You may have heard the term “bucket list” kicked around, especially by older people like parents or grandparents. You may have only heard it for the first time after seeing the previews for the film “The Bucket List” starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. If you’ve seen the movie, you know that a bucket list is essentially a list of things you want to do before you die, or “kick the bucket”.
The good news is that you don’t have to wait until you are old to get started on your bucket list. Just get a sheet of paper, or open a new document in Word, and start writing down things you want to do. Don’t worry if there are some crazy or expensive things on the list. Remember, these are things you want to do before you die, so unless you are actually dying, you can write any crazy thing you want. If you prefer, you can write simple things, too. It is your list, so write things that YOU really want to experience and get out of life.
Your bucket list should include things that will shape you into the person you want to become. Don’t just include items like “Spring Break in Cancun”, really evaluate your values and what you want out of life. Be creative and set some goals.
Once you have your bucket list written down, refer back to it regularly to see what you’ve accomplished and to keep track of the things that you are doing with your life. You can add more things as you age, or remove items that may not seem significant anymore. The most important thing is to DO the things on your list. It isn’t just a wishing list, it is a doing list, so get to it!