You don't have to wait for retirement to start checking things off your “bucket list”. Remember the movie Bucket List, where 2 unlikely friends played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman were stricken ill? In the critically acclaimed film, both characters were diagnosed with terminal illnesses, and before “the end” they were going to do all the things they dreamed of doing (but never did).
Suffice it to say, over a short period of time, the two bonded and were able to cross a number of items off their list. So as not to serve as spoiler, I won't tell you what they were able to accomplish during their time together, but here's a look at the ambitious bucket list that the characters created together.
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Original bucket list from the movie
1. Witness something truly majestic
2. Help a complete stranger for a common 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 Cherie d'Or
12. See the Pyramids
13. Get back in touch (previously “Hunt the big cat”)
14. Visit Taj Mahal, India
15. Hong Kong
16. Victoria Falls
17. Serengeti
18. Ride the Great Wall of China
Your own bucket list
Now I'm not saying that your bucket list has to be as grandiose as the one made for the movie. Jack Nicholson's character Edward Cole (a healthcare executive) had all the money in the world, and and they could literally do anything they wanted. I am saying that making a list (setting goals) can be a very good thing, and it can provide added motivation to get you out-and-about.
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Jeremy Pawloski of The Travel Channel recently published a piece with advice for those that want to start their own bucket list. In his post titled “How to Tackle Your Travel Bucket List Without Quitting Your Day Job“, Jeremy offers the following tips:
- Think Small – Consider trips close to home so the preparation and the clean-up isn't such a burden. Even short trips out in the crisp, clean air can do wonders for mind and body.
- Travel With Friends – Traveling with a group is great because you can not only share duties, but also share the experience with folks you care about.
- Take Advantage of Long Weekends – A long weekend provides a bit more time to get away if you want to venture further out. I find that when I'm rushed, I don't enjoy experiences quite as much as when I'm settled. When you're settled, you can be “present” or “in the now”.
- Be Cheap – You don't have to spend a bunch of money to have a great experience, nor do you have to go far (as noted above). Just getting away from the 9-to-5 grind and into another element can elevate your own state of being.
There's more to Jeremy's list, be sure to visit The Travel Channel for additional bucket-list-tips. The bottom line is that if a bucket list is the motivation you need to feel more alive, you need to do it now – Don't wait till it's too late to kiss the most beautiful girl in the world… That person may be closer to you than you think!
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