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I have reached the age of the mid-life crisis. It's possible that I reached it some time ago, but it's only this year that I bought the car, after buying the bike last year. I'm considering those to be the official markers. As it happens, the car is an EV and not a red convertible, and the bike is a very functional hybrid that I ride without lycra; but each to their own.

In my case this mid-life crisis has also triggered a degree of introspection. It turns out I'm not great at finishing things. A lot of the time I not even very good at starting them. But I think about doing a lot of things. In fact I take comfort in the thinking about them. I like the idea of the plans and the intentions. I'd feel a bit lost without some of them.

That only works while you feel immortal though and believe that you have time enough to achieve anything you choose. It turns out for me fifty-two is the year that stops being true.

So I have made a resolution, or rather a series of resolutions and I have hatched this plan to achieve them. I will, aged 52, during the course of the next 52 weeks, do 52 things that I have considered doing before, but have not done. #52in52

These 52 things will be broken down into five different categories and will be designed to be achievable together over the next year - so no solo trips to the North Pole here. The categories are:

• Adventure: anything including travel or involving a new activity
• Courage: anything that takes me out of my comfort zone
• Curiosity: anything new not covered by the other categories
• Habit: anything that I intend to do on a regular basis
• Knowledge: anything involving learning a new skill

Obviously those categories include a degree of cross-over and something that I might consider courageous others would not. But by definition my list of 52 things is personal to me. I encourage you to create your own. Even if you’re not yet 52. Or if you’re over 52. But definitely if you are 52. Because of the synergy.

So what’s #1 on my list? It’s a habit. It’s this. I’m going to write every week about my progress on this site. Not that easy for me, as I’m not a great sharer. I genuinely cannot remember the last time I posted anything on social media, and whatever it was it would have revealed absolutely nothing about me. So this is new and definitely counts. Now I just have to keep it up; and come up with 51 other things.