A “Bucket list” can be defined as a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime. Since it is possibly derived from the English idiom – ‘to kick the bucket’ we can also call it a list of things to do before you die (source).
To keep from feeling overwhelmed by such a great list of things to do, accompanied by the feeling that the unchecked items are looming, reminding me of all the things I haven’t done, I have include items on my list that I have already accomplished.
After reading others’ bucket lists, I realized that there are so many things that I have had the opportunity to do; things that others have not been able to accomplish. Adding these items is an exercise in gratefulness as it reminds me to
Appreciate the Accomplishments!
Even the little ones.
One blogger calls this The Reverse Bucket List and explains it this way:
“it is a relatively new phenomenon that’s been growing in the past year or so. It changes your focus and your mindset. Instead of focusing on the things you haven’t accomplished (yet) it has you focus on the things you have done” (source).
For a lot of people, the reverse bucket list has been embraced as a mindfulness exercise. It’s a way to look at being grateful for all of the things you have done.
If you’re looking for bucket list ideas, some interesting ones can be found here and here.
Achievement
- Earn an associates (AA) degree
- Earn a bachelor’s degree
- Earn a master’s degree
- Start a business
- Start a blog
- Write (and illustrate) a book
- Create a piece of art (and sell it)
- Start an herb garden
- Be on TV
- Be in a commercial
- Solve a Rubix Cube
- Earn a design degree
- Achieve my ideal weight
- Run a 7 min mile
- Run a 5k
- Run the Gate river run
- Run a half marathon
- Run a marathon
Adventure
- Go parasailing
- Ride on a Ferris wheel
- Ride a scary roller coaster
- Go ice skating
- Go on a picnic
- Go snorkeling
- Go skydiving (preferably indoors)
- Go zip lining (preferably not over a reptile farm)
- See the sun rise over the ocean
- See the sun set over the ocean
- Drive route 66
- Tour Biltmore Estates
- Tour the US capitol
- See all the Washington DC monuments
- Go biking on the beach
- Dance in the moonlight
- Dance on the beach
- Swim in the ocean
- Drive a jetski
- Pet a dolphin
- Ski a black diamond trail
- Go on a cruise
- Dine in a celebrity owned restaurant
- Attend a small town festival
- Climb a lighthouse
- Go on a spontaneous road trip
- Ride in a gondola
- Play racquetball
- Pitch a game of softball
- Rollerblade
Education/New Skills
- Learn how to play the guitar
- Learn to speak French
- Learn a line dance
- Master a video game
- Learn Archery
- Learn to play chess
- Learn Kung-FU
- Learn how to cook
- Learn how to bake
- Learn to change a tire
- Take a ceramic class
- Attend a woodworking class
- Learn how to meditate
- Take piano lessons
Entertainment and Events
- Attend a Jazz Festival
- Attend a Parade
- Attend a Vegas show (Rod Stewart)
- Place a bet on a Horse Race
- Go to a Blues Bar (BB King’s, NY)
- Go to a dinner theater (Alhambra Theater and Dining)
- See a pro Football Game (Alltel Stadium)
- See a Broadway show (Jersey Boys)
- See a Cirque du Soleil Show (Beatles LOVE)
- See Barry Manilow in concert
- Dance in a club (Ziggy Mahoney’s)
- See the changing of the guard
- See a Nascar race (Daytona International Speedway)
- See a major league baseball game ( Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta Braves)
- Attend a Grand Ole Opry show (Ryman Auditorium, TN)
- See the Backstreet Boys in concert
Life milestones
- Prepare a will
- Get a tummy tuck
- Vote in an election
- Donate blood
- Attend a high school reunion
- Make a cake roll
- Make a blooming onion
- Go to the movies by myself
- Get a bob (hair style)
- Go blonde
- Participate in a wine tasting
- Cook thanksgiving dinner
- Build with Habitat of Humanity
- Read the entire bible
- Learn to snow ski
- Learn to water ski
- Take swimming lessons
- Learn to surf
- Build a snowman
- Adopt a pet
- Stand under a waterfall
- Witness a solar eclipse
- Be a bridesmaid
- Take an art class
- Take pictures in a photo booth
- Work on a pottery wheel
- Sew an item of clothing and wear it
- Write a poem
- Audition to be in a play or choir
- Visit Disney World
- Visit Universal Studios Orlando
- Visit an art gallery
- Have no credit card debt
- Have my own business cards
- Learn to use chopsticks
- Make ice cream
- Build a sand castle
- Go canoeing
- Have a collection
- Plant a tree and watch it grow
- Load and shoot a shotgun
- Drive a tractor
- Plant a garden
- Take a dance class
Travel
- Visit all US states 50 States, 50 Landmarks, 50 States of Bucket List Adventures
- See Mount Rushmore (South Dakota)
- See the USS Arizona (Hawaii)
- Visit Yosemite (California)
- Visit Branson (Missouri)
- Visit Denali (a/k/a Mount McKinley in Alaska)
- Visit Deadwood (South Dakota)
- See the ALAMO (Texas)
- Visit Gettysburg (Pennsylvania)
- See the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (New York)
- See the Vegas Strip (Nevada)
- See the Grand Canyon (Arizona)
- Visit Yellowstone (Wyoming)
- See Stone Mountain (Georgia)
- See Glacier National Park (Montana)
- Stand in the Southernmost Point in the Continental US (Key West, FL)
- See Ernest Hemingway’s house (Key West, FL)
- Walk through Grand Central Station (New York)
- Walk in central park (New York)
- Climb a tree in Central Park (New York)
- Stand in Times Square (New York)
- Be on TV during the Today show (New York)
- Ride on a subway (Boston, New York, and Washington, DC)
- See Plymouth Rock (Massachusetts)
- Walk on pink sand beaches
- Venture out of the country
- Visit the Parthenon (Greece)
- Visit Puerto Rico
- Go on a Caribbean cruise
I’ll be adding to this list.
Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.
