I didn’t think much of it until a random video call with my cousin exposed our family’s hand sketched bucket list on display behind me. Creating a bucket list was one of the very first things we did as a family after moving to the UK. It’s an activity I wished we had started many years ago after our first move in the USA as a family. But whether you do it as a family or not, creating a bucket list is an important part of living your life. Here’s why in no particular order.
1 – No Regrets
I remember when my husband and I said we’d never let having children stop us from traveling. And boy, were we wrong. The first couple of years I didn’t want to go anywhere. I didn’t see how it would be possible and felt like I couldn’t push myself to do more than just get out of bed and take care of my little guy all day, every day. But you know what, those days went by faster than ever. And of all the things, I wish I had done more with him.
There were a number of places I wanted to go and experience in the Northwest, but I didn’t make it a point. I didn’t truly acknowledge the list that had formed in my head. I allowed myself the excuse of having a baby, to be a homebody and not take a chance leaving the PDX vicinity.
Years later I regret not taking the train to Vancouver, driving to Crater Lake or even braving a Bacon Maple Bar Voodoo donut in downtown Portland. All three were easily within reach. Even today it’s a bit embarrassing that I never made it to that notorious doughnut shop.
My reflections on Oregon remind me of the importance of experiencing the opportunities right in front of you because you never know how long you have. And in my case, where moving every few years is part of my lifestyle, the clock is always ticking.
2 – No Limits
It doesn’t have to be big or small. Create your bucket list however you want. It’s your life and the only one that gets to lead it is you.
Whether it’s apple picking for the first time or climbing the Grand Canyon, there are no rules to what’s on your list. The point is to capture those ideas in some way and make a plan to experience them. Whether on a spontaneous sunny fall day’s drive, or a big excursion that took months, possibly years to plan, you’re the one who gets to decide.
It’s your list. Brainstorm away. No judging. No limits.
3 – Ignite Excitement Through Possibility
Rather than focus on the end of something, focus on the thrill of beginning. Creating a bucket list allows you to imagine trying something out for the first time, to witness an experience or be right smack in the middle of it.
Perhaps your list is all about climbing mountains or maybe it’s to visit all the London markets, it really doesn’t matter because it’s the idea of it that ignites the possibility of fulfilling a wish, a dream, a vacation of a lifetime…it’s all up to you.
When we settled into our new home in St Albans, we got our kids’ IKEA easel handy, sat in front of our world map and just started brainstorming. Creating a bucket list is a way for us to get our kids excited about living somewhere new and all the places within reach that they might be able to go. The kids chose destinations like Legoland, Disneyland Paris, and Harry Potter Studios, where I chose Cornwall, Windsor Castle, and a day at the races (The Royal Ascot would be nice). No idea was turned away. We just kept going till we felt we were done.
And the thing is, it’s never ever really done. It’s continuously evolving as we learn. As that happens, a new list is born or the idea is added to an already thriving one.
4 – Why Wait?
Like fine China or a nice bottle of wine, we’re always saving for that perfect opportunity, day, or occasion as a reason to enjoy the things we hold in high regard. But why do we wait?
As a person who’s lived in so many different places, I’ve learned that happiness comes from making where you are the best place it can possibly be. Admittedly, I still don’t use fine China because it’s in storage in the USA. But I do open a nice bottle of wine on a Monday night that might have been meant for a special occasion. If that’s what we have, then that’s what will get open. Sometimes there’s no better time than the present. It can certainly turn ordinary to extraordinary.
Sometimes we just need to dare ourselves to enjoy the moment we’re in and stop waiting for a sign that’s meant to tell us it’s OK to start living now vs. waiting for the “right time” in the future.
Of course, some big bucket list items require saving for, banking vacation time, and planning well in advance. The point is to start planning and stop waiting. Plans can always be altered but it starts with taking the time to turn your bucket list into reality.
5 – For any occasion
Creating a bucket list can be for any occasion or purpose. Maybe you want to accomplish something by your 30s, 40s, 50s, or 90s? Maybe for a vacation? A new place you call home? Or maybe just for the summer?
In our family’s case, we create a summer bucket list every year, every new home, and every vacation. Why not? In addition to inspiring curiosity and excitement, creating a bucket list helps with homesickness. It allows our family to focus less on what’s behind and more on what’s ahead.
It might not all come to fruition, but why not think big? Why not consider it possible? Why wait?
As my husband says all the time, “Go big or go home.” If you take that literally, you’ll miss the point. His message is simple. Live big. Dream big. Experience life today. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Create your bucket list today.
If you need England inspiration, you can download a bucket list here.
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