We often hear how important it is to have a bucket list, but does anyone ever tell you why? Bucket lists are the things that we write, with a list of all the stuff that we would love to do at least once in our lives – the things we could only ever dream of doing. A common one is jumping out of an airplane, or swimming with sharks. But essentially there is no right or wrong decision, as they all vary depending on the individual. So your list may be totally different to your friends, and that’s okay – that’s the beauty of it!
Here are some other reasons as to why everyone should write their own bucket list today.
Discover hidden talents you never knew you had.
You may find yourself doing something that you have always wanted to try, only realising how good you are at it. This may be something like learning to play an instrument like the guitar or piano. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to try your hand at painting, finding out you have a natural skill with paint application and mixing colours. Or maybe you prefer dancing, or snowboarding, or swimming – it really doesn’t matter what you do, but there’s nothing more rewarding and exciting than doing something you have always wanted, and then being really good at it. It’s almost like having a wake-up call that you’ve been waiting for to push you into a new direction and change your career. You never know until you try.
To get you through a rough time.
If you’ve been struggling recently, whether that be trying to cope with a loss, or dealing with a mental illness, it can be very hard to try and find the light when you’re surrounded by so much darkness. Depression is one of those illnesses that sneak up on you, but then don’t shift unless you do something about it. You will feel as if you’re drowning but aren’t able to grasp onto anything for air. As well as making sure you seek out the right help from a trained medical professional, another brilliant way to battling those blues are by writing a list. Seeing things-to-do will make you instantly want to cross them off – that’s how our brains work. So while you may not want to go out and see anyone, if something on the list says to acquire a new hobby – then that’s what you should do. You will then realise that going out and socialising isn’t all that bad anymore.
Find out how big the world really is.
There are so many places to see in the world that you will never get the chance to unless you make it your goal. Unfortunately, a lot of magical places are not so magical anymore as global warming, as well as littering, becomes an even bigger issue. Take the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, this was once an underwater realm full of vibrant colour and life, and it’s now turning into a dull bed with not much residence anymore, and that’s heartbreaking. So now is a better time than any to explore the beauty before it’s gone. You may even end up falling in love with a place and start looking at the hdb resale price so that you can live there and start a new beginning. What you do with travel is entirely up to you.
Bring back adventure to your life.
Part of the beauty of writing your own bucket list is the fact that nothing is off limits to you. You don’t have to wait for a special occasion in order to do something fancy, or over the top – you do it because it’s on the list and you decided to, and that in itself is a very special thing. So never let anyone tell you what the right thing is to do – it’s your adventure, not theirs. There are no rules so be as wild as you want to be. Having a sense of adventure is such a wonderful trait to have that no one can control, because it’s within your own self. If you want to set off backpacking around Thailand – do it!
Meeting new people along the way.
If you’re a relatively shy person and don’t feel confident enough to ever be the one to spark up a conversation and be the social butterfly, then a bucket list is the thing that will push you to do more. Meeting new people is such a wonderful gift we are able to create every single day by conversion, sharing stories, as well as a good beer or two. Although it may be scary at first, the more you do it, the easier it will become. Local bars are the best way to do this because people go there to be social and have a good time, and if you’re sitting alone – someone will most likely come over and say hey before you even have a chance to finish your drink. Conversation will always flow, especially if you ask them what they’d have on their own bucket list.
Get out of your comfort zone.
While being in your comfort zone is oh so comfortable, it can get boring after a while, and your life isn’t one to be lived like a bore – there are so many amazing things out there that it just seems a waste. Fun, excitement and experiences all happen once you step outside of your comfort zone, and essentially how far you go is entirely up to you. You may take it step by step until you feel strong enough to go any further, or you might just bite the bullet and take a leap because, well, you can. It might be scary at first, and you’ll question what you’re doing, but go with it. Ride the wave. You will definitely be glad you did once you start seeing things you never even knew existed before.
So what more convincing do you need? Go write your bucket list, like, now!