Some people might roll their eyes at the mention of a bucket list. Why waste your time writing down a million places that you may never get to go to? It just reminds me of the lack of time and money which prevents me from doing these things.
If you are one of the many that thinks bucket lists are a waste of time, I urge you to read this post and reconsider!
A bucket list isn’t just a list of things that you might want to do one day. It is an exercise in allowing yourself to dream. It creates the tiniest possibility that one day this can become reality.
A bucket list is a list of potential accomplishments, big or small, that you believe are worth spending your time and money on. It helps give you direction and purpose. The activities don’t have to defy gravity or be a million miles away. They can be simple things that you’ve never done in your home town (or even your own home!).
For example: On my bucket list is to spend an entire day in bed. Literally I want to turn on some bad reality TV marathon, grab a bag of popcorn and just veg out. My constant drive doesn’t let me relax like this and I secretly don’t think I can do it. But I am determined to… one day…
Whether it is as simple as learning to play golf or as crazy as sky diving, it’s important to write everything down and keep the document in front of you or on your fridge. Challenge yourself to always be working towards accomplishing at least one thing on the list at a time.
Use the list as an idea for gifts from your family. Ask for golf lessons for your birthday or agree together to not purchase any gifts and instead take a big trip at the end of the year.
How to Write a Bucket List
Sit by yourself and start to dream. I wish it was more complicated but just start writing everything down. You will be surprised how much starts to flow.
I realize this isn’t easy for everyone to sit and just start writing abstract dreams that may never come true. Make yourself sit there until you have a list of 100 things that you think might be interesting to learn or do.
A Bucket List is an Active Document
If you write it once and forget about it or shove it in the bottom of your desk drawer you have missed out on the benefit of this powerful list. Your interests are allowed to change along with your priorities. Cross out items you aren’t interested in and add new activities you’ve discovered. This should be constantly changing as you accomplish items and add new ones. When was the last time you took a look at your bucket list?
You’ve Written Your Bucket List, Now What?
You have written your bucket list and have it framed on your fridge with the pizza delivery magnet from down the street. Perfect.
Glance over the list and pick something. Don’t pick one of the big items right now such as live in India for a month if you aren’t financially prepared to. Pick an item that is reasonable, that can be done from your home while still maintaining your normal routine.
This may take you a day, a week or a month to complete. Once you complete the activity, congratulate yourself but don’t get lazy – move on to the next item. Each one you complete should roll into the next until you’ve created an unstoppable snowball of accomplishment and you’re chewing through your list. With each accomplishment, review the largest items on the list and make a plan for what steps you should make to get there.
What’s my current bucket list adventure?
The Galapagos!
These islands seem to be on everyone’s bucket list and I’m sure I won’t be disappointed when I arrive on October 24.
I wrote down Galapagos one evening 5 years ago when I listed out the 100 things I wanted to do. Since then many of the items have changed or been completed but Galapagos has sat there staring at me until now! I can’t describe the sense of excitement surrounding this trip!
Many thanks to our sponsors, Ecoventura, Josh and I will be cruising for 7 days on one of their luxury yachts around the Galapagos Islands! Don’t worry, we have posts for you while we are gone – but get excited for some amazing photos and stories of the wildlife, adventures and pampering we experience in the next week. The hundred small steps we’ve taken in the past 5 years have enabled us to check off one of our biggest bucket list items.
Leave a comment with what’s on the top of your bucket list right now?
Bon Voyage!
Disclosure: We will be sponsored guests of Ecoventura. Any opinions or joy expressed is strictly our own.
On top of my bucket list is having my whole family in one place at one time again for the first time in well over a year. 🙂 Simple joys and pleasures.
You can cross that one off your list in December! #Excited
Nice! We did ours right before we left. So far I’ve been able to cross one off in the last month from the trip (karaoke in Asia).
You can see each of ours here:
http://acoupletravelers.com/about-us/
I have to ask, what song did you karaoke to?
I also want to learn to sail – one day!
Actually it wasn’t what I was imagining at all.
What I thought: I’d be singing a national song, arm and arm with a bunch of drunk Asians in front of the whole bar. They’d be cheering me on as the sole foreigner. My pronunciation would be stellar.
Reality: A couple of Americans get a private room together and sing American songs amongst themselves.
It was an entire melody, but the first song was Can’t Stop.
I really appreciated this post. As ridiculous as it sounds, I’ve had a lot of trouble trying to come up with things for a bucket list. I think I put too much pressure on myself to come up with things that are incredible. And I’m also a doer, so as soon as I write something down, I start planning how to do it.
But I’m going to reconsider. I’m going to sit down and try to come up with a few things, because you’re right — it’s about letting myself dream.
Maybe I’ll add Galapgos to my list. I think it may depend a little on what you discover there and share. 🙂
A bucket list definitely doesn’t have to include incredible things. It’s a personal list and it doesn’t need to be things to impress other people, just things you want to do. Even something that’s mundane that you just have never tried!
Bhutan! I’ve wanted to go since reading about the Royal Yeti Keeper years ago. I love the Himalayas, we should be back there next year and we’ll be doing everything we can to make Bhutan a family holiday reality. Now how do I get one of these sponsor things???
( Galapagos would be fabulous too, I always fancied doing one of those small group sailing holidays round there, have fun!)
I am a HUGE bucket list fan, probably why I have over 400 goals on my own. I consistenly refer to it for inspiration in my day to day life and it motivates me to get of my butt and try something new!
Wow, 400 is a ton! At least you’ve got tons of options for what to do!