It's my birthday month.

​Many of you are probably thinking, "So what?"

​Well, it's my birthday month. That means its time for my Birthday Bucket List.

Yes, you read that right. Birthday. Bucket. List.

​Every year for the past few years I have made -- and completed -- a list of five activities or goals that I want to meet, accomplish, or complete within the next year (or my next birthday).

​Last year, I learned to use chopsticks (finally!), participated in 3 themed 5K events, published a book (again, finally!), took a writing class, and gave a workshop. While these may seem like small accomplishments to some people, to me, they were tasks that I kept telling myself I would do, but never did.

​Which is actually how the Birthday Bucket List was born. A few years ago I found an old notebook that had a list of "New Year's Goals." Before you say anything, I have no problem with people setting New Year's goals or resolutions. I did it forever. The problem was, a few of the goals on that list were the same goals I had written on my latest list. Apparently, just writing them down wasn't working.

​As a magazine writer, and an editor, I tend to work with deadlines a lot. I have clear instructions know what the project or job is. I know how long it will take me to do any additional tasks within that project. And I have a set date by which the project must be completed. If not, there are serious consequences. I have only missed deadlines a few times, and there was always a very good reason.

I do well with deadlines. Why not put deadlines on my reaching my goals? I know what I want to do (the project), and I know how long the tasks to reach the goal will take. All I need is a deadline - one that is easy to remember and hard to miss.

My birthday. The perfect deadline.

​So, back to my original statement: it's my birthday month. What do I want to accomplish this year?