Ok no the title isn’t an indication that I’m doing 40 tough mudders! However I’ve done one this weekend, the 5k tough mudder and I bloody loved it. It was hard and yes a couple of the obstacles I skipped but I did it, I completed the whole thing and despite major apprehension before hand, I actually enjoyed it.

Why? Because my friend was doing 40 things in the year she turned 40 and she asked for 40 people to set her these things/challenges. So this was the first thing that came into my head for the two of us to do together, I did stop and try think of others but my mind kept coming back to this. So I suggested it, we booked it, we panicked, panicked some more and then did it!

It was a massive achievement for me, I’ve been through a phase in my life where I’ve doubted myself, I’ve been conditioned to think I cannot achieve things or do things. I’ve not tried things for fear of failing and lost my sense of ambition. Actually as a person I’ve always had a lot of inner strength but that was forced out of me and recently I’ve been getting it back. I’ve always fancied tackling one of these and find excuses not to, yesterday I actually went and bloody did it. Granted I needed a little push and support from my good friend but I’m so glad she was there, in one day she taught me a lot about myself and I’ll be forever grateful.

So, going back to my title, I’m definitely going to do a tough mudder again, however I’ve decided to play copy cat. I’ve decided to steal her idea, and why not because all the best ideas are those where you join forces and build on each other’s suggestions. So I’m going to do some things/challenges with my nearest and dearest. They’ll be decided by the people I nominate….but why 40?

Well my friend chose 40 because she was completing them all the year she turned 40. However she offered me some advice and said if I was steal it that as much as it would be wonderful be prepared for saving as she’s been spending a lot of money and it taking up a lot of time but that it being so worthwhile and a wonderful experience that those things make it more than worth it. So I thought about using the number 32, because that the age I was the very day I started embarking on my new life, I tried playing around with numbers for the date that I made my biggest life changing decision but 12518 is rather a lot! I thought about 34 because that’s the age I am now and I’m taking big steps to make my life what I really want it to be. Then I decided to settle on 40 and not try cram them into one year, but they all have to be completed before I turn 40, giving me a good 6 years to ensure they are all completed.

So look out for a little message from me, I’ve selected my 40 people (or groups of people) I’ve written them in the first page of my 40 things journal and I’m ready to start my 40 things before I turn 40. And if anyone asks my firm answer is, why not?