live adult. But I still feel (and AM) so young in comparison to the rest of the world. But I also feel a little bit old.. Twenty years ago, I was born. 2 decades. One more year and I'm "legal", although that means pretty much nothing to me..

This week, as it was my birthday week, I spent a lot of time reflecting on my life the past 20 years. What have I accomplished in 20 years? Have I done anything great?

When Bill Gates was 20, he dropped out of Harvard and co-founded Microsoft.

When Taylor Swift was 20, she became the first country music artist to win an MTV Video Music Award (and then was interrupted by Kanye during her acceptance speech and that became kind of a big deal).

When Jane Austen was 20, she wrote Pride and Prejudice, her second and most famous novel.

When Alexander Graham Bell was 20, he taught a stray Skye Terrier to talk.

I may not have accomplished amazing things like these people; I may not have founded my own company worth trillions of dollars, I may not have a bunch of Billboard hits, I may not have written a best-seller, I may not have taught a stray dog to speak (hey, you probably haven't either, okay?) ... But I feel happy with what I have done with my life in 20 years.

I have won a Spelling Bee (made it onto the front page of the newspaper!).

I have traveled to or lived in a lot of the coolest cities in the U.S. (among these: L.A., San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle...)

I have completed a year and a half of college.

I have been on TV (just the local news interviewing my family about water contamination).

I have taught myself piano and guitar.

I have gotten a 4.0 GPA (in the 9th grade).

I have shot a 223 rifle.

I have learned a lot about myself and about life.

And I think my greatest accomplishment at the age of 20 is that I have stayed true to who I am for 20 whole years. I have never in my life doubted who I am or who I want to be. That is rare, and I think that it's great, don't you?

proof that I shot a 223.

I am a huge goal-setter. New Year's, the start of a new semester, the beginning of a new week, birthdays, any kind of "New Beginning"... Every opportunity I have to set goals, I do. I keep a notepad on my bedside table and usually jot down some goals I have for the following day before going to sleep. They're usually just small tasks that need to be accomplished: do laundry, write a letter, call so-and-so, paint nails. I feel better when I have a purpose every day. And I think one of the best feelings in the world is when I have accomplished everything I wanted to for that day. It's peaceful. But, like most human beings, I tend to set goals that I never accomplish. That happens a lot more than it should. I wrote a lengthy post in January with my goals for 2011 and I'm pretty sure I've already failed at about half of them. But you know what, at least I'm setting goals, okay? They'll be accomplished someday.

So, (getting to the point now...) as turning 20 is another New Beginning in my life, I feel it is only appropriate to whip up 20 goals for my 20th year. 20/20, get it? Some of them are the same goals I set for the New Year, but I'm still working on them. I am a firm believer that sharing your goals with others ensures more motivation to accomplish them, so here they are (in no particular order):

20 Goals For My 20th Year
1. Pay off debts
2. Improve musical talents
3. Get back in school and achieve 3.7 GPA or higher
4. Communicate more frequently with those I love (more phone calls, etc..)
5. Write in journal more consistently
6. Exercise regularly to maintain healthy energy level, weight, and overall health
7. Seek opportunities to serve others daily
8. Finish reading the NT all the way through
9. 100% Visiting Teaching
10. Find a stable, well-paying job that I enjoy
11. Don't speak malice of others - Replace negative thoughts with positive ones
12. Be more patient and flexible
13. Be more humble - Put others before self
14. Attend General Conference LIVE (Is this cheating since I already know I'm going next month? haha)
15. Be more sensitive to the Spirit - Omit things from my life that are not conducive to the Spirit
16. Remember deadlines & due dates - Plan ahead & don't procrastinate
17. Pray for guidance when making even small decisions
18. Don't complain about little things
19. Create a $$ savings plan and follow it
20. Be sincere and genuine in my relationships with others

Also, I just want you all to know that you should definitely go to Chili's for your birthday because they bring you the most FANTASTIC chocolate molten cake with ice cream (for free!) and sing you a cheerful song. Here's proof of how much I enjoyed it last night...

Don't worry, I shared it with about 6 other people. And I didn't REALLY get that messy. I intentionally smeared chocolate and ice cream all over my face for a dramatic effect. I mean, it was my last chance to do something immature while I was still a "teen" and it was still acceptable.

That is all.
Happy Birthday to me.
(blowing out 20 candles)

Out,
Jacquie.