Your ‘Bucket List’ Doesn’t Have To Be Just About Destinations!
The True Definition of Having a ‘Bucket List’
The other day someone asked me if I had a ‘bucket list’. And of course, the first thing that came to mind was thinking of all the wonderful, breathtaking places I wanted to travel to during my retirement years. You know the list I’m talking about right? But you know what! We are limiting ourselves! A bucket list doesn’t have to be all-inclusive to travel destinations! Think about it. What about the goals we still want to achieve. What about the things we want to do. What about experiencing the joy of our children getting married or better yet, becoming grandparents? I think we have short-changed ourselves into thinking ‘only the rich and/or the privilege’ can truly have this so-called ‘bucket list’.
Live Your List!
Let’s brainstorm together, shall we? Why not ‘live your list’. Isn’t this what it’s all about! To experience life events that we wish to have within our lifetime. And for me, I think it also has to be realistic. Not some fantasy bucket list where you know and I know the probability of which won’t ever happen or at the most, you may be lucky enough to cross out just one or two items only. Let me share with you a couple of mine that I recently spent some quality time thinking about. I’ll start with a simple one — I want to see Celine Dion perform at Ceasars Palace. I’m sure all of you have that one celebrity singer, band or artist that you know you would love to get tickets to see. I also want to be sure to have the opportunity to swim with a dolphin. Wouldn’t that be cool?! What about taking a train across the entire continental USA? That’s doable, isn’t it? And one thing I did manage to cross off my bucket list, was taking professional piano lessons in my 40s and write my own special song. Gotcha thinking right?
Let Your Imagination Run Wild
Have I got your imagination going now? Let’s continue. How about wanting to see the Northern Lights sometime in your lifetime?! What about taking the ferry, ‘Maid of the Mist’ at Niagra Falls during the summer time? And if you like to write, then write a best-selling novel or your Autobiography. If you like the water, then go whale sight-seeing. If you like to dance, then get your partner signed up to do ballroom dancing or two-step! There’s so much to do and see and explore! It gets me excited to continue my list. What I have I been doing all these years! Why haven’t I been living! These aren’t hard to do. We just need to plan to make time to do them. And have fun and feel the joy that each of these ‘wish list’ items bring to us.
Life Experiences with Family & Loved Ones
Let’s not forget the most important thing of all to include among our list of ‘bucket list’ items. And that is to include family. Who doesn’t want to enjoy an all-out trip with all the bells and whistles and treat their grandkids or grand nieces or nephews, adopted children, whomever we love and cherish to an incredible trip to Disney World! That would be one of life’s cherished memories for sure. Let’s also include having a Family Reunion. How many of you have connected with Aunts and Uncles, cousins and your own siblings in the distant past? How many of you have relatives living abroad? That would be an amazing bucket list addition. Why wait for Thanksgiving, Easter or Christmas to get together with family. You can plan an incredible adventure with the family.
‘Out of the Box’ Bucket List Ideas
I would be totally amiss if I didn’t include a list of other bucket list items that you may find serendipitously! Let’s see if any of these resonates with you!
- Just do what you, whenever you want.
- Live abroad or consider getting a second home abroad.
- Get a pet.
- Start a garden and grow your own vegetables.
- Travel Europe in a camper van.
- Take up a new hobby – such as cake making or scrapbooking.
- How about doing some much-needed charity work?
- Drive the entire Route 66 across America.
- Go on a Safari.
- Learn a foreign language.
- Visit the Great Wall of China.
- Redecorate or renovate your home.
- Get a luxury spa treatment.
- Whiten your teeth and look younger!
- Work on your family tree and track down long-lost relatives.
- Scuba dive in the Caribbean
- Ride an elephant in Thailand.
- Take cooking lessons.
- Take art classes.
- Try out for a televised Game Show like Jeopardy or Family Feud!
Dare to Dream Your Own Personal ‘Side Hustle’
C.S. Lewis, a noted writer and scholar said it best, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” Just because you may be older or in retirement doesn’t mean that you can’t also have another meaningful item on your bucket list. Perhaps it is pursuing another career that you are passionate about and never had the opportunity or the time to do. For me, I love to write and I love to ‘gab’ as my husband frequently reminds me. So you know what! I decided to act upon the most favorite item on my newly updated bucket list. And that is to become a professional blogger. Why? Because if and when my husband retires in a couple of years, I want to be in a position to travel the world (like he promised when we were engaged 30+ years ago) and to do what I always enjoyed, writing and being a part of a strongly knitted community – baby boomers! Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and share with me and everyone here what YOUR bucket list includes! Have your best day ever!
