How to create your own bucket list.

Forget "impossible"

I would like you, if you would, to temporarily ignore any possible limitations. Forget the money, forget the time, forget the people that might judge or ridicule you. Forget the distance, forget anything that would prevent you from being truly happy. Think of yourself as living in a world filled entirely with nothing but chances and possibilities. In this world you have everything to look forward to, you have absolutely nothing holding you back, no limitations, you're full of motivation, determination and you have all the self-discipline required to undertake absolutely anything that you desire. There are no social rules to abide by, no one would discriminate you, you have nothing stopping you from being your greatest, most powerful, most genuine self. This is where your journey begins, this is where you set yourself free and run full force towards your potential, and towards a life full of happiness.

Consider all that you would like to achieve.

Consider all the activities you would like to take part in. Consider all the places you would like to visit. Consider all the foods and drinks you would like to taste, smell, experience. Think of your future, what would it look like if you had absolutely no limitations? Think about your past self, what did the mini version of yourself want to be when they were older? What hobbies did mini you want to take up? Think about all the achievements and aspirations you wish were attached to your name and your legacy. Think of all the people that you wish to inspire, think of those whom you wish to help out if you had the means to do so. What would you do with a million pounds, dollars, euros, pesos, etc.? What would you do with an unlimited amount of time, if you didn't have to work the 9 to 5? What would you prefer to spend your time doing if you had the energy you needed?

Would you want to learn a new skill, like how to play an instrument, or how to build things out of wood? Would you want to visit distant locations which you've only ever seen in pictures on Pinterest, or in that travel magazine that you're secretly subscribed to? Would you want to try all the traditional foods of each and every country, to open your horizons to the possibilities of all the different foods that exist? Would you quit your job, refurbish a school bus and road trip around your country? Around Europe? Around America? What would you do if you knew that you could never fail? Run for president? Lose the weight? Write a best seller? Consider each and every one of your wildest dreams. Imagine yourself with your feet in the sand, or playing the sport you've always wanted to play. Imagine yourself after you built your own home, or married the person that brings you true happiness. Try to feel all the things you might feel if you were attempting that specific activity, or what it would be like to experience that new hobby, or travelling to that place you've always wanted to visit. Consider the excitement of it all.

Write it down.

Take all those possibilities, all those dreams, all those goals and create a list, write it all down. Don't forget a thing. It doesn't have to be in a certain order. Unless, of course, you're the type of person to like to keep things in order, some people even like to categorize their lists, which is absolutely fine, but they tend to leave that for a later point of the process. I would, personally, discourage doing this for the moment as you don't want to worry or fixate on the tiny details, you don't want to complicate the process. For now, just write it all down as you think it through, just get everything out on a page before you forget any of it. Just write it down. Don't worry about spelling, grammar, or about making it sound poetic. Just get it on the page. Don't allow yourself to consider any opposition, any issues, any improbabilities of completion. Don't allow yourself to think about anything could hold you back, let the pen flow. You might even find that at the end, once the list is all written up, that you may have even surprised yourself. 

If you have any struggles with coming up with things to write down here is a few example of lists, that you can gain ideas from:

• https://bucketlistjourney.net/my-bucket-list/

• https://www.vagabrothers.com/destinations

• https://www.thelistgirl.org/bucket-list

Or, here is a short list of ideas to get you started (but remember, what do you want to do? Don't just copy these ideas. Is it really what you want to do?):

• Go skydiving.

• Eat 5 different traditional foods.

• Road trip south america.

• Visit Canada.

• Try boxing.

• Swim with dolphins.

• Visit a safari park.

• Learn martial arts.

• See the Olympics live.

• Adopt a child.

• Visit 5 countries.

• See penguins in their natural habitat.

• Canoe down a river.

• Climb a mountain.

• Watch a live football game.

• See the Eiffel Tower. 

• Eat vegan once a week.

• Take up salsa dancing.

Ask yourself: "what would it take?"

Let's say, for example, that you had written down on your list that you want to visit each and every continent. What does this mean to you? Does it mean that you would like to visit at least one country in each continent? Or, do you want to visit every country in each continent? Or, do you want to visit the most popular country of each continent? Which ever definition you mean, there are several things to consider, however, when we do think deeper into it, I do not wish for you to see it as a complication or hurdle that you require a butt ton of energy to overpass. See it as a mini goal towards your larger goal. Okay, let's go further. In order to visit each continent, you'll need a map, you'll need money, you'll need a suitcase, you'll need time off work, you'll need to be up to date with all of your vaccinations, and you'll probably need either a set of thermals or sun cream, depending on which route you want to head out first. Now, I can tell you're probably already starting to feel discouraged, don't worry, remember, this is a mini goal towards your larger goal, it is not a hurdle. So, you're now going to want to start another, shorter list.

That list would probably look a little something like this:

• Map - easily found on the internet or download google maps for free.

• Money - save up towards your goal, set aside an amount each and every month. Make it a goal to have the required amount by the end of the year to visit at least one of the continents. In order to make it easier to start off with make sure to visit the continent with the cheapest travel destination or cheapest means of travel. By this I mean, that visiting the east is probably cheaper than visiting the west, but it's also cheaper to visit south america than to visit Europe, however, if you already live near Europe then it's probably easier and cheaper to visit Europe first. Saying that, if you want to visit South America and you live in North America, you could technically take a road trip and just pay petrol and food. What I'm trying to say is think tactically about how to approach this, then save up for it. Start cheapest destination first.

• Suitcase - the duration of your trip will indicate whether you need a larger or smaller suitcase. Suitcases can be rather expensive, however, if you always pack light, then you would only ever have to travel light, say, maybe just a carry on, or a rather large back pack. Think, minimalist travel.

• Time off work - if you're spending the year saving up for your first excursion at the end of the year, then, throughout that year you would have been saving up the hours that you need to be able to take a paid holiday, at least in England that is how it tends to work. In which case, you can then take those 2-3 weeks off for the holiday that you seek to take.

• Vaccinations - if you live in the UK it's as easy as visiting your GP, they'll hook you up. 

• Thermals and Sun Cream - I can't talk for all countries, but I will, try Amazon or visit your local supermarket, they will probably have what you are looking for. 

Now that we have all those things figured out, there is only one thing left to do.

Follow through!

Stick to the plan, always stick to the plan. And when you can't stick to the plan make a new one, but never, and I mean never, give up on your pursuit of happiness. Perseverance is the key to all successes.