Welcome to Year 36: Living Out Loud!

Hi, I’m Natalie, and I’m 36! Or, as I like to think of it, 36 years of lessons, laughter, and maybe just a few too many lists later, and I’ve decided it’s finally time to stop drifting and start living with intention.

Turning 36 could have felt like a milestone of “what now?” Instead, I’m choosing to see it as a launchpad—a chance to turn the volume up on life, try new things, and embrace challenges that push me outside my comfort zone. And what better way to do that than with a list of 36 things to accomplish in my 36th year?

Some of the goals are big—traveling to Germany, throwing an epic party, or taking a weekend solo trip. Some are small but meaningful—writing handwritten letters to people who’ve influenced me, painting the Savior, or learning to make caramels with Brittany at Sweet Clementine. Some are silly and fun—karaoke as if no one is watching, learning a magic trick, or crashing a wedding. But all of them share one thing in common: they’re chosen intentionally to make year 36 full of curiosity, growth, joy, and maybe just a little chaos.

This blog will be my open journal for the journey. I’ll share the wins, the fails, the “aha” moments, and the times when I stumble (and laugh) along the way. I want this space to capture not only the adventures themselves, but also the reflections, the lessons, and the ways life surprises you when you show up ready for it.

I’m excited to start this journey, and I hope you’ll come along. Cheer me on, roll your eyes with me, laugh at the mishaps, and maybe even get inspired to make your own list of brave, intentional choices.

So here’s to living year 36 out loud—one step, one experiment, one messy, magical, intentionally chosen moment at a time. Let the 365-day adventure begin!