Unless you're writing a themed list, for example a romantic bucket list or a travel edition it makes sense to integrate variety. I've been researching bucket lists a bit and often the lists are full of stuff like go bungee jumping, parachuting, rock climbing or whatever. These items are great and if those are the things that make you happy, by all means go for it. However I think a cool bucket list includes the following themes:
- your dreams
- stuff you like to master
- stuff you like to try out
- career goals
- quirky, funny and random things
- places you want to see
- things you want to create
- what you are scared of but are attracted to
- what is good for your soul
- contribute to the greater good
- relationships
- whatever evokes your sense of gratitude and beauty
Now take a pen or hack away on the keyboard and think of at least three items for every category. You should feel your stomach stirring if you do this: it's your being being delighted that you are about to embark on a cool journey...
You might be wondering what exactly my reason is for this bucket list crusade. Somewhere along the way between being a little adventurer exploring the world and being an adult (although beer vendors don't buy it from me ;-) I think a lot is gained: we get independence, education, the means to see at least parts of the world, the neurons that let us form lasting memories, learn and make better decisions. Wait, surely some things must be lost, right? Innocence, the sense of wonder and easy delight and laughing 400 times a day anyone? Here's where the bucket list comes in: these things are not lost at all. Children are on delirious learning highs, that's what's going on. Instead of judging and taking mental shortcuts they explore everything with their mouths, hands and if they want to know something they don't google, but try to solve a mystery. They learn about the wonders of gravity and what it does to your body or how they can find worms and dare their friends to eat them.
Simple things get boring after a while which is why I guess most of you don't get a kick out of pushing the button to open the bus door. Routine every-day life is not very conducive to experimenting, constant learning, curiousness and fun. But plan to master something you love, do it regularly and even as a grow-up you can get that learning high that made me leave the library whistling every evening for years. Experiment without being scared of failing and experience the wonderful side-effects of attempting something new. Make the curious discovery that even the most ridiculous activities can boost your happiness and teach you a thing or two while everybody else was watching TV or buying groceries. Bucket lists remind us of all these wonderful things, they make us prioritize them if we take them seriously and once we get past the listing into the doing part we are likely to learn, grow, be shit-scared, laugh, marvel and see with new eyes. That's what kids do. That's why they can't wait to get up in the morning. And that's exactly how I long to feel again and you too if you've read until here.
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