Escape Adulthood

Messages in a Bottle: Make Your Own Memory Jar

Jason — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:01:38 +0000

At the end of every year, Kim and I sit down and review the year that was. We talk about what went well, what didn’t go well, and reminisce about the adventures we had and the things we accomplished. The hardest part is remembering it all! We review our calendar and archived to-do lists, and even though I’m amazed at how much you can accomplish in a year, I always feel like we’re missing stuff.

Which is what makes this idea pure genius.

Find a neat jar and put it in your kitchen with a pen and a stack of tiny paper nearby. Throughout the year, write down any cool adventures, funny stories, or happy things that occur and put them in the jar. Then on New Years Eve, read all the notes and bask in gratitude at the cool stuff that happened during the year.

Since everyone in the household can contribute, a highlight is reading the notes other people added over the course of the year. Even neater: a shelf in your house that features your memory jars through the years!

Looking for some fun ideas to make sure your memory jar is filled with awesome? Try this.

Hat tip to Jill Bodwin and Jaden Hair.

Woman’s Day January 2009

Jenna — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:05:03 +0000

In an article in the January 2009 issue of Woman’s Day magazine entitled “Ring In The New You,” Kim shares some Adultitis-fighting advice with readers.

“When I taught kindergarten the kids would make up holidays, like the 100th day of school, and we’d have cupcakes,” says Kim Kotecki, coauthor of The Escape Plan: A 40-Day Plan to Annihilate the Adultitis in Your Life. Do the same: Cheer because it’s a sunny day. Have a cupcake just because it’s Wednesday.

Read all the other great ideas here.

That’s the scoop! ~Jenna :)

Escape in ’09

Kim — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:43:01 +0000

Three years ago Jason and I embarked on The Escape Plan, a 40 day challenge to annihilate the Adultitis in your life. On the first Wednesday of the year the challenge was “Instaparty: Find a reason to celebrate and do something to celebrate it.” I had a blast celebrating the first hump day, making camel pancakes, wearing a goofy homemade hat donning camel clipart, and even visiting our local camels at the Madison zoo. It was all very childlike and reminded me of my days teaching kindergarten, when celebrations were plentiful.

As you start 2009, I challenge you to incorporate childlike thinking into your daily routine. I was recently quoted in a Woman’s Day article, “Ring in the New You,” saying:

Think like a kid. When I taught kindergarten the kids would make up holidays, like the 100th day of school, and we’d have cupcakes. Do the same: Cheer because it’s a sunny day. Have a cupcake just because it’s Wednesday.

In honor of the first hump day of the year tomorrow, do something fun and maybe even downright silly. Enjoy it so much that you are inspired to add some more fun next Wednesday… and so on. This lifestyle is contagious, so be ready for followers (or like in Arrested Development, hop ons).

If you’re looking for a place to start, why not start with Challenge #1 of The Escape Plan. Make your escape, one day at a time.