Jan 31, 2014 | Post by: mnanda001 6 Comments

Designing My Life…

{What does the future hold?}

So, it’s been too long my friends since my last blog, “Good-bye 30738 Dover Drive” , but I must say thanks to each of you who read this particular blog post (my most read blog post yet) and sharing it with others.   Seeing the responses from each of you and how you connected with something I wrote, but more importantly, seeing how many of us could share a common thread about our own childhood home felt awesome.   When I first began this blog journey (a little over a year ago)  it never occurred to me how my blogging could connect to people so personally.  It is this reason I continue with my blog (which I LOVE writing)  and am thankful for all of you who take the time to read it and simply connect with me and others.

That said, as stated above it’s been way too long since my last post partly due to the craziness of the holiday season and partly due to the fact that my creative juices were completely in full gear with all the design projects that I was working on. (If you get the chance, poke around my website and check out some new adds to my portfolio.  More to come on this later!)    That said, I’m thrilled to be back blogging  and this particular post (with fair warning) has just a few pictures. Learn here how to start using a payroll software.

You know I love designing the interior of homes and I have gain a lot of  capital, hopefully one day I can grow and work with an assistant and be able to use the PayStubCreator for the payments as my husband does at his job.  It’s certainly a passion in my life and I am blessed to spend a fair bit of my time doing what I love….designing spaces.   However, I really don’t spend enough time ‘designing’ my life. With a husband who travels each week, two little kids running around ALL the time and of course, my third baby, M. Interiors, I simply just run out of steam at the end of the day to thoughtfully just think about my life. I’m not complaining…my life is actually ‘designed’ pretty perfectly (whatever perfect is) and yes, some of my life has been thoughtfully planned and most other parts are just spontaneous (some of the best moments especially with kids are the spontaneous ones!)  and sheer good luck (good luck disguised as hard work).

What do I mean by ‘designing my life’ anyway?  Well, I certainly don’t mean being prescriptive and certainly do not want to lose the spontaneity.  I mean I just want to be more thoughtful and more intentional with what I want to accomplish and experience in my life.

Over the holiday break my husband and kids (and our amazing sitter!!) vacationed in South Florida and met some of our close friends there.  It was over dinner one night when my husband discussed how he was inspired by this tweet,  so we, my husband,  our four close friends and I agreed to write out/start our bucket lists.   We’re all close to 40 and jokingly agreed that the “end is near” and it was time to commit to a bucket list.   We shared our bucket lists over dinner on New Year’s day.

Here’s the start of my list, though I reserve the right to add to the bucket list or otherwise upgrade it over time.  Here goes…

Family

1.  Stay HAPPILY married to Rich (I chuckled when I wrote ‘to Rich’)

2.  Get involved as a family in a community outreach/charitable organization

3.  Take my kids to India to visit their ancestral homeland

4.  Take the family on a vacation to the country of my kids’ choosing on or near their 12th birthday

5.  Take both my kids on a week-long tour of colleges

6.  Take the kids snow skiing (with the hopes that they like it!)

7.  Take the family to the Olympics  (Summer and Winter)

M. Interiors

1.  Receive  local and/or national recognition (we laughed that the NY Times or Architectural Digest would do.)

2.  Reach a six figure profit

3.  Establish 2,000 + blog followers (You could help here!  Subscribe to my blog :) )

Travel

1.  Visit Prince Edward Island and stay in a home off the coast enjoying mussels and some bubbly

2.  Travel the world based on top rated Michelin star restaurants

3.  Visit Argentina

4.  Visit Africa/South Africa

Other

1.  Retire in Sonoma and establish an amazing world-class organic garden on our property

2.  Continue playing tennis so that Devan and I can play together

3. Continue to workout regularly and be active

4.  Own a baby grand piano with the hopes that one of my kids is musically inclined.  (I’ll take lessons with them!)

And, the most important one, hang out with Jimmy Fallon. (ha-ha!)

‘Designing’ your life….this was a really fun thing to do with our friends.   Not only did I learn more about my husband and friends (and hope that I can help support/help them accomplish their lists), but I learned more about myself.      We shared a lot laughs that night and realized this is only the beginning….

What’s on your bucket list?  Tell us.

Until next time…

~M

Here’s some photos/good memories of our South Florida Vacation…..

Devan lost his first tooth on New Years day!  One of those spontaneous moments that I was so happy to experience with him.

What’s Siona dreaming about?  I wonder what will be on her ‘bucket list’?

Confident Siona….lov’in life and the vast ocean of opportunities….

A quiet moment….me, myself and I (and a Corona).

Nothing beats being with my core….my family.

 

6 Comments to Designing My Life…

  1. eileen buckley
    January 31, 2014 9:43 am

    Loved reading your bucket list, Maya. It inspired me to make my own!

  2. Angela Allen
    January 31, 2014 9:47 am

    Inspiring~

  3. Pooja Gugnani
    January 31, 2014 12:14 pm

    Maya, I’m so glad I didn’t miss out this time. What a cool idea to create your own list and design of life. I loved the concept! Thanks for the inspiration.

  4. Maggie
    February 1, 2014 5:53 pm

    Oh the places you’ll go and have already been!! Sign me up for teaching the kids how to love snow mountains!!

  5. Mandy
    February 4, 2014 8:36 pm

    Love love your blog Maya! I look forward to reading more inspirational fun things you have to say! xx

  6. Ronee
    February 6, 2014 3:22 pm

    Loved seeing your smiling face in your family photo and reading your blog! I miss having you as a work associate … but it’s clear you made the right decision to pursue your dream. Look forward to reading about your future success and that article in Architectural Digest!

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