So many of my dreams have already come to reality and I couldn’t ask for more..
As I sat on the soft sand listening to the calming waves of the ocean, I find myself reflecting on the past decade I spent in Korea (Yes, I spent last ten years of my life here in Korea by myself and what a beautiful journey it has been!)—a whirlwind of experiences, challenges, and emotions that have shaped me into who I am today. Each milestone, big or small, has helped me create this beautiful canvas!
A few years ago, I remember making a silly list of things I wanted to do before Aug 2024 (My 30th birthday!) and I am so glad I did this! Wait for it! You’d love it too.
The first one is pretty easy! Or as I thought so…
1. Finish Reading 30 books before I Turn 30!
You might think this one was a breeze for me because, that’s what you see on my Instagram stories every other day – but trust me, I am the slowest reader EVER! I love picking up different books at different times, diving into whatever grabs my attention at the moment or what I am seeking for in that phase of my life. I love to linger between the pages, soaking in every word and idea and practicing it in my life. If you still don’t buy that, ask my best friend, Karin, who said on our 48th outing – “Wait? Why are you always carrying the same book with you!? Is it your new accessory? :D”
So, finishing 30 books wasn’t just about reading—it was about being patient with myself and staying committed, even when I wanted to jump to the something new on my shelf. Thanks to Gwendo for inspiring me to switch to Kindle, I could easily tick this goal off!
Now that I have accomplished this, I wanna be a slow reader again, I love embracing the way I read, at my own pace, and finding joy in that process. I’m proud of this one because, after ticking off this goal, I realized that it’s okay to go slow, and take as much time as we need.
2. Travel Solo at least ONCE (Guess who never stopped?)
I first added this goal to my list during the pandemic—a time when I felt completely lost, disconnected from loved ones and the places I called home. One of my goals that year was to go out alone (whenever I could!), to explore something different and unfamiliar. Because that was what I saw every time I looked into the mirror – something unfamiliar and different. At that point, I already felt lost and believed I had nothing more to lose. And, I’m incredibly grateful that I took that chance.
Did I love it? OMG, NO! I hated it..
My first solo vacation, was terrible, terrible, terrible in all languages and dialects haha. I was so bored and so lonely that I constantly glued to my phone screen. And, to my surprise, I felt more lonely in an attempt to escape the discomfort I felt in a place where I didn’t belong. It was hard, and I questioned why I had ever thought this was a good idea. But now, looking back, I realize how important it was to confront and experience those difficult emotions.
If I hadn’t pushed through that first experience, I might have missed out on one of the most beautiful parts of my journey. Fast forward to 2024, and I’ve taken more than 20 solo vacations. Each journey was a miracle, allowing me to discover versions of myself that I never could have imagined. These trips taught me resilience, self-reliance, and finding joy in my own company. (Yes, I can’t wait to spend time with myself as soon as I come home after work each day!)
3. Learn Pole Dance
The reason I enrolled for Pole lessons is a story for another time but learning pole dance wasn’t actually a goal on my list—until I went there and FAILED TERRIBLY AT IT!! If you have met me after my pole lessons, you have probably seen me bruised – and I guess I am covered in few as I write this but every bruise has its own story to tell. I loved learning when exactly not to give up.
There were so many times I was on the verge of quitting. It was actually tough—physically and mentally (mostly because my Korean skills would become a nightmare while struggling for my life on pole). But just when I felt like I couldn’t go on, I started to find strength in places I didn’t know existed.
Pole dance has taught me so much about perseverance, about embracing discomfort as part of growth, and about the power of rising up, even when you feel like you’re at your lowest. It was not just about the moves or the tricks; it’s about the transformation that happened within. Guess who has enrolled for private pole lessons now?
4. Take a Driving Lesson!
Yes, don’t smile or give me that look – I moved to Korea at 19 and never had a chance to learn! Anyway, during my last trip to India, I decided to make the most of my time and signed up for driving lessons. I was determined not to let that trip go to waste. But things took an unexpected turn when I realized my driving instructor and I didn’t speak the same language—literally! I couldn’t understand a single word of Punjabi he was saying, and, as you can imagine, that didn’t exactly help my driving skills. Guess which was more difficult – learning pole in Korean or driving in Punjabi?
But hey! That doesn’t mean I am not a good driver! I just didn’t even understand left or right lol.
Naturally, I ended up messing up most of the lessons there too. But honestly, it turned into one of the funniest stories of the trip. Every time we sat down for dinner, the story of my chaotic driving lessons would come up, and we’d all laugh until our sides hurt. For those 20 days, it became a running joke in my family, and I’m pretty sure everyone at that table remembers my crazy driving story like it happened yesterday. Prajval knows the best!
5. Develop a New Habit for 30 Days
If you know me, you know that I’m all about making lists and challenging myself—whether it’s my beliefs or the things I do daily. So, when I set the goal to develop a new habit for 30 days, it was both fun and challenging. I didn’t just do it alone; I took my students along for the ride each time I took on a challenge. We used to bet who failed first?(Whosoever fails first, had to do an extra homework!)
The last 30-day challenge I took was with Jinyoung, my candle-making teacher (Yes, I took a lot of these ) We decided to push our boundaries by doing a writing challenge where we had to argue in favor of something we actually didn’t believe in. The catch? We had to fully support the argument as if we truly believed it. It started as a fun writing experience but it turned out to be incredibly interesting (more than I thought so). We both learned so much through the process, especially about challenging our own existing beliefs. In fact, by the end of it, I even found that I had changed my mind on a few things, which was the whole point of the exercise.
It was a lot of fun, and it showed me just how powerful these 30-day challenges can be for personal growth. If you’re ever looking for ideas for your own 30-day challenges, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram at @berryybetter. I love coming up with challenging ideas! And, I might join you as well – let’s see who fails first!!??
6. Publish Thanks a Lattte
You gotta buy this here to know the story behind this! Or let me know, I could send you a free copy!
7. Celebrate a Birthday Alone
Who wants to celebrate alone? That wasn’t me for sure! But on my 25th birthday (I was actually very excited), but I was left completely alone. That year, whatsoever, some people weren’t there, and I was left on my “special day” feeling abandoned. Did I care? Yes. Was I sad? YES!
But anyway, I did learn a valuable lesson: my happiness shouldn’t depend on others or external circumstances. That birthday taught me to continue finding joy within myself. Since then, I’ve celebrated each birthday alone, but not with sadness.
I’ve embraced solo vacations, whether it’s reading on a secluded beach or diving into the ocean—despite not knowing how to swim (pun intended). I’m forever grateful for that lesson and for learning to celebrate life on my own terms.
8. Keep only Meaningful Relationships in my Circle
I STILL practice this every single day :))
9. Explore New Cities in Korea by Myself
Been there! Done that!! You’ve already seen my Instagram, perhaps! :))
10. Build a Healthy Morning Routine
I was also always one of those who would pick up their phone as first thing in the morning – and once I discovered the science behind it, I never ever repeated that!
One of the most transformative things I’ve done in my life is actually building a healthy morning routine – I call it MAGIC MORNINGS. My life completely changed after I read The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. The principles in that book were so interesting that I decided to apply every single one of them—and I’ve seen the magic happen literally.
If you’re interested in the details of my routine or how The Miracle Morning can change your life too, let me know in the comments below—I might just write a separate blog post about it!
11. Have Abs!
“You’re too skinny!”
“You’re too chubby now!”
“Why are you skinny again?”
I have heard it all and let it affect my mental health at some point in my life!
After cutting off some weight, and finally getting those abs – I knew it was the opinions I should let go off! Not my body weight!
Yes, I learned that a hard way too – Now I embrace all phases of my cycles each month!
EVERY PHASE HAS ITS OWN BEAUTY – Just as the moon teaches us every night!
12. Eat Clean, Switch to Vegan Diet
Yes, switching to vegan diet is the second-best decision I have made in my life.
Moving to Korea will always be the first!
Once again, I thank Gwendo for teaching me so much about mindfulness and sustainable lifestyle.
13. Learn to Say NO as Often as You Need
When you’re younger, you struggle with this a lot. Gladly, I have learned my lesson not too late!
Yes, I struggled with saying no and would agree to everything almost immediately, even if it didn’t align with my values. Mastering the skill of saying no will help you – try more of that! (Even if it sounds scary at times – it is NOT, it’s LIBERATING to choose what you want for yourself)
14. Create Work Portfolio
I procrastinated this for two long years! But hey Look what I finished in January this year – Check it out!
15. Pretend-Play a Wedding Shoot if You’re not Married by 30!
Now this one might sound funny and I agree with you! When I was 24 or 25, I thought to myself, if I’m not married by 30, I’ll definitely do a wedding shoot before I turn 30. I don’t know, I’d never be a younger, this younger version of myself again. I know I’ll be definitely wiser than what I am today, but ticking this off my bucket list was one of my favorite and best moments of this year.
16. Learn Something New Once a Week for an Year
Been there done that!
17. Learn new Hobbies
Join a painting class, go for Salsa dance, learn how to make eco-friendly soaps and candles, hiking, camping (For a night in a haunted place), Baking class, Making my own handbags, aerial Yoga, Bookmark-making, Board games, Card games, Origami, Slime-making, Legos, Rock climbing (Never doing again), Acting class, Makeup Artistry (Thank you Muskan!), Horseback riding, and ofc dance – you name it, I’ve tried it (and failed at many too haha)
18. Start a Blog
Yes, this is my third one!
19. Practice Minimalism
Back in 2019, when I had lost it all – both physically and emotionally. I learned to never attach myself to material things again :)) I am so glad I can practice this often and the sense of freedom that comes from detachment is so soo beautiful!
20. Do Something that Scares You the Most
Jumped in the Pacific Ocean on my trip to Okinawa without knowing how to swim! Also, climbed a mountain that I thought I could never do!
21. (DO NOT) Get a Tattoo
It’s funny that I never wanted a tattoo, but I couldn’t stop myself from getting one!
22. Get a Piercing
Done that, perhaps after a heartbreak!
23. Help Animals Often
I love, love love animals.
24. Learn Aerial Yoga
My aerial yoga instructor, Jiwon is also one of my closest friends – we have had some wonderful lessons together!
25. Digital Detox
This one was really a challenge in the beginning and it’s one of my favorite things to do NOW!
26. Give More Than You Take!
I’m practicing this and still learning!
27. Encourage my Students to Switch for Sustainable Lifestyle
I love sharing my thoughts on sustainability and minimalism with my students during their English lessons with me.
I vividly remember when one of them wrote me a letter saying, “Teacher, thank you for helping me calculate my carbon footprint. I am very careful with how I use water and electricity these days – especially, I never leave my laptop on overnight charging. I have reduced my carbon footprint and also telling my friends to do it.”
28. Take 100 Days Off Without Social Media
Loved doing this, I might do this again in the last 100 days of 2024. It’s beautiful to have freedom of your time!
29. Let Go of Plastic From my Home
Yes, if you’re reading this till now, please let this go – it’s not healthy or cool to mindlessly destroy this beautiful planet.
30. Be Yourself and Never Compromise for What You Truly Believe In
This is one of the promises I always make to myself to never settle for something that I do not believe in, or never trade my values for “trying to fit in” – no matter how difficult it gets. But I learned it a hard way that this one also comes with standing alone most of the time and showing up more courage than you think! I know, it is a difficult path and I’m content with my choices, values and beliefs. Guess what – being left out was one of the gifts that helped me build a lot of self-resilience! I’m so grateful for coming this far..
Can’t wait for next chapter!
Wish me luck!
