Bucket Lists

 

Does everyone have a bucket list of some sort?  These are a list of experiences or achievements one hopes to have in their lifetime.  It's called a "bucket list" because it's comprised of things you want to do before you "kick the bucket".

Bucket lists ties back to my previous post about having things in your life to look forward to.

Bucket lists have to be rationalized.  Having a bucket list of things that are financially a stretch or not achievable will  negatively impact your happiness.  Crossing things off the list that you don't really need to do is a good exercise to reduce your "wants".  Doing something on your bucket list is a good way to temporarily increase your happiness.  Adapting your bucket list to your reality is a good way to permanently increase your happiness. 

I have a long trip to Asia in January on my bucket list.  I also have an annual trip to NYC, and this year it will likely be two.  I want to do a trans-Atlantic cruise, like Barcelona to Miami, and I'm thinking about that for the fall.   Fly Singapore Airlines JFK to SIN, in business class.  Try at least three new restaurants in Toronto, since I spend a fair amount of time there.  Walk the entire Empire State trail (but not in one day!).  Everything on the bucket list needn't be expensive.  Some small ticket items can bring just as much happiness as the big ticket ones.

At some point in my life I will have to start crossing off bucket list items because I can't do them, hopefully that happens later than sooner. 

As I've mentioned before, the last year has flown by and I feel like I've accomplished very little.  Sure I had a number of trips, but things I told myself I would do last year didn't get done.  I need to be more intentional about how I spend my time. 

I don't want to wake up one day and realize so much time has gone by, and there are all these things I wanted to do, and didn't do them.