Last year, I turned 30. And to celebrate that milestone, I started this personal challenge of doing 30 new things, as someone who is usually comfortable staying inside her comfort zone.
Some thought that 30 is too many, and to be honest, so did I. But I put my stubbornness to good use, and kept on going despite having hesitations myself. Fast forward to December 2025, I looked back to all the firsts I did for the year, and to my surprise, I was able to fill in the list. Actually, I even went beyond my goal. How cool is that?
In this post, I am going to share with you the first 10 firsts that I did! Here we goooo!
When asked what other language/s I would like to learn, I usually say, sign language. I find it fascinating. Like, isn't it cool how we get to communicate with gestures instead of words? Also, it is a useful skill to know 'cause we never know when we'll encounter someone who only speaks through sign language. It is also a means of communication we can teach and use with babies or toddlers. So when I saw an ad online about an intro to sign language workshop, I registered. During the session, we were taught basic signs, such as the alphabet and some simple greetings. The session lasted around an hour and a half, and I definitely would want to learn further.
I have been wanting to bring my furbaby in an open park, but first, there's a limited park in the Metro, and second, it's hard to commute with a dog. So when I discovered this park in one of the malls with an actual gated area for pets, I planned my visit with my furbaby right away. I was so excited for this day! Not only for B, but also for me. Haha. We arrived in the park early afternoon, so there were still a few people by then. We got to run around the grassy area, and I was able to make her leash-free inside the gated area. We also took our sweet quiet time sight-seeing by the river. It was such a great day that on our car ride home, B fell asleep. Cutieeee
This book club was facilitated by one of my acquaintances. Since it was my first time to attend a book club, I didn't know what to expect aside from the actual reading together. I actually foresaw that I won't be able to read much during this event because I am not used to reading somewhere else other than my bed. In the end, I was able to read a few pages, but I enjoyed the chitchat moments in between more. Latter part of the session, each of us shared some thoughts about the book we brought. The facilitator also brought books from his personal collection, which he gave away. It was a lot, tbh, that I was able to bring home 3. haha
I am a type of person who enjoys attending events about things that interest me, especially when it is for free or with a minimal fee. And while attending some of those intimate events, I suddenly thought, "what if there is also an intimate gathering meant for crochet artists?" This idea sat in my mind for a while... until I finally got the courage to start. I was so blessed to find a venue with very nice and supportive owner. We were able to get a huuuuge discount. So happy because 5 people came, and they were all nice. We ended up trauma-bonding and recorded a Tiktok dance together. haha
Another dream of mine as a crochet artist and educator is to be able to facilitate a community workshop. I kept on looking for possible beneficiary for this, until I remember Love Education PH, an NGO I previously supported through my crochet patterns. It felt like we were really meant to work together on this project we called, Hooked with Love. Our participants in the workshop was a group of students from a school in Laguna. My teacher heart was so happy. I was once again teaching to kids... in a school... but instead of teaching them curriculum-based lessons, I was teaching art! hayyyy. Love it.
Who is this diva? Haha Kidding! The idea of booking a photoshoot on my 30th birthday first came to mind a couple of years back. My initial plan was actually to hire a photographer and have an outdoor shoot. But since it would be more costly, I opted to booking a slot in a studio instead. The shoot was around 30 minutes, but it actually felt longer... especially because I didn't know how to pose. Haha I felt awkward and shy. haha. I did loosen up a bit eventually, with the help of the photographer and the owner of the studio. We were able to capture nice shots also. I did enjoy this shoot so much. This is something I would love to do again.
I love walking a lot more than running. But at some point last year, I found myself in my running era. I would go out and run in the afternoon, and even looked for other places where I could run some other time. I started enjoying it, especially when my side stitches became less frequent. Haha. Hence, I decided to join a fun run under the 5km category. I know my usual pacing. I am a slow runner, and my 5km usually lasts around 50-60 minutes. So I was so surprised when I finished the 5km fun run with 43 minutes time. That is my fastest PR up to date. hahaha.
Okay, mic drop. We are already entering my FAVORITE MEMORY OF THE YEAR. I swear I can no longer count the number of times I am gushing over this magical experience. Everytime I talk about this, I find myself very happy and kilig. I spent the morning of my actual birthday traversing the forest trail in Baguio. I loved every second I was there--- hearing the sound of the birds; touching the trees; feeling the chilly air; seeing endless plants and trees. There was even a part where I stopped walking because I started tearing up. In front of me was a tall tree, with the sunlight hitting it. The rays where spreading on different direction that it looked like the tree was illuminating. It felt unreal. This trail would definitely be a permanent part of my Baguio itinerary.
From Baguio, I braved my way to La Union. But instead of being excited about surfing lessons, one of my goals there really was to run/jog. So one of my mornings there, I did just that. I jogged along the main road going to a different beach area. I really wanted to run on the shore also, but duuude. My shoes kept on sinking. It was so hard to walk alone... how much more run. haha. But I did run for a bit (or tried, at least), before I decided to let it go and just sit to enjoy the sunrise.
I can't believe I actually joined a pole dance class. When I learned that there is a dance studio in LU, I initially wanted to join their Femme Class. However, there were no available femme dance classes during my stay there. Hence, I ended joining pole class. I thought about this intensely before actually booking a slot. I am not a dancer and I don't have much strength and flexibility in my body. And I knew that pole dancing needs those skills. But I realized, I was there to try and enjoy, not to compete. So later on, I finally booked a class! As expected, I struggled a lot at the start. I couldn't keep myself on the pole! Hahahah But with guidance and patience from the teacher, I was able to execute some simple acts.., and I am actually proud with whatever I was able to do.
Looking through these photos, I realized that the theme for this first 10 is self and relationships. My time was spent both by making connections with other and having a deeper sense of self. In a span of 4 months, I got to experience life in various perspectives. Amazing!
Will share the my other 20 firsts in my next posts.
Thank you!
Have a great day! Take caaareee.
❤
