It’s Never Too Late (or Too Early) To Make Your Bucket List

We’ve all heard the term Bucket List, meaning a list of things we want to do in our life before we “kick the bucket”. There was even a movie about it, where two terminally ill buddies (played by legends Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) decide to take a road trip and check off their wish list of things to do with the little time they have left.

I think because it’s called your Bucket List, most people associate it with grandiose adventures that happen when you’re old. To be fair, I didn’t create mine until I was in my late 40s. And I did it mostly to try and figure out what my life’s passions were and what I wanted from the next chapter in my life.

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Why should you make your own bucket list?

Well, there’s actually some good science behind it! Psychologists suggest these lists “help connect people to something larger than themselves and lead to a sense of fulfillment when a goal is accomplished”. In other words, it can give you a feeling of purpose.

• It’s a way to tap into your passions and your dreams, and in turn, learn a little more about yourself and what’s important to you.
• It makes you focus as you work towards a goal and make those goals a reality.
• You’ll make some fantastic memories (and who doesn’t want that?) that will last a lifetime.
• You become a life-long learner through these experiences.

?BONUS: If you're a list-maker like me, you also get that feeling of accomplishment whenever you can check something off your list.        

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?Ready to make your list?

When I was ready to start my own bucket list, I sat down and just listed out anything and everything I want to do, in no particular order. My top 3 items: cage dive with sharks, San Diego Comic Con, learn to scuba dive. Remember how I said you’d learn more about yourself by doing this? Well, I learned I’m a weird chick with a wide variety of interests. But that’s a good thing! I’ll never get bored doing all the different things on my list.

My Pro Tip #1: When making your bucket list, dream big AND small.

?Not everything needs to be an adventure around the world (although there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!). Include things like learn to paddleboard, write a blog, learn to cook authentic Italian, etc.

• ?Don’t think too much about it. Go with your gut and just write down everything that comes to mind.
• Reorganize and prioritize what you would like to tackle first. I personally left mine just as it was when it poured out of my brain onto paper.
• Don’t worry about length. It can be as long or as short as you like.
• Need some ideas? A quick Google search will help you find ideas, templates, and more to get you started.

Here’s an important thing to remember: NOTHING ON YOUR LIST IS SET IN STONE. You can add, change, remove or re-add to your heart’s content. This is YOUR list, not anyone else’s.

My Pro Tip #2: Create a Reverse Bucket List (or as I like to call it, my Achievements Unlocked list).

?When I finished my bucket list I was like, wow…that seems like a lot I still want to do. Then I started a list of things I had already experienced and was pleasantly surprised at how long that list was! It really helped put things in perspective for me and feel good about the things I was already able to accomplish.

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What’s next?

You’ve got your list and you’ve decided what you want to check off first, now the only thing left is to go do it! It may be a little scary at first, but I promise that once you start tackling items on your bucket it (or as my best friend said, his “F#*! it list” because life is too short, so f#*! it and go have fun) you’ll be happier and ready for more.

You’re never too old or too young to start living life. So get to making your list today because adventure awaits!

Plus, don’t forget to share your adventures with your family and friends.

Checked Jamaica off my list (and ready to check it off again). Want to see more of my list? Let’s connect and share!