I know there are tons of blog posts on the importance of bucket lists and having one. But I can’t believe how many family members and friends I talk with who haven’t bothered to create one.

Some feel they’re too busy to have yet another list. Others don’t think they’d have much on it. Or, they don’t have the money or time to spend on anything but their day-to-day stuff. Some don’t know how to get started.

So here’s my take on the Who, What, When, Where, and Why of Personal Bucket Lists:

WHO
Needs A Bucket List?

Um….everyone! Including you. Read on.

WHAT
Do You Include On Your List?

That blank sheet of paper or notebook can seem daunting. What should you include for starters? That’s up to you because this is your bucket list, not someone else’s.

THE BEST BUCKET LISTS ARE
PERSONAL, WITH A WIDE RANGE OF
ACTIVITIES AND EXPERIENCES.

Some items on the list may be more realistic than others. For example, I would like to spend a few months in an Italian town, living in an apartment like a resident, and taking short trips (3-4 days) to other countries. It’s been on my list for many years. Then, we got a family dog that doesn’t travel well, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable boarding him for two months. So, realistically, staying in Italy for two months is unlikely. But I still keep it on my bucket list. Maybe the opportunity to be there for a shorter period, like a month, would make sense someday.

IT’S NOT A TASK LIST.

IT’S A DREAM LIST.

A personal bucket list is not a list of things you have to do but rather a list of things you’d like to do. There’s a difference.

Getting Started

Here are a few ideas to get started:

• Think back on what you’ve enjoyed in your life. Was it a specific activity or place? This can spark some future experiences. Perhaps it’s somewhere you spent a few summers in your youth that you’d love to revisit. Maybe there was a sport you once played that you’d like to renew in some way, like coaching a team of young kids.

• Who do you like to spend more time with? For example, do you want to reconnect with school friends or have special one-on-one time with grandchildren? Do you want or need more alone time?

• Do you like to travel? If yes, what places do you want to explore?

• Are you interested in taking a class? For example, I have always wanted to earn a master’s degree in my field, and I did just that in my early 60s. It’s never too late! I’ve also taken watercolor and stained glass classes for fun. I have friends who are taking an Italian class together.

• Do you like to cook? What about exploring new cuisines in your kitchen? Or signing up for a cooking class?

• Do you like to stay active? What about pickleball, yoga, tennis, or joining a gym?

• Want to make new friends? What about volunteering in your community?

WHEN
Should You Start Your Bucket List?

Many people think of pulling together a bucket list when they’re approaching retirement. After all, this is when they’ll have time to do the things they’ve always wanted to do. That’s a good time to do it.

But what’s stopping you from doing it a lot sooner than that? Your life doesn’t start at retirement. Why not start it sooner?

TODAY’S A GREAT DAY TO
START A PERSONAL BUCKET LIST.

I started a bucket list in my early twenties and have been adding and crossing off items every year since.

WHERE
Do You Keep Your Bucket List?

Front and center. Keep it visible. That may mean a notebook by your bed or a handwritten list taped to your refrigerator.

My bucket list is written in a notebook entitled ‘Bucket List.’ Yup, it’s that important to me that it has its own notebook. It’s handwritten using a variety of pens and pencils. I cross things off and add things manually. There’s nothing high-tech about it!

Sometimes, when my list gets messy, I’ll rewrite it on fresh pages, thinking about each item as I do so.

Make sure you see it regularly. Keeping it on your phone isn’t ideal because it’s not front and center. Although I guess you could create a screen saver of it…

WHY
Have One?

Think of your bucket list as a visual aid.

It helps you focus on your quest to experience as much as you can, for as long as you can, without feeling any guilt.

Wishes and Dreams

A bucket list can keep you dreaming and focused on living those dreams. At every age. Actively steer your life so you can live your dreams one moment and experience at a time!

Life Can Be a Lot of Blocking and Tackling

To use a football metaphor, your daily life can often feel like you’re blocking and tackling. Making a little progress some months. Stuck in the same place other months. Sometimes, fighting an uphill battle while hoping for a break. You keep ‘fighting the good fight.’ You dream about the payoff for all your hard work.

But as you’re focused on blocking and tackling, sometimes the opportunity to do more can be missed.

If you document some of your hopes and dreams, they are at the forefront. And,

IF SOMETHING MAKES YOUR BUCKET LIST,
IT GIVES IT PRIORITY.

Priorities get done more often than not. When considered priorities, your dreams stand a better chance than if they were only tucked away in your mind.

Grounded and Grateful

Many don’t realize that a bucket list can also highlight everything you have done in your life.

BUCKET LISTS HELP YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH
YOU’VE EXPERIENCED OR ACCOMPLISHED.

Bucket lists remind you of what you’ve experienced, accomplished, stopped, or started doing. It keeps you grounded in a very positive and meaningful way.

I’ve done many things (seeing monkeys in the wild, taking a watercolor class, learning to upholster, mother/daughter trips) that were on my bucket list. I’m continually adding to it, and some (like visiting all 50 U.S. states) will take a lifetime. 

When I question my life and wonder, ‘What have I done with it?‘, my bucket list reminds me of happy memories, accomplished dreams, and so much more.

Daily Life

How does your daily life help stack the odds in your favor of fulfilling some of your dreams?

My bucket list included seeing my children graduate from college. That was a biggie and was tied to living long enough. My Dad’s sudden death when 2 of his five kids were still in college was heartbreaking and still is. I’m so grateful I was present at my kids’ graduations (including one that was delayed due to COVID.)

We don’t have total control over how long we’re on this earth. However, we can focus on maintaining our health by staying active, maintaining friendships, keeping our minds sharp, eating well, and more. Sure, it may feel like work some days, but what you do for your body and mind daily can impact your dream fulfillment.

FULFILLING SOME DREAMS TAKES WORK.

Personal Bucket Lists Are All About You (And Only You)

Lastly, a personal bucket list is a visual reminder of what’s important to you and only you.

Mine is entirely selfish and only mine. Yours, too, should be altogether selfish and only include what you want to include.

Some items might also be on my husband’s or kids’ bucket lists (if any of them ever wrote one) because we share some dreams and goals. But nothing important to them that is not important to me is on my list. If they want to run a marathon and I can’t stand running even a block, why would I have ‘Run a marathon’ on MY bucket list?!