4 Things to remember when writing your bucket list

I first wrote my bucket list back when I was 16 years old, in 2010. I am now 24 and I can tell you that my list has increased quite tremendously since then. I also feel that, having had my bucket list for so long and having had completed several goals thus far, that I have gained some knowledge which I think is worth sharing regarding how to write your very own list. Not to mention the fact that being The List Girl and the fact that writing lists is what I do best, I feel as though I know a thing or two about putting one together.

1. Don't limit yourself.

Write down every single thing you would like to achieve in your lifetime. If it helps, imagine yourself with only 1 year left of life, what would you do with it? What have you always wanted to achieve? What have you always wanted to learn or experience? I don't care if you feel like it's impossible. I don't care if you are unable to afford it right this moment. Or if you are "too busy" to get it done. Write it down! Everything! You want to swim with sharks but are too scared to go through with it? Write it down. You want to own a Mercedes Benz but can't afford it? Write it down. You want to visit each and every continent but can't find the time? I don't care, write it down. Reason being that despite being unable to not do it right this very second, or even within the next 5 years you have the ability and the chance to build up to it. If it is something you really want, you will and can make it happen. There are things on my list which I never thought I would be able to achieve and yet I have. Going to Canada for example (bucket list goal #848). I thought I wouldn’t have that opportunity for a very long time, but then out of the blue, because I really desired it and worked for it, the opportunity showed itself to me and I was able to spend an amazing week in Newfoundland, Canada. Or take for example my bucket list goal number #105 Graduate University, something I thought I would never have the actual ability or power to do due to the fact that I am Asperger and sometimes struggle in large crowds. Not to mention the fact that throughout University I had major depression and anxiety for several different reasons. Yet, I’m attending my graduation ceremony next week. So don’t belittle yourself. If you want it, write it and go after it. Saying that, however, if you really wanted to add to your bucket list, as an example, to have the ability to smash your ex-bosses car for having fired you, I would highly suggest against it as it is probably against the law. Which leads me to my second point.

2. Be realistic.

Now, you're probably rather confused. Apt. "She said no limits, but being realistic requires setting yourself some limits." This is both true... and false. When I say be realistic I mean to remember that there are laws in place, and I say realistic so that you also remember that we live in a certain era where things are not yet possible. For example, if you wanted to set foot on Mars, that's all well and good but is that actually possible? Has anyone ever set foot on Mars? Will such a thing ever occur in this decade? Potentially, but it is important to think it through first. Other things that we would have to be realistic about is, say for example you want to drive one of those electric, self-driving, futuristic cars from the Will Smith movie iRobot or from the Tom Cruise movie Minority Report. I mean, we have electric cars and self-driving cars are being invented, but, to drive one exactly like the ones in iRobot or Minority Report is unrealistic as of right now. This is what I mean by being “realistic”. So keep this in mind when you’re writing. This is not to say that the human race will never set foot on Mars or that such motor vehicles will one day be fabricated, but, as of right now it is probably impossible to achieve. Unless, you yourself decide to be the first to make such a thing happen.

3. Be patient.

Over the past 5 years I have been at University trying my very hardest to focus as best as I can on doing "okay" and getting my degree (which happens to be something on my list). I say okay because my mental health was not in a good space throughout the entirety of the journey. This made it very difficult to work at my optimum capacity but I tried to follow through anyway. University took a lot of energy, a lot of time, and a lot of cooperation and commitment from my part, despite the fact that there were many times where I did not want to spend my time, energy, cooperation and commitment studying. My bucket list is the thing which I would love to dedicate and utilize my time, energy and life doing as it means a great deal to me, for several different reasons; I see my list as being my future. However, there were times when I was unable to consistently complete my bucket list goals. You may potentially come to realise the same thing for yourselves. This can be because you have other more important responsibilities that you have to spend the majority of your time taking care of, or because you don't always have enough free time to complete a certain goal. But, it does not necessarily mean that you will never have time to complete the things you most want to achieve. Because if you want something desperately to happen, you will or should devise a plan that will allow you to find at least a little time to achieve it. For me, for example, despite being busy with my studies at University, I would pick some minor goals to achieve and complete them. There were times where I would have to wait until summer to be able to achieve anything, and this required a lot of patience from me and was something that I highly struggled with because I just wanted to experience the things on my bucket list more and more. But, the time and energy weren't always there. So patience is a key component when it comes to writing and achieving bucket list goals.

4. Understand that your list will grow and change just as you do.

Not only did my list grow over the past few years, but it also changed slightly on a few occasions. Last year, during the second week of September I became vegan, and as I went over my list this past year I kept realising that there were things on my list that no longer coincided with my personal values, so I changed them and replaced them with things that aligned better to the person I am today. Doing so is absolutely okay, in fact, I personally commend the impulse to change anything that is on your list that is no longer you or that will no longer benefit you. This is your life list, this is your goal list, if you no longer want to do something that is on the list, or find something on there that is no longer you, why would you bother keeping it on there? Your bucket list is a reminder and a purposeful objective and intention for how you want to live your life, what you want to spend your time doing, and what you want to make sure you have a chance to experience before you leave this earth. Our time here is very limited, there is no point of us attempting to experience or partake in things that do not serve us or help make us happy in any way whatsoever. So if you're going through your list and realise that there is something on there that you no longer desire to complete or attempt, then change it. The list is yours.

This has probably been the shortest list I have ever written. But, it's also the most extensive list I have ever written. If that makes any sense at all. Now, apart from the things I have mentioned above, it is genuinely important to remember that your bucket list is something that should be very personal to you. It should be created and personalised for you and to fit well with you, your beliefs and your desires. Make sure that you have comprised within it all the things you yourself want to experience in your life time, not what other people want you to do or experience. Also, make sure that what ever you put on your list, or whatever you complete from your list, helps you either develop and grow as a person, helps enrich your life, or helps bring you happiness and fulfillment. My philosophy as The List Girl has and always will be that "when my life flashes before my eyes, I want to make sure it's worth watching" and this has been something that has always aided me to not only write but to also continue to follow through with my bucket list. I hope this helps you also.

So guys, make sure that one day when your life flashes before your eyes, it's worth watching.