40 Posts in 40 Weeks Series

This past week I was challenged to a new project.

My friend, Rachel, sent me an Instagram reel. Los Angeles Times film journalist - Alison Foreman - posted about her upcoming 30th birthday (oh, 30s, you were so good to me). To commemorate her milestone, Alison committed herself to watching thirty movies in 30 days. She would watch one from each year since her birth, in one of five categories. I love a good advent calendar and have done something like this before. Rachel thought I should try this ahead of my 40th birthday in June 2026.Through some chatter I decided on a slightly different plan.

To start, I searched how long I had until my 40th birthday. Coincidentally, there were 40 weeks and six days at the time of the search. As I have been trying to make a habit of writing once a week, this felt like an almost serendipitous moment. I have 40 weeks to produce forty pieces. Thus, my "40 Posts in 40 Weeks" series was born.

For the next 40 weeks, I am committing myself to sharing one post a week. Starting September 27, I will share a post each Saturday until June 27. Then, on June 28, I will wake in the morning to either a panic attack about being 40 or thrilled that I achieved the goal. Ideally, I will be waking up in an exotic location, ready for this new decade to bring more thrills.

For the three years, I have been taking online courses with Western Continuing Studies (certificate in creative writing) and participating in a phenomenal writing group. Both have been eye-opening to not just writing, but to new perspectives outside my cozy bubble. My writing group, hosted by my encouraging and thoughtful friend, Kim, have all been great sources of inspiration to keep working on my writing. The one consistent message that has been reiterated by the course instructors, the participants and my writing group is to just write.

The idea of “just writing” is daunting. Much like standing at the edge of a high dive platform, waiting to take the plunge into a cold, dark blue pool of water below. Much like Mr. Bean at the public pool.

He was excited by the diving platform. He eagerly climbed up, past the lower diving boards to the thick cement platform at the top. He casually walks up to the edge and stupidly looks down, resulting in him scurrying to the side to hold onto the bars and gazes down at the terrifying plummet. That is often how I feel about writing.

Looking down at the water, or a piece of blank paper, gives me the same anxious feelings - “what will happen when I take that leap?” I can stare and stare at it, but something inside holds me back. I do not want to disrupt a blank page of paper or calm waters with a poorly executed plan. It may not pretty, but both paper and water are there to be meant to be splashed.

With each step up the ladder to this top platform, I am making strides and putting on a brave face. I tell myself with each advancement that “I can do this. I can do this.” Go past the lower diving boards. If I stick with what I know and am comfortable with, am I really pushing myself?

I am not looking to become some sort of adrenaline junkie. I simply mean to continue pushing myself and taking those leaps. The more I do it, the more comfortable I will be. The habit will sink in and the cold, dark waters below will start to feel familial and refreshing. I want to crave that jump instead of putting it off for another time.

Starting September 27 and going until June 27, I will do a weekly post. I am serious this time. Not like when I went on a trip, asked everyone to follow RilPhonAdventures on Instagram, then did not post about my trip (lousy wifi down there).I have said I would do this. My writing group and friends will keep me accountable - they are pushy like that.

What will they be about? Lots of travel, lots of pop culture (what happened to reality TV?), reviews and recaps of different adventures, and my dogther. Unlike Julie Powell, I will not be following a Julia Child cookbook to find myself. But celebrate and remember some of the moments that have led me here.

With that, stay tuned for post number one on Saturday, September 27.