Retired now? Life derailed due to coronavirus? Have a LOT of time on your hands?

Did you make a list of items you want to do as a way to ‘fill your time’ and accomplish some stuff you’ve been meaning to complete?

Tell me about your list. Is it one or two items or will it fill a book? In fact, there are books that have lists of bucket items. Hmm, probably not a good thing to fill someone else’s list though. That’s like living someone else’s life for them.

Here’s some of mine in case you need some push from behind …

Travel to ____ (do this immediately)

Clean  ____ (closets, garage, cellar)

Visit  _____ (best friend, grandchildren, national parks, casinos, libraries, favorite teacher, donut store)

Write ____ (book, memoirs, journal, love letter, blogs, thank you notes)

Start _____ (hobby, cooking, gardening, drawing, blogging)

Eat _____ (NY cheesecake, Maine lobster, Hatch green chilies – but must eat them where they originate)

Learn ____ (hip hop, watercolor, Italian, piano, astronomy, fly-fishing, pickleball)

Volunteer ___ (food bank, Rotary, library, Peace Corp, mentoring students)

Contact ______ (high school friends, childhood buddies, pen pals, congress representative)

Paint _________ (canvas, nails, doors, house, garage, your wagon)

Research ______(family lore, history of sugarbeets, finances, school board)

Organize __ (a book group, game nights, hiking events, trips abroad)

So, does this list kick something into gear for you? Got some things you need to write down then check off? What exactly is on your list, hmm? Have you already moved forward on some items. Feel better?

If you’re married then you have a partner to share some of your activities with, however that’s not always the case. Your list and your spouses could be vastly different or perhaps one of you might want to travel and the other might choose to never leave the garden.

The secret is to find some things that only you love to do and get moving on them. You might learn that golfing isn’t that high on your list after you take a few lessons. Or that you want to learn and teach yoga.

Climb into your sandbox and to explore and play. Find out what you like to do and move in that direction. Maybe you’ll never want to come out.

Or maybe you’ll decide you want to climb into the round sandbox filled with electronics, computers and technology and come out with the knowledge that you really want to create recipes and make new food items.

If you don’t have a partner to play with, that works fine too. In fact, you might have more freedom to try things out, change your mind and start all over again. You’ve got 30 years on your plate. The important thing to remember is there are so many others who want to meet you and do what you’re doing.

Be happy, have fun — And you will always have friends!

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The benefits of a bucket list by Elizabeth Scott MS