Have you ever made a Bucket List?
The origin of the term is vague, but essentially, kicking the bucket, like buying the farm, cashing in your chips or falling off your perch, is a popular euphemism for dying. A bucket list is, simply, a list of things or experiences that you’d like to try before your time is up, and the concept has been really popular for some years now, as technology and low-cost flights open up the world and let people achieve their dreams with a lot more ease.
Why make a Bucket List?
A bucket list has the potential to give your life meaning and focus, if you feel it’s lacking. Many of us feel trapped in a 9-5 existence, our weekends often taken up by housework or other obligations. Before you know it, life’s passed you by. Creating a bucket list can help you get what you want out of life, it reminds you why you work or travel. Depending on what you have on your list, it can also help you to build your own legacy, and feel good about having achieved something purposeful.
Bucket lists needn’t involve travelling to farflung destinations, spending lots of money or trying to set new world records. They could be as simple as spending more time with family members, taking up a new hobby or expanding your palate. A bucket list is entirely personal to you, with no minimum length or time period, or limit to your dreams. All it requires is a pen and paper, and a little imagination.
How to create your own Bucket List
Making a bucket list isn’t as simple as just writing down a list of things you want to do. Well, okay, it does involve writing down a list of things you want to do. But there is an art to it. You don’t want your list to just get buried in a drawer or amid other paperwork, forgotten about until years later.
You should have your bucket list in front of you every day, inspiring you to move forward in achieving your dreams and ambitions. It’s the same as when someone will fasten a picture of a desirable holiday destination to their computer monitor at work – a constant reminder that if you keep going, you’ll get there someday. For that reason, some people choose to draw up their bucket lists with some flair, perhaps using an image collage, or having it framed.
The way in which you arrange your bucket list is also important. If you start with a lot of seriously ambitious goals that require a lot of time and effort, then chances are you might get put off early. But if you start small and work up to bigger and bigger goals, you will be constantly energised and motivated to keep going. Here’s some tips for writing your bucket list…
- Never stop
Remember that your bucket list will constantly evolve. You might start with a dozen ideas, but you’re sure to find yourself adding more all the time. Even if you regularly tick things off, the chances are that you’ll see the list growing and growing the more you think about it.
- Dream big
Don’t let practicalities weight you down. Your dreams can be as outlandish or crazy as you want them to be. Just because something may seem completely out of reach, that doesn’t necessarily make it impossible for you. It could just be a matter of breaking it down into the different steps you need to take to get there. Let’s say you’ve always wanted to appear on Masterchef. First, you’ll have to practise your cooking skills until you’re at a level that’s going to get you through. You’ll need to find out where and when to apply, and you’ll have to devise a list of meals that will impress the judges that you can confidently prepare in a short time span.
- Find inspiration
If you’re stuck for inspiration, a good way to get started is by reading what other people have on their bucket lists. There are many available online, and a good place to look first of all is on our own experiences map. Beware though, it’s seriously addictive and you could soon find your own list is several pages long!
- Break it down
To help you manage your list, you can try breaking it down in various ways. For instance by cost, so that you know what money you need to put aside to achieve various dreams. Some people arrange their bucket lists by timespan, so things they want to do by the time they leave university, or by the time they hit their 30s, or before retirement. It was in the news recently that there’s a big upsurge of people trying to visit the Great Barrier Reef, prompted by fears it won’t be there much longer (ironically the carbon emitted by people flying to see it won’t help its survival chances at all!) Others choose to organise their lists by theme, such as family experiences, couples experiences or travel experiences.
- Share your list
Bringing other people onboard, partners, family members or friends, not only helps you getting things done and staying on track, but shared experiences are often more special.
Tinggly is the home of the ultimate bucket list, with exciting, memorable and unique experiences around the world. Our exciting new Bucket List collection is designed to showcase these Once In A Lifetime experiences, and give you all the inspiration you need to get started.