Mondo Beyondo List

As I've mentioned, I'm currently taking the Mondo Beyondo course, an online class about uncovering your dreams. A couple weeks ago, we created our Mondo Beyondo lists, which is a list of all the creative, wild, and totally juicy dreams tucked away in the back of your mind. Things that may be unlikely to happen in 5 or even 10 years. The point is to just write down whatever comes to mind without questioning it. As Mondo Beyondo instructor Andrea writes:

"If we can loosen ourselves up and stretch ourselves just enough to get our rational mind out of the driver's seat, really interesting things will float to the surface. You might not know why you are writing something down, but I encourage you to trust everything that shows up. Don't censor yourself. Your dreams are living below the surface and I want you to surprise yourself."

Now, we've been asked to release our Mondo Beyondo into the universe however we want, so I decided to (gulp) share mine with you. (It's always kind of scary sharing "dreams" and stuff like that, isn't it? Taking a deep breath...here goes...)

My Mondo Beyondo list:

-have a family

-backpack through india and thailand

-adopt a dog

-become certified to teach yoga

-take a culinary tour of italy (we'll sort of be doing this on our honeymoon!)

-learn to speak italian

-write a cookbook centered on principles of holistic health + wellness

-volunteer with animals (just completed my application to volunteer at local animal shelter)

-travel the world as a food writer

-buy a little bungalow (with a snazzy kitchen) in a college town (preferably near mountains)

-design and create my own line of wellness teas

-make my own jewelry

-make time for and honor my art daily

-get my master's in creativity studies/art therapy and become a creativity coach (more of a long-term aspiration as i'm very happy in my current job)

-start my own non-profit using yoga+meditation to help survivors of trauma (also long-term)

-become my healthiest self (working on making some serious changes to my lifestyle and diet and have lost 13 pounds since the holidays...woohoo!)

-run a half-marathon (going to sign up to run a local 5K at the end of march...hoping to work my way up to half-marathon)

-play the piano again

-grow an organic herb and vegetable garden

-go to culinary school

-improve my photography skills and become a food photographer

-spend a year traveling throughout europe

-meet at least a couple of the folks i most admire

-become an advocate for a more sustainable food system (à la my idol alice waters)

-take dance and drawing classes

-give a TED talk

-go white-water rafting

-learn to knit

-go on a yoga and/or meditation retreat in costa rica

-perform stand-up comedy

-become an outward bound instructor

I'm looking back over this list, and the phrase that keeps coming to mind is: jeez, I'd better get started! I'm kidding...sort of.

Image via Mondo Beyondo.