A bucket list is a great way to fulfill lifelong dreams and add more meaning to your life. It’s a deeper and more doable way of managing resolutions and self-improvement. Bucket lists give a sense of accomplishment and hope for the future by creating not just resolutions, but action plans to make them happen. Use these tips and ideas to get started.
Making Your Bucket List—Quick Tips
If you’ve never seen or written a bucket list, it’s not all that hard to do. Some people like to use a special journal. More and more people are going online with their lists at sites like Bucketlist.org and others. Just Google “online bucket list” to find one that works for you. Because making a bucket list is a creative process, you might like a mobile app for your list.
Once you’ve decided what format to work with, follow these tips:
- Start with at least ten things. Remember you don’t have to complete all 10 or 30 in 2013.
- Add stuff you’ve always wanted to do, even if you know you won’t be able to cross it off your bucket list next year.
- Be specific. Don’t just put down bungee jumping. Add where you want to bungee jump.
- Challenge yourself. If you are afraid of heights, then add a few hair-raising ideas to your bucket list.
Here are some bucket list ideas to get you started:
1. Bungee jump off of the Royal Gorge Bridge, Colorado, United States.
2. Skydive into the Las Vegas Desert.
3. Write a children’s book.
4. Ride all the rides all Disney theme parks.
5. Watch Old-faithful erupt.
6. Go back to school and get my Masters.
7. Visit every U.S. State.
8. Cruise around Great Britain.
9. Go to the national library in Wales and research my family history.
10. Play Sleepless in Seattle on the Eifel Tower.
11. Visit New York and get a real New York Pizza with all the trimmings.
12. Write a short story for your kids.
13. Publish a book on Kindle.
14. Start a side business selling crafts.
15. Do a pet food drive for a local pet shelter.
16. Go skiing in Tahoe.
17. Take cooking lessons from a food network chef.
18. Get entirely out of debt.
19. Ride every roller coaster in the United States.
20. People watch from a Paris café.
Crossing an Item off Your Bucket List
Choose one or two of your bucket list items to complete in 2013 and break them down into smaller achievable bits. For example, Visit New York and get a real New York Pizza with all the trimmings can be broken down into save for a trip to New York City, plan a trip to New York City, find out where to get the best New York pizza, and eat the pizza.
Identify bucket list items that will take a few years to complete, such as “Visit every U.S. state.” Break these down into smaller items you can do one at a time, such as taking a long weekend to tour a state or two surrounding yours.
Keep your list alive by reviewing it weekly or monthly. Challenge yourself to add a new item each time you cross one off.
Your bucket list reflects your hopes and dreams. Let your bucket list inspire you to do more, go further and stick to the plans you have to better your life.
Attached Images:
- License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.southernskydivers.com.au
Jessica Bosari writes for Southern Skydiving, an Australian extreme sports company.
I loved the variety of the bucket list ideas — some involved traveling, others involved creativity. Some seems plausible, while others seemed VERY out of the comfort zone (well, at least mine
) I also liked the suggestion of working on specifics. Time to work on a bucket list now.