Feel Good

Creating a life you’ll love to live – ‘list’spiration from the 101 community

If you haven’t heard of the The 101 Club yet or you need some inspiration to start compiling your list, then read on.

Written by High Life North

Published 26.04.2023

By Charlie Grabham

As promised this month’s feature is all about doing.

Staying accountable is SO important- and knowing that you are all as excited about this project as us is what’s keeping us moving forwards, helping us learn and even encouraging us to take our clothes off (more on that later)!

Lesson #1 Sometimes timing is everything

In true Charlie style I started with the low hanging fruit to get things going- and bought a pink flamingo for my garden.

This has been on my list ever since I bought my first proper house a few years back. Now Flo is the mascot for The 101 Club, he’s been an even better addition to my life than I could have imagined.

#88 Buy a plastic flamingo for my garden

Lesson #2 Sometimes the scary stuff becomes the best stuff

Laura and I started a podcast! If you haven’t listened to yet- you can do so here. By the time you are reading this, episode 3 should be out! This was a really big, terrifying thing for us but it has quickly become our favourite thing about the whole project.

19 & 44. Start a podcast (and commit to it)

Lesson #3 Sometimes the universe delivers you better than you could imagine

Someone I met when I worked as a tour guide in Amsterdam is now a red carpet reporter and took one of my sustainable maxi’s for a spin (you can hear the whole story on podcast episode 2 here).

Even better though, was that the lovely Lottie Hulme took it down the ‘green’ carpet at the opening of BBC Earth, which could not have been more perfect!

Get a dress on the red carpet

Lesson #4 You might just find yourself outside of your comfort zone

Laura has also been busy ticking things off! In addition to the podcast, she went to see an Elvis Tribute and posed naked for a live art class. This really pushed her out of her comfort zone but she absolutely loved it!

See an Elvis tribute
Pose naked for a life drawing class

Lesson #5 It’s ok to change your list

For those of you who have signed up to the newsletter you will know that I have changed #47. Raise £10,000 for Newcastle Cat & Dog Shelter to helping them get 10k sign ups to their lottery.

Why? Because this will help secure recurring donations for the shelter and players are in with a chance of winning £10k every week- which will help fund some dreams! If you’re an animal lover with £2 per week to spare, sign up here (it will help me too)!

Lesson #6 Make your own fun

Our community have also been ticking things off. One of our community wanted to write an article for HLN- if you haven’t read this fantastic piece by Aoife Forbes about mothers in menopause and their teenage daughters, you can catch it here.

One of our 101’ers Alison has been to see John Legend live and Andie, who is our first international lister has taken up ballet. The international adventures continue with visits to Prague and skiing trips!

In fact, it was one of the community who inspired Laura’s #45 – start a wine and chat networking night. After a wine and chat of our own, Laura and I decided to launch our very first speed-dreaming event.

The premise was simple- meet in a bar- pass people’s lists around the table and get people to put their names next to things they could help with or wanted to do.

The first event was a roaring success, with new people matched up for adventures and offers of help (expand as we go).

We are launching our first international meet up in Amsterdam in May. If you want to know more, we announce all of our events via our newsletter. Subscribe here.

Lesson #7 The community have way better ideas than me!

This community is all about supporting each other and inspiring great lists, so I have compiled some of my favourites. Just proving that some dreams don’t have to be big- but they are all beautiful.

My top picks for close-to-home dreams: