I don’t recall when I first heard the term Bucket List.  I know it was many years ago.  Every now and then I think about it; the idea of creating a list of things to do before I kick the bucket.  (By the way, I hate that term for death.)  I’ve made lists of goals; things to achieve, things to do, stuff to get, but those seem different than a bucket list.

The thoughts of a bucket list reentered my mind after seeing the movie “The Bucket List.”  It arrived from Netflix the other day, and we watched it over the weekend.  It evoked many thoughts within me, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to blog about it.  I’ve tossed the idea around for a few days, and had pretty much decided to try to write about something else, and then I got the galactic go-ahead from a bit of synchronicity.  This morning when I was looking through my RSS feeds, on a blog I just subscribed to last week, I found a post on 40 Fun Ideas for Your Autumn Bucket List.  Well, if that’s my sign then I’ll take the hint.

A Serious List

I have always taken the idea of a bucket list seriously.  It seems to me that if I am to create a list of things to do before I die, then I should darn well try to get them all done.  That makes this little list of goals really high on the scale of importance.  I suppose the seriousness of a list like this is part of reason I have avoided making a list.

A Bucket List Made Easy

In the movie “The Bucket List,” they had one very important thing going for them.  Money was no object.  Let me summarize briefly in case you haven’t seen the movie.  Two old guys realize their time among the living is limited.  They meet in a hospital and after sharing a room together for some time, they get to know each other.  One starts writing a bucket list, and then dismisses the idea of ever being able to accomplish the things on his list.  The other guy is super wealthy, and he jumps at the thought of doing things on the bucket list.  They proceed to go on an adventure, traveling the world to cross off items on their shared bucket list, and of course they learn some life lessons along the way.

Here is the bucket list from the movie

1. Witness something truly majestic
2. Help a complete stranger for the good
3. Laugh till I cry
4. Drive a Shelby Mustang
5. Kiss the most beautiful girl in the world
6. Get a tattoo
7. Skydiving
8. Visit Stonehenge
9. Spend a week at the Louvre
10. See Rome
11. Dinner at La Chevre d’Or
12. See the Pyramids
13. Get back in touch (previously “Hunt the big cat,” added after being earlier added and crossed off)
14. Visit the Taj Mahal
15. Hong Kong
16. Victoria Falls
17. Go on a safari
18. Drive a motorcycle on the Great Wall of China
19. Sit on the Great Egyptian Pyramids
20. Find the Joy in your life

My first thought very early in the movie was this, “Of course if money is no object, it’s easy to do things on a bucket list.”  Many items on a bucket list are pretty epic, and might require a lot of money to accomplish.  Things like traveling to the far reaches of the Earth, driving expensive cars, eating fine food, and experiencing unique adventures are often very expensive, and difficult for the average middle (or even high) income earner to afford.  Even if the money were there, we also have to deal with time away from work and getting enough vacation time banked for some of these adventures.

Do It Anyway

As I was considering all this, I had a thought that if these items on the bucket list were so important, than we would find ways to do them regardless of our financial situation.  It seems to me that if I’m to make a list of things to do before I die, I should really make an effort to do all these things.

If I’m going to make that list, and make the effort to do them, then money shouldn’t stand in the way.  Think about it.  Say you want to travel to some far off place.  Is there a way to make that happen?  Of course there is.  There is always a way, especially in this world of global connectivity.

I’m still toying with the idea of creating my own bucket list, but if I were to make one, one thing that would be on it is to visit the Taj Mahal.  There is something of beauty in the vastness of white that has always appealed to me, and I’d like to see it in person.  To get to India I’d be looking at $4500 in airfare alone for our family of three.  If it’s truly a bucket list item, then finding a way to get there is a no brainer; whether that means paying the fees or finding another way to get there.

If a bucket list item is a must do, then surely I could find a way to get there.  Of course it’s possible for almost anyone to save up that money, the real question is, “Is this how you would spend the money if you had it?”  There are opportunity costs involved with flying to India to see the Taj Mahal.  Maybe I’d rather have a new TV or some cool stuff for my Jeep.  Maybe I’d rather do some upgrades around the house.  Maybe I’d rather travel to another destination.  Depending where you live, this one trip is likely equivalent to several house payments.

Sacrifice

But this is a bucket list item.  It’s a MUST-DO before you die.  If that’s really the case, then I’d save the money and I’d spend it on this trip.  What if someone couldn’t save the money, what then?  Get a second or third job?  Sure, this is a bucket list item, and the cost of time lost to a job might be worth it.

I also thought of some other alternatives.  Things like getting a job for the airlines, so you can get discounted travel.  Maybe getting a job on a ship that travels to the places you want to go.  You might be able to find someone to pay your way.  Perhaps working for a travel magazine or volunteering with an international organization.  These things would involve major life changes, but it seems like a bucket list item would be worth it.

It’s quite possible that I’m taking the whole bucket list idea too seriously.  I like to achieve the goals I set.  A bucket list, to me, seems like the ultimate list of goals; and as an ultimate list of goals it becomes pretty important.

Now or Never

Here’s an interesting tidbit.  Kick the bucket doesn’t translate well into many other languages.  The title of the movie was commonly translated to a phrase that means “Now or Never.”  That seems to fit well for this very same list.  A bucket list shouldn’t be filled with things you hope to do “someday.”  It should be filled with things that will do, beginning now.

If you want to start your own bucket list, here are a few of my recommendations.

• Choose action items. Things to do are ultimately more rewarding than possessions to have.
• Pick things that you will be able to achieve.  Going to the moon wouldn’t make a good bucket list item, but traveling to Antarctica might.
• Choose items that you are willing to sacrifice for. That trip to Antarctica might be expensive, are you willing to save, earn, or barter your way there?
• Consider including some items that you can do in your own home town. Things like learning to dance, learn to play an instrument, or take a martial arts class.

If you need help getting ideas for a bucket list, you might check out this post on 525+ Bucket List Ideas. If you really like the idea of creating a bucket list and want to expand it into a Life List, then I recommend this eBook: How To Live Your Best Life (affiliate link.) It’s only $14.95 and is full of great activities and tips for creating a Life List.

I am starting my own bucket list.  I’m keeping it very small for now, and adding things that I really, really want to do.  I won’t be sharing my list as I feel that a bucket list, in addition to being an ultimate list of goals, is also very personal and private.

One more interesting tidbit.  Of the list of items from the movie “The Bucket List,” I have completed two of the items.  I have laughed until I cried.  I’ve done this on several occasions with my wife, laughing so hard that tears were flying and stomach muscles were aching.  A good laugh like that is definitely something to be experienced in life.   I’ve also kissed the most beautiful girl in the world.  In fact I’ve kissed the two most beautiful girls in the world; my wife and my daughter.

Do you have a bucket list?  Are you willing to share any of the items from your list?  Have you completed any of the bucket list items from the movie “The Bucket List?”

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Reminder to my blogging friends: This months Personal Development Campfire topic is Change, and posts should go live on your blogs on September 15.  Click here for more info on participating in the Personal Development Campfire.

Photo Credit

My contribution to ROAKA this month will be short.  I want to share one of my favorite songs on love.  It’s from the movie Moulin Rouge, which is a great love story.  It fits in my favorite genre of movie, the unlikely hero triumphing over great evil.  This song marks the turning point where a forbidden love is overcome and true love begins to blossom.  (If you are reading in email or a RSS feed, you may have to click through the site to see the video.)

Be sure to visit Jane Be Nimble, the leader of our merry band of RAOKA, her love post rocks!

On the first Wednesday of each month (US time zone) we invite everyone to post about what we’ve observed, passed along, or created. During the first ten days of the month, contact me with your theme ideas for the next month.

If you like RAOKA, you might also like the Personal Development Campfire.  Our next PDC topic is Change, and posts will go live on September 15.

Hello everyone.  Anastasiya of Balance In Me invited me to guest post on her blog.  Head over there and check out my post about being Forced Into Balance.  It’s the story of how my work life was causing some unbalance, how I was forced into some balance, and then how I worked to maintain an improved work/life balance.

While your there, be sure to browse around, Anastasiya has a ton of great posts about maintaining healthy balances in life.

Being an adult can be tough.  I remember most of my twenties being (or trying to be) very grown-up and adult like.  I didn’t partake in a lot of silly time or playful activities.  In my thirties, I became a father and it was finally socially acceptable for me to ride the slide at the playground.  I do love a good ride down a slide.

The best are those big huge slides at the fair where you sit on a burlap sack and swoosh down the slide and skitter off the end onto the green outdoor carpet, where you come to a very ungraceful halt.  Tied for first is the big inflatable bouncy slide, also ridden on a slippery mat.

Second to that are big twisty slides.  It’s hard to find a good twisty slide… well, hard to find a good adult sized twisty slide, the kids seem to do fine on most of them.  The problem for adults on most twisty slides is the twists are too narrow, and I end up pushing and scooting instead of sliding.  Every once in a while though, I come across a twisty slide that has a good size and slope, such that kids and adults can slide.  Those slides are magical.  Third on my slide list are just the standard straight slides.  I like the ones that have enough slope that I fly right off the end (hopefully landing on my feet, but sometimes landing on my rear.)

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has some good twisty slides…

I’ve visited a lot of playgrounds in the 4 years since my daughter’s birth.  One thing perplexes me is that I don’t see many other adults partaking in the jungle gym activities.  The monkey bars, tube tunnels, rope bridges, fireman’s poles, and of course the slides, are all there for the playing.  Yet it’s mostly just the kids playing, with the adults plopped down on a nearby bench.  Maybe the parents are appreciating some down time, while their kids burn off energy.  I’m sure that’s the case for some, and that’s me sometimes too.  But other times, I like to jump in and play along with my daughter.

I can’t monkey bar like I used to, but I sure can slide, and cross the rope bridges, and even squeeze through some tunnels.  Oh, and remember those things mounted on top of a spring that bounce to and fro?  Yeah those were awesome to ride as a child, and every once in a while you can find an adult sized one.

Yeah, I have proof…

It’s good to let go and be silly once in a while.  We sometimes lose grasp of that as adults.  Next time you find yourself near a playground, go ahead and have a go at the slide and maybe a turn on the swings.

I’ve been seeing a lot of 7 Link Challenges around various personal development blogs. I also just added my own. The idea originated from a post on Problogger, and everyone is really jumping into this one.  It really took off on Personal Development blogs when Dragos Roua challenged some of his fellow bloggers to participate.  The result is a wealth of fantastic posts.

I am finding so much great info from these posts that I wanted a way to share them with everyone. I’m creating an index here for Personal Development bloggers that are participating in the 7 Link Challenge.  Follow these links and get ready to spend some time reading a wealth of absolutely fantastic content.

If you are a Personal Development blogger and you have a 7 Link Challenge that you’d like to share, simply add it using the form below.

Note: for “Link Title” please make that the title of your blog, and URL should be the URL of your 7 Link Challenge post.  I added a couple that I know of to get the ball rolling.

This 7 link challenge has been making it’s way around various blogs, and it looks fun, so I’m going to jump into the fray.  The idea is that I share 7 links on various key highlights of my blog.  Read on and you’ll get the idea.

My Very First Day

Eden Journal – A New Blog About our Path in Life.  My first post was to introduce me and what I planned to write about.  I’m still roughly following the original plan.  Over time I have come to see the direction I hope to follow, and in the coming days I’m going to announce a new clarity of vision.

How I Learned the Lesson of Hakuna Matta ”No Worries.” I also want to highlight my second post which is my first real “blog” post.  This has proven to be a popular post, and Google sends me a number of visitors on this one.

The Post I Enjoyed Writing the Most

The Open Mind Test Series. It’s hard to pick my favorite post to write.  I really like some of my story posts, but I think the Open Mind series was the most rewarding and most closely aligns with my personal philosophy and the philosophy of Eden Journal.

Post Which Had the Most Discussion

The Day I was Laid Off was the Best Day of My Life. This was one of my early posts, and it came shortly after I returned to work.  That was a good time for me to look back on the time I spent unemployed.  I really missed the time at home with my family when I returned to work.

The Post on Someone Else’s Blog that I Wish I had Written

How To Have Tourette’s Part 7: No Excuses. I really don’t have any post I wish I had written.  I figure that no matter what the post, it would be different if I wrote it, so no sense thinking about it.  I am adding this post though, because it’s the one that touched me the most.  It’s raw and honest and shows a side that most bloggers aren’t brave enough to share.

My Most Helpful Post

Sleep… How I Learned to Fall Asleep Fast, and You Can Too! This post details the steps I took to learn to fall asleep fast.  It’s been linked from a few different places and get’s a bit of traffic from Google.

The Post With a Title I’m Most Proud Of

There’s a Turd in my Nest. Really, how can you not read a post with a title like that.  This one was my first attempt at poetry, or at the very least a Dr. Seuss like rhyme.  The funny thing about this title, is how it came about.  I was listening to the radio, half daydreaming as I drove to work.  I think I pieced together a couple of conversations on the radio and pulled them into a daydream where I thought I heard them talking about a turd in a nest.  It sounded weird enough to make a good title, and then I created the post around that title.

A Post I Wish More People had Read

A Choice and a Purpose; Entering this Earthly Realm. This is a story I wrote about life before birth.  It’s a topic on which little is really known, so I gathered the info that I had at hand, and added that to what felt right to me to compose this post.

Reiki is a form of healing by touch and allowing energy to flow.  It’s a process of healing where you place your hands on or above the recipient of the Reiki healing.  As you progress through the Reiki healing session, your move your hands through a series of positions until you have covered a majority of the body.  The whole process is quite relaxing and feels really good.

When performing Reiki, I find it helpful to put on some nice Reiki Music.  When I first started I used an old Enya CD that I had.  It was about the only relaxing bit of music I owned.  Since then I have found a number of other great pieces of music, and many are designed specifically for Reiki.

I want to share a website with you, Reiki Music.  This website is specifically designed around Reiki Music.  It has a whole section of music that was created to accompany Reiki sessions and attunements.  There are some great selections here and I really like all the albums I sampled.

Many of these Reiki Music albums are infused with Reiki energy; that is they perform Reiki on the music itself.  This fills the music with good positive healing energy.  Some of the Reiki Music albums have set track lengths so that you can time each hand position.  When the song changes you know it’s time to move to the next hand movement.  I’ve seen one with three minute intervals, one with five minute intervals, and one with six minute intervals.  These are great for the Reiki beginner, as it gives you a little structure to work within.  Over time, you’ll learn to sense when it’s time to change positions, but in the beginning, the timed music works really well.

There are also some Reiki Music albums that are termed as Popular Artists.  Most of these have rich vocals, which I love.  I have always felt great healing power in the human voice.  Some of my favorites are by the Mediaeval Beabes, a group of female singers.  To me it’s like taking that healing power of the voice and multiplying by each member of the group.  The result is powerful healing music.

Some of the Reiki Music there is good for meditation or yoga.  I don’t practice yoga, but I do sit in meditation on occasion, and I find it much easier to clear my head with some soft music playing in the background.  It’s like a gentle reminder for my mind to stay on task rather than to jump all about.

Head over to Reiki Music and check it out, I’m sure you’ll find some great new music to accompany your Reiki, self-healing, meditation, or yoga.

This month’s ROAKA theme is Wisdom.  I sat down a couple of times to write on this topic, and just couldn’t get anything to flow.  It took me a few days of trying and then it finally occurred to me; I already have a post related to wisdom.  I think my higher self was blocking the Wisdom content in order for me to share a post I wrote towards the end of last year.

The post is titled Two Wise Bees, and it’s one of my favorite posts so I’m happy to share it again.

After you check out Two Wise Bees, head over to Jane Be Nimble and check out the other RAOKA posts on Wisdom.

Ali from Soulful Body & Mind passed along an interesting series he thought I might like.  It’s a series that Abubakar Jamil is putting together.  He has invited a number of personal development bloggers to participate in a series on Life Lessons.  I love reading about life lessons, so I’m eager to participate.

Skimming through the list in the Life Lesson series, I found a number of posts titled “Things I wish I had known earlier in life.”  I sat down to consider all the lessons I’ve learned and to think about which lessons I wish I had been told of much earlier in life.  I drew a blank.  Nothing.  Nada.  I could think of major lessons I had learned, but not that I wished I had learned sooner.  The truth is, I think all the lessons I’ve learned have come at the exact time they were meant to.  Even if I had known the lessons, I don’t think it would have done much good, since experiencing the lessons is the only sure-fire way to learn them.

Here are my favorite lessons that I’ve learned.

Keep an Open Mind.  In the Second grade I was asked to draw a picture of Jesus.   Only one open minded child in the class drew him beardless.  That was my first brush with open mindedness.  Later in life I had a couple more reminders.  One was with a philosophy teacher, who, at Christmas time, proposed that if we loved one person more than everyone else, that we should by one great gift for that person to the exclusion of everyone else.  That immediately struck me as ludicrous until I opened my mind and gave it some thought.  I find life much more rewarding when I am open to new possibilities.

No Worries – Hakuna Matata.  In the ninth grade I volunteered to lead a class project.  It was stress city.  I had no plan, no help, and no hope.  I worried for days, not sure how to proceed.  Then one day it all came together.  The teacher helped, other people volunteered, and a plan took shape.  Days of worry had been for naught.  Everything worked out.

Falling Asleep is a learned process.  In the night grade, shortly after I learned to not worry, I learned to fall asleep.  Until that point I would lay in bed for hours waiting for sleep to arrive.  I began practicing some meditation techniques at bed time and eventually taught myself to fall asleep.

Everything Works Out.  This lesson was an ongoing one.  With my worry free philosophy, I gradually noticed that everything always works out.  Knowing this allowed me to have the time of my life after I was laid off from my “stable” job, forgoing our only source of income.  Knowing that everything would work out, I was able to thoroughly enjoy my time home with my family.

Reading is fun.  This one took me a while to learn.  I had some bad reading experiences in high school being forced to read and dissect books from the high school reading list.  A few years after high school I thought I’d give reading another shot.  I picked up some novels of classic literature, and gradually developed a love for reading.

Those are my biggest lessons.  I’ve learned a others along my path, and I continue to learn new lessons every day.  Be sure to head over to abubakarjamil.com to see the lessons learned by other great personal development bloggers.

That’s what my four year old daughter asked as we were flipping through the channels and came across a PBS show that had some seagulls frolicking in the ocean.

“Is that the baby birds in the oil?”

It wasn’t baby bird covered in oil, but it made me sad that this question would cross the mind of my sweet little four year old daughter.  It made me sad that we live in a world where carelessness and gross negligence could cause such a humongous environmental disaster.

I have tried to avoid bringing this topic to Eden Journal.  It’s been on my mind a lot, since this oil is beginning to wash up on the shores of my state.  Rather than rant about how unbelievable it is to me that something like this could happen, I’m going to try to stay positive.  I’m going to hope that this oil will eventually break down and that the earth will clean itself.  I’m going to focus on the long term and hope that in five or ten years we won’t see any remnants of the oil.  I’m going to hope that most of the sea life will flee the huge clouds of oil floating beneath the surface.  I’m going to hope that as a society we can find a viable and renewable replacement to fossil fuels.  Join me in my hope and lets try to focus on the positive.