Did the movie, The Bucket List, inspire you to make your own list? And after you made your list… then what? Regardless of how long ago you made your list (years, or right now) and presupposing you know where you put that list… look at it again. Have you accomplished anything on your list? Are those items still relevant to you? And what’s the probability you’ll follow through on them? Did you make your list in the ‘heat of the moment’ or by thoughtful consideration?
The concept of developing a ‘bucket list’, in my humble opinion, is a good one. Wherever you are on your life’s journey, taking some time to develop a list of those things you’d like to experience and accomplish is a proactive one…. if you follow through. Many of us who make a list tend to file it away ‘for a better time’ and don’t see it as affecting our day-to-day living. Why? Do you have items on your list that simply are for another time? And when will that time come? If constructing your list was only a momentary dalliance, was there any part of you that thought you could tick the entries off? And is your list in cement or does it evolve, especially as you accomplish an entry?
I do think it’s a good idea to put down every thing you’d like to do but at some point, it’s important to refine your list into those things that are a ‘probability’. Keep the ‘pie in the sky’ items but focus on the possibilities. My bias would be that you also look at the remaining items as to whether they have eternal significance for your life or whether they are simply fun things. Never throw out the fun things but look at the items that impact on your life’s journey and how this helps determine who you are.
‘Possibilities’ are those items that you actually will take the time to accomplish. Of interest is how many of those items are solo and how many include others. Do you need others to become involved in your list? Or is it a situation of preferring to enjoy having the opportunity to share the adventure with someone? Will you eliminate those items that are not solo? The point in this is that the possibilities are accomplish-able. The question is – do they make an eternal impact on becoming a better you? As I said earlier, don’t eliminate the ‘fun’ but also choose to focus on the meaningful and personally significant entries.
