Bucket List Builder

Building a Bucket List is a great way to help make sure you achieve your life's dreams.  For some, it may mean climbing Kilimanjaro.  Others may want to see the cherry blossoms in Japan.  In today's fast paced world, it is easy to let your life and the years slip away without you getting those things you most want out of it.  Take a few hours to write up your bucket list ideas and dreams, whether it includes bucket list destinations like Nepal or Machu Picchu, or something as simple as learning how to bake bread.

Our guest on today's Active Travel Adventure's podcast is Chase Boehringer of The BucketList Lifestyle.  Chase has a great story about how he went from practically suicidal to living an incredibly exciting life, all due to creating and then implementing his Bucket List.  In today's show you'll gain tips and insights as to why it is important to create your bucket list and practical ways for you to achieve your bucket list dreams.  

All photos courtesy of Chase and The BucketList Lifestyle.

How to Create Your Bucket List

1.  Name your Bucket List   Will you call it simply Bucket List, or Things to Do Before I Die?  

 2.  Write it down.   Studies show that when you write things down, you have a greater chance of achieving them.  But don't stop there:

 3.  Share your list.  Studies also prove that when you tell others that you are committed to doing something, you are more likely to do so.  Some online apps and tools include:

 * Bucketlist.org : Great site where you can share your goals and keep track of your list, while getting encouragement and inspiration from the community.

*  BucketList.net  Similar to the above, but you can also ‘Swap' to ask others for help in achieving your goals.

 *  BuckitDream App  lets you store and share your list

*  iWish App  This app has over 1000 suggestions to help you build a dream bucket list, plus also can help you tackle them

 4.  Organize your list.  Some things might have to wait until the kids are out of the house or you have more money or time.  Consider chunking them by age group (remember you have your entire LIFE to complete your list), say 30-40, 40-50, 50-65, 65+.  

 Perhaps also break them out by category:  travel, lifestyle, family, etc.  And then also mark them as easy or hard to do with little planning or money.  For example, one of Chase's goals was to send a dozen roses to his mother for no reason.  This would be easy/inexpensive and could go on an ‘Anytime' list.  Climbing to Everest Base Camp requires time, fitness and money, so would be a longer term planning item.  For these kinds of goals, you need to break them down into manageable, achievable goals so that once you complete all of the steps, you have achieved your end goal.

 5. Post your list.  Choose a few items that you want to work on now and then post this list in a conspicuous place (bathroom mirror?) that you will see it daily.  This will help you to keep your dreams in the forefront so life doesn't just pass you by.

 6.  Make an Action Plan.  For each of your near term Bucket List items, break them down into the steps needed to achieve your dream.  Put a deadline for each step.  Consider setting up a special Savings Account that every month, an automatic draft zaps out your desired monthly savings towards your Bucket List so you never even SEE the money.  You will probably find that, like most people, you live just fine and not miss it, as we tend to spend what we see.

 7.  Vision and Memory Board.  Maybe you can make a Vision Board that represents your Bucket List goals.  Clip out photos that you can look at daily.  Make another board with photos from when you actually achieve one of your bucket list items.  These can help you maintain your vision and motivation when life gets in the way.

 8.  Then, as Chase says:  LIVE IT!