State your Bucket List?

We are 12 days into 2017 and my manifesto is looking quiet impressive I must say but apart from that – I decided to revisit my bucket list.

What is a bucket list I hear you asking? Well, a bucket list is a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime. I know that some people think it is a list that a dying person makes but alas, it is false. It is a list that details things that you want to experience and tick off as accomplished – you can make a yearly bucket list if you choose or a one-off (very detailed) list. The choice is yours! 

Making a bucket list is easy.  You simply start writing down the things that you’ve always wanted to do but that you never got around to doing like bungee jumping, skydiving, travelling to Italy or learning French; something that you have always wanted to do.  Sound simple?  Well, it can be a bit more difficult than you’d think.  Especially when you have to actually choose the things you really want to do and not be constrained by societal norms and traditions or expectations as to what is “right” or “wrong” or what is acceptable behaviour.

The key of course is to simply start writing the first things that come into your head with no consideration of whether you should or shouldn’t want to do a particular thing.  By writing exactly what comes into your head you are being true to your inner-most core, and being honest with yourself is the most important thing of all.

Back to my bucket list – I have categories in which the various activities in my bucket list fall into and they are listed below:

Global Travel Experience  –  this is the single best activity that exposes you to new cultures, broaden your mind, move out of your comfort zone, allow you to meet new people, and experience the wonders of the world. Those that know me that I am a Wanderlust – a lover of travelling and I got my 8 year-old son into the mix. He is addicted to it and have quite a collection which he shows at school educating his classmates on the wonders of the countries he has already visited.

Personal Growth – this is a continuous exercise and one can stop working on their personal growth. On my personal growth section of any list – I have ‘learning languages’ as one of them. It has not been easy to learn a new one at my age (excuses Yvonne) but I have always admired people who are multi-lingual and believe that it is vital to be one in today’s society. So I am learning via various apps on my iPhone namely Busuu or Duolingo and it has been productive for me. Watch this space folks!

Career + Business – what are you career or business aspirations?  Being an entrepreneur is hard-work and tasking but so much fun and rewarding as well. I started blogging back in 2011 due to my passion of writing and wanting to share my experiences with others but it has not been easy but as time goes on – your craft gets better with diligence, consistency and persistence.  What profession are you in now and how long have you been doing this? Is it time for a change in profession? It’s nice to do something different from what you have been doing, and it doesn’t have to involve quitting your current job — you can always experiment with volunteer work in a field you enjoy or start up a part-time business on the side. It’s all about expanding your horizon and trying something new.

Connect + Relationships – Let someone know how much he/she means to you – In our life’s journey, we are constantly touched and supported by people around us, be it friends, family, or acquaintances. Can you identify someone who has made a difference in your life? Write a letter to the person today and let him/her know how much he/she means to you. You can do this as many times as you want, for as many people as you like.

Sports + Fitness – if you set your mindset like I have to and  look beyond the pain of fitness, then one will see what fun one be achieved whilst improving themselves. Undertake a new task – I decided to take on walking as part of my fitness routine and fitbit is my best friend.

Creativity – what is your passion? Is it to be an artist? To sing and perform? To be a life coach? To travel? To help other people to grow (same as my passion)? To be the best that you can be? How can you start pursuing it? If you don’t know what your passion is, this exercise will help you to discover it. Stir up your creativity juices and see what fulfilment comes out of it.

Other categories in my bucket list are:

• Entertainment
• Fashion + Beauty
• Finance + Luxury
• Food + Drinks
• Acts of Volunteering + Charity

If you don’t live your days by personal goals and plans, chances are you spend most of your time caught up in a flurry of day-to-day activities. Ever felt that your days are passing you by without any tangible output to speak of? What did you accomplish in the past 3 months back in 2016? What are your upcoming goals for the next 3 months this 2017? Look at the things you did and the things you’re planning to do next. Having a bucket list reminds you of what’s really important so you can act on them.

Even if you frequently live by manifestos or goals or to-do lists, they are probably framed within a certain social context e.g. performance, career, health. A bucket list opens up the context. It’s a forum to set anything and everything you’ve ever wanted to do, whether it’s big, small or random. It is like planning ahead all the highlights you want for YOUR whole life.  Even though goal setting is already my staple activity, I still found many new things to do while I was writing on my own list. It was an incredibly insightful exercise. What’s more, coming up with my list gave me a whole new layer of enthusiasm knowing what’s in store ahead!

The whole point of creating your list is to maximize every moment of our existence and live our life to the fullest. It’s a reminder of all the things we want to achieve in our time here, so that instead of pandering our time in pointless activities, we are directing it fully toward what matters to us.

If you don’t have a bucket list, I highly recommend you to create one. How much will it cost? Zero. How long will it take? Probably 30 minutes to an hour, or more if you get really caught up in the writing.  What do you stand to gain? Significant clarity and focus on what you want from your life. It’s an invaluable exchange. If you already have your list, take this opportunity to review it. See if there are new items you want to add-on. If so, add them in. Check if all the items listed are still relevant. If not, remove them.

Now, take out your pen and paper or open up a text document. Start writing down what comes to mind as you read these questions:

• What would you do if you had unlimited time, money and resources?
• What have you always wanted to do but have not done yet?
• Any countries, places or locations you want to visit?
• What are your biggest goals and dreams?
• What do you want to see in person?
• What achievements do you want to have?
• What experiences do you want to have / feel?
• Are there any special moments you want to witness?
• What activities or skills do you want to learn or try out?
• What are the most important things you can ever do?
• What would you like to say/do together with other people? People you love? Family? Friends?
• Are there any specific people you want to meet in person?
• What do you want to achieve in the different areas: Social, Love, Family, Career, Finance, Health (Your weight, Fitness level), Spiritual?
• What do you need to do to lead a life of the greatest meaning?

Finish this sentence in 2017: I’ve been wanting to try [insert something awesome on your bucket list] forever. Why wait another minute?

Yours in love – The Renaissance Lady © – Follow my blog with Bloglovin