For many people a bucket list can seem a bit daunting as it reminds us of our mortality, it is usually a list made to complete before we die. This doesn’t always have to be the case and doesn’t have to be daunting. It can bring excitement to your life and help focus your attention. Here are reasons why you should create a bucket list.
Why you should create a bucket list
A bucket list can be an excellent way to remind us of exactly what to want to achieve in life and remind us of our true passions. They allow us to set goals and get more excitement in life by working towards these goals.
Nowadays we are so focused on just getting from one day to the next, working to just pay the bills, that we lack excitement, but a bucket list can change this, it can bring about your creative side and make you feel like you are working towards something bigger, giving you a new lease on life and help bring some fun and excitement to your life. If you sat down now and thought about what you are truly excited about, what would it be? Your next day off? Creating this list gives you things to really look forward to and makes all your hard work feel worth it.
How to write a bucket list
Sit down and truly think about your passions, what is important to you and what you really want to experience in life.
It is often easier to split your bucket list into sections, for example, career, charity, education, travel, family, and friends to just name a few.
Under each of these headings write exactly what you want to do and achieve. Set goals that vary in difficulty, short-term goals, and long-term goals. Some goals that you may be able to achieve this week whereas others may take a couple of years to achieve.
Try to write at least 25 different things you want to do and when something makes the list do not take it off.
You can even split your lists further and give them little deadlines, this may be things you want to do this year or before you reach a certain age. Having deadlines can help you get out of the ‘someday’ mindset, it gives you a timescale to work towards.
When you have written out your list, now come up with an action plan. If you want to travel somewhere, plan out exactly how much it would cost, how you would get there, do you need plane tickets, or certain documents, equipment? This helps to start put your bucket list to work and make you feel like you are already working towards them.
When you have completed something on your list tick it off, naturally lists inspire us because we want to be crossing stuff off it and when you do begin to cross stuff off it will motivate you more and give you a feeling of accomplishment.
What should I put on my bucket list?
What you include on your bucket list will be completely dependent on your goals and what excites you in life.
Some things you could include may be:
- Attending festivals/ events
- Moving to a foreign country
- Riding a camel
- Swimming with dolphins
- Running 5k
- Running a marathon
- Graduating high school
- Learning another language
- Volunteering
- Helping people in need.
Everything on your bucket list doesn’t have to be very extreme, since 2012 I have wanted to walk the South West Coast in one go. That is why in May 2021 I finally did this, I traveled over 850 miles walking along the South West Coast for Plastic Oceans UK. We are always making excuses as to why we can’t do something, we never have time, or we have to work. What recent events have shown us is that life is so unpredictable, and we should be making the most of it. You don’t want to live to work, work to live, go out and explore, take time off to allow yourself to reset. Bucket lists can allow you to challenge yourself, step out of your comfort zone, even help someone else.
Like me, you could carry out something you have always wanted to do but you can also do it for charity, so you are helping someone else as well. Not only will you then be helping out other people in need, but you will also be completing something you have always wanted to do and get a sense of fulfillment from it.
Now you know why you should create a bucket list, what will you be putting on your list?