Why having a Life List is Crucial

Most of you are likely to have heard the term "bucket list."  One that personally, I think has grown a tad overused and cliched.  That aside, there is much meaning and power to be found in keeping, what I prefer to call a "Life List" of your own.  This is essentially a list of experiences you want to have in your life, places you yearn to visit and see, accomplishments you hope to surmount and make happen, as well as, whom you want to be and become.  All of such, encompassed in ones life list.

When someone takes a couple of hours, or even time spread over several days to compose their life list, having such then adds a sense of direction to the rest of your life.  It offers one a map of sorts, a focus and distinct goals to work towards.  Giving ones day to day life, as well as their big overall picture more a sense of meaning, purpose, and clarity.

I offer two concrete ways of approaching this project, the compiling of ones life list.

Method #1:  Make one overarching list, a master list of the things you plan to accomplish, experience, see, as well as whom you will grow into and be during your life.

Method #2:  Then, each year, maybe on January first, or sometime during autumn (say, Sept 1st, because to me, autumn is really the time of year that reflects new beginnings, a sense of starting over, and possibility in the air), plan out say, 10 goals from your main overarching list which you will achieve and complete within that year.  Dont do more than 10, as thats likely too much, possibly overwhelming, and then when you dont get to them all, will feel defeated and unmotivated.  However, much less than 10 is selling yourself short.

Method one and two can and should be used together.  While one could just use method #1 and thats all good, the most effective route is to do and utilize both actively.

Sometimes, compiling a life list is difficult.  It can leave people feeling stuck, unsure, wondering where to start and how possibly to begin conceptualizing and getting it all down on paper in an organized fashion.

To help with such, I offer my own updated life list as an example and hopefully, to assist in churning out or inspiring ideas of your own:

Venture to New Zealand, either for a couple weeks at once, or to live there for 9-12 months.

Become a published author, of actual books which are sold publicly.

The recipe for this gluten/grain free, sugar free, Earl Gray Lavender Cheesecake can be found here.

Vegan Blueberry Lavender Ice Cream.  Gluten/grain free, dairy free, and sugar free.  And SO good.  Here is how to make it.

Jewel Toned Antioxidant Quinoa Bowl, with kale, onions, dried cranberries, scallions, and pesto.  Delicious and light.  And its gluten/grain free (Quinoa is a seed), as well as sugar free, and a tiny bit of dairy in the pesto.  Here is the recipe.

Self publish a cookbook.

Visit Japan.

Sa Pa in Vietnam.

One of the famed floating villages in Vietnam.  Exactly as it sounds. A village, actually situated on water.

Vietnam.

Cambodia.

Cambodia.

Cambodia.

Thailand.

Thailand.

The famed floating markets in Thailand.

Floating markets.

Trek to and through Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand.

Experience the Galapagos Islands.

Embark on an Alaskan cruise.

Herzegovina, Bosnia

Mostar, Bosnia

Norway

Norway

Poland

Visit, within Europe: more of Italy, more of France, more of Scotland, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia (Mostar, Herzegovina, and Blagaj), Turkey, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Poland.

Venture to and throughout several countries in Africa.  Including, seeing mountain gorillas in the wild.  With only 600 left in the world, they are close to extinction.  Observing them in their natural habitat is supposed to be one of the most wonderous and awe inspiring experiences a human can have.

Attend a writers retreat, somewhere romantic, naturesque, peaceful, and somewhere out in the country side.

Maintain a fit, able bodied, healthy body throughout the majority of my life.  Attend to high quality nutrition and diet, as well as my health with topmost priority, as once its gone, its difficult to get back and can majorly diminish your quality of life, as well as spirit.

Continue to maintain, as well as build new, emotionally deep, close knit, awesome friendships.  Keep the ones I have, with effort and intent, as long as they are still healthy and add to my life.  As well as, continually seek out new, inspiring, poignant connections.

Invest my whole heart into my romantic relationship.  Making it a top priority, one I infuse with effort, romance, surprise, and love.  Cherishing and celebrating this person and their presence in my life.

Possibly live in a different country (outside the US) again at some point.

Fluffy gluten/grain free, sugar free, Coconut Turmeric Pancakes.  Taste them here.

Chocolate Lovers Pie.  Gluten free and sugar free.  Here is how to make it.

Pumpkin Lavender Pancakes.  The best.

Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Moist, chewy, cakey, just like the real deal.  These though are gluten/grain free, lactose free, and sugar free.  So yum.

Potentially have my own little sweet shop someday, either via the internet or an actual physical space where I sell tasty treats of my own making (which would be gluten/grain free, dairy free, and/or sugar free, each dessert offering falling into at least one, if not all of those categories).
(The photos of sweet treats above are my own recipes :-))

Backpack through Europe, or elsewhere which excites me, for a month in one fell swoop at some point.

Make a cozy respite of a home.  Must haves: a backyard of some kind, a fireplace, coziness abound, an abundance of tea and books, plush and comfortable seating areas, and an overall inviting air.  Major cherry on top if its somewhat close to a body of water, and should be within 30 minutes of a decently sized town.


For further ideas, inspiration, and fun, here is a previous life list I wrote up about 3 years ago.