“Today is the youngest you’ll ever be.” -Unknown
Many of us have a bucket list, you know that lengthy checklist of things you want to do before you turn 30 or even before you die (kick the bucket). Maybe yours includes ubiquitous adventures like going to Burning Man, skydiving, skiing in the Alps, or going to the Super Bowl.
A bucket list can be an attempt to make life to feel significant or meaningful. It’s a way to create memories out of risks or experiences that seem important, unique, or “once in a lifetime.” These lists often contain items for people to connect to something larger than themselves (swimming with dolphins and taking a cruise).
Regardless of their details, bucket lists embody what psychologists have learned about goal-setting. Goals motivate us to accomplish things, but the most motivating goals are those that are hard and specific, like learning basic Spanish before the upcoming trip to Spain. Every bucket list I read on the Internet contained rich details about difficult things. Goals need to be coupled with plans for achieving them, but the right sorts of goals are the critical first step.
The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity – Dorothy Parker
One of the shortcomings of making a bucket list is doing activities just to check off the boxes and say you’ve done them. I think we often keep things on our lists that no longer matter to us, and then we’re not open to other exciting things that come our way.
Are you waiting until you have more time? More money? A partner with whom to do these activities?
I encourage you to start chipping away at your bucket lists. Additionally, create some items in your local area that you can do this weekend! Have you ever visited that hiking trail with the waterfall a short drive away? What’s stopping you? Do the things that make you feel like you’re having adventures in your backyard, prepping you for the BIG trips or costly experiences.
- Write down your bucket list to make them real and feasible!
- Keep the items on your bucket list that support your life’s philosophy.
- Ask yourself if the enumerated items still matter to you.
- Work toward accomplishing the bucket list items by reviewing your list regularly.
- Develop a plan to tackle the biggest one!
- Remember to do it now and don’t wait for the “when”. When I’m richer, older, have more time, or thinner may not come. Start living now!
What’s on YOUR bucket list?
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