Will you write a bucket list?
If you have not seen the movie The Bucket List- I urge you to add, ‘watch The Bucket List’ to your life’s aspirations. A charming little film about making each day count and going out with a bang! If you have never considered the things you would like to do before you ‘kick the bucket’- now might be the time to start thinking about it.
As someone who is turning thirty next year, I recently found a 'things to do' list I wrote in my early twenties that had really unrealistic goals on it like paying off my student loan and coming to the end of my mortgage repayments. Yeah right. Then I had a reality check and re-wrote it with more achievable goals- just until the big 30 comes around, then I will reluctantly look to the next decade.
It would seem that I am not alone, with 60% of women who have taken it one step further and come up with a bucket list all of their own as part of Bodyform’s Live Fearlessly campaign.
Topping their ‘bucket list’ goals, are:
1. A holiday of a lifetime
2. Mastering a new skill, like a language or musical instrument
3. Getting married
4. Achieving a physical goal
5. Volunteering/doing something for charity
6. Doing something adrenaline fuelled, like a skydive
7. Visiting a festival
8. Buying an expensive blow-out item, like jewelry or a new car
9. Having an extreme makeover e.g. new haircut, weight loss
10. Working/studying abroad
It got me thinking- how beneficial is a bucket list to someone? Surely it takes the spontaneity out of life if you are following a list of objectives all the time? Is that not just like being at work? Isn’t it a little morbid to think about things you must do before you die? Then, does it make you wonder just how much time you actually have left in your life? Some might think that the more radical- the better and put themselves in danger as they become wreckless in their pursuits to compete with others around them.
That said, it can help people to set aside time to do the things they enjoy in life rather than just going with the grain all the time. It can help relax you, keep you energized and prevent you from the dreaded curse of burnout. We take a look at the top five reasons to make such a list to talk back to the negative thinkers among us.
Values
A bucket list helps you to figure out what is important to you- no one else- it entitles you to become a little bit selfish for a moment and ask- what is that I want from my life? Forget about parents, partners and friends- this is about me. It gives you the chance to admit what you would like to do, where you are at and how the two can one day meet.
Goals
This is a tracker for your aims and a way of making your goals time bound and assess how realistic each one is. Perhaps they start big and then you can hone them down to something smaller and rather than looking at a year-long plan you might start to take notice of the day to day achievements you could be making.
Creativity
Get your mind ticking over and write down the ideas before setting them in stone in your list. Even if it’s something daft or that a child would enjoy- why not do it? Embrace your inner child and just go for it!
Enjoyment
Life is not there is endure- yes we all need to work make a living but you also need to enjoy it. Try not to do things that frighten you- if you are terrified of rollercoasters then you won’t enjoy a marathon of rides. Share your list and revisit it regularly- share the fun and your stories with others. You might inspire someone else to join the growing trend.
Evidence
Why not write a diary to keep track of your experiences as you do them? Take pictures and talk about them? There is nothing like the feeling of achievement when you are ticking off what you have done and looking forward to your next step.