Who says that there needs to be a reason to start a friendship? A connection can start anytime, anywhere, in any way. I have many great friendships that started off from the most random of situations.
Perhaps the most random one
is with a near-stranger, whom I met once in college and did not speak to him for the next 9 years (except once when we bumped into each other on the streets). One day, he was sorting through his phone contacts list, saw my name, and decided to message
me. Fast forward today, and he is now my husband. 🙂
Not saying that the next stranger you contact is going to be your romantic partner, but rather, that a great friendship can start in any
way. 🙂 Articles to get you started:
We are all used to following a “proper” conduct: to be clothed when we are out, to always wear shoes when we are outside the house, and to always use an umbrella when it’s
raining (with good reason of course, so that we don’t catch a cold).
While all these make sense, how about breaking the “rules” for a change… and just walk… or even dance barefoot the next time it rains? Feel the pavement,
feel the earth, and feel the wet surface against your feet. Better yet, find someone to do this with you. Perhaps it will make you feel like a child again. 🙂
It’s funny putting this as a bucket list item, because I see barefoot running as a lifestyle activity — I’ve been running barefoot since 2010! Do you know that barefoot running improves your
landing, gives you better posture, and creates less stress on your knees/feet/joints as compared to running with shoes? Don’t just take my word for it — try it for yourself.
Sunrises and sunsets are some of the most beautiful gifts from mother nature. And the best thing? We get them free every
day.
While I think a sunrise/sunset is beautiful in most places around the world, here are some of the best places to catch a sunrise/sunset:
The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, is a “natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude (Arctic and Antarctic) regions, caused by the collision of energetically
charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere” (Wikipedia). A natural phenomenon, the northern lights is a magnificent sight to
behold, which is why people from all around the world travel great distances just for a chance to witness this phenomenon.
The most popular places to see them are in Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Canada, and Scotland, though it should be noted that sightings
are never guaranteed due to the unpredictability of weather.
A solar
eclipse is an eclipse that happens when the moon passes between the sun and earth, and the moon fully or partially blocks the Sun from our view.
As you may have learned during science class, the moon orbits around the earth while the earth orbits
around the sun. Technically, if the Moon were in a perfectly circular orbit and in the same orbital plane, there would be total solar eclipses every single month. However, this isn’t so as the Moon’s orbit is tilted at more than 5 degrees
to Earth’s orbit around the Sun. The orbital planes of the earth’s and moon’s cross each year resulting in anywhere from 2 to 5 solar eclipses occurring each year. That means 2 to 5 opportunities for us to catch this natural
phenomenon!!
According to Wiki, the phases of an eclipse can span over 2 hours while the total phase can only last up to 7.5 minutes for any one location. Please note that looking directly at the sun can lead to permanent eye damage, so please
get a pair of CE Certified Safe Solar Eclipse Glasses before viewing a solar eclipse!!
Isn’t
it beautiful to gaze into a sky that’s filled with beautiful stars? I was once traveling in Cape Town, South Africa, where I lived beside the sea (with penguins and all, no less!!). I would get SO MESMERIZED by the beauty of the night sky every night.
Unfortunately, this was only then as I live in Singapore. The light pollution here — or any major city for that matter — makes it difficult to admire these natural masses of burning gas that are trillions of miles away!
Do you know that some trees can grow up to several thousands of years old? Trees are one of the most
important living beings on the planet. Not only do they clean our air by removing it of carbon dioxide — a major greenhouse gas — and provide us with oxygen (a gas we can’t live without), they cool the earth, prevent soil erosion, provide
shelter from sun’s rays, and provide food. (Read: 22 Benefits of Trees.)
A tree takes about 10 to 20 years to grow depending on what it
is, so plant a tree now, care for it, and watch it grow together with you!
Aren’t pets the most adorable creatures in the world? I love animals but never saw the point of having a pet… after all, they
take time, cost money, and are overall just a huge commitment!
However, when I was traveling in Europe and U.S. and staying with different hosts, I realized almost all of them have pets… and hanging out with their pets subsequently made me realize
the beauty of having a pet. I still don’t have a pet because I don’t want to get a pet until I’m ready to commit to caring for a life for the next 15 years — and that’s something every aspiring pet owner should think about too
before getting one!
Being a writer isn’t about having tip-top grammar and literary skills, though it’s important to write with good english.
Being a writer is about having a message to share with the world. Prior to their hit series, J.K. Rowling (author of Harry Potter series) and Stephenie Meyers (author of Twilight series) were not professional
writers — in fact, Meyer’s only professional work was as a receptionist in a property company!
What is a message that you are passionate about? What do you want
to say to the world? When can you start writing your book?
Public speaking is often said to be the greatest fear of people, ranked even higher than dying (!!), and it’s understandable why. Before I became a professional public speaker, I remember shivering the few times
I was made to speak to a crowd — my mind was occupied with fears of being judged, saying the wrong things, and making a fool of myself!
Yet, having been professionally speaking for 5 years, I can tell you that public speaking is one of the
most exciting things to do in a lifetime. Not only does addressing a large crowd help to train you in your communication and body language, you also get the opportunity to share a message you care about to a large crowd of people, hence getting the opportunity
to impact their lives. While I’ve spoken to countless audiences — ranging from dozens, to hundreds, to almost a thousand — each experience is always exciting and never dull.
Get to know your friends’ friends and introduce
your friends to others by throwing a mega party! Throwing a mega party is not just about the drinks, it should be about having the right company — people whom you enjoy hanging around and who are great to converse with. Plan ahead, identify a venue
(someone’s home will suffice; or you can always rent a space), set aside a little budget (having a party doesn’t have to cost a bomb!), and start sending out the invites! Who knows, you may well meet your future friends here!
If you’ve been donning your current look for years (if not decades), and if you feel a little stagnant in your life right now, consider a makeover. Permanent change in life needs to happen from inside out,
but sometimes change on the outside can help us to boost our self-confidence and give us a renewed sense of self.
A makeover can consist of changing your hair style, hair
color, physique, and wardrobe. You can start by getting a haircut (and even hair color), refreshing your wardrobe, applying a new makeup look (if you’re a girl), and then working out for
a better physique. If you haven’t done a makeover before, consult the right people to know if your new look will work on you! Speak to an image consultant to get ideas on what will work best for you; consult a hairstylist before
getting your haircut (and new hair color).
Even
if you don’t drink (I don’t), that doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate wine! An alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes or other fruits, wine’s history dates back thousands of years, with the earliest discovered production
being in 6000 BC in Georgia. If you think drinking wine is just about holding the glass up to your lips and drinking it, then you’ll find in your wine appreciation class that wine drinking is a more elaborate process than that! A wine
appreciation class will give you the opportunity to try different types of wine, learn the right way to drink wine, and identify your favorite kind of wine.
In today’s world where first impressions are increasingly important, be it in professional settings (think job interviews and networking events) or social settings (think first dates, eeps!), it’s more
important than ever to be socially adept and to know how to present ourselves. This is where joining a social etiquette class will help! You don’t have to be a celebrity, be of the royal family, or be a member of the high society to join a
social etiquette class; anyone can join and benefit from it. Be it learning about fine dining, gender-specific mannerisms, work etiquette, or social mannerisms, there’s something to learn for all of us. 🙂
Let’s face it — it’s very hard to meet compatible people these days. I’d know, having been single for
a good part of my life before I met my husband! So, why not give your single friends a nudge in the right direction by introducing them with other single friends who share the same values? It’s not about taking over your single friends’
dating life, but simply about connecting good people with other good people. Whether sparks fly is entirely up to them after their first meeting, but at least you can be the catalyst to help start the reaction! 🙂
Yet, that’s not true at all. Arranged dating, or going on blind dates, is simply a fun way to meet new people. If you feel a connection brewing during the date, then that’s awesome
and you should follow up with a second date; if not, then that’s cool and you can always stay friends! I tried an arranged dating service before, and while I didn’t
experience any luck with their service (I would meet my soulmate later on through other means), it was a fun and enriching experience.
So, go on a blind date! Allow yourself to be set
up on such dates by your friends! Open yourself to meeting people online. If money isn’t a concern, try matchmaking services and see who you get matched with in their databases! The date can be adventurous since you don’t know who you’re
meeting, and who knows, perhaps it’ll lead into a friendship — or something more. 🙂
No matter how long ago you’ve graduated, learning never ends. If you already have a diploma/degree, consider getting a second diploma/degree
in a different field. Not only will it expand your knowledge and give you the competitive edge in the workplace, it’ll also be the perfect tool if you wish to transition to a different career. If you are eyeing for a promotion within the same career
field, then a Master’s degree may be more relevant for you!
If you are not sure on what further education to pursue, map out your ideal life first, then identify your ideal career. Pick the educational path that will assist you in your ideal career
the most!
Have you always wanted to learn
how to play the guitar/violin/piano/etc. but never had a chance to? It’s never too late even if you’re an adult because science says it’s still possible! Learning to play a new instrument not only teaches you discipline but also makes you smarter — did you know that musicians use both sides of their brains more frequentlythan average people? And that among Nobel Prize-winners, there are a disproportionately high number of musicians? (But whether it’s their music lessons that made them smarter or vice versa is a different question altogether!)
Let’s face it — the probability of winning a lottery is very small. The chances of
winning the jackpot in a 3-reel slot machine is one in 262,144, and one in 13,983,816 (or about 14 million) for the UK National Lottery. However, you can’t deny that there’s always a little joy in winning a draw, even if it’s a small lucky dip that gives you a $5 dining
voucher or a scratch-and-win card that gives you $1 off your next ice cream.
So, try your luck! Open yourself to lucky draws, and who knows — maybe you’d get lucky like 67-year-old James Bozeman Jr. who has won the lottery twice (amounting
to a total of $13 million in lottery winnings)!
Dancing
is not only fun, but it’s also a great form of exercise! Do you know that dancing
Salsa burns approximately 200 calories in just 30 minutes?? This is about the same as what you would burn in a jog — and it’s definitely more fun than monotonous forms of exercise like running on the treadmill or using a stationary cycling
bike! Here are some dances that you can try:
Not only does martial arts help you to defend yourself, it also improves your physical fitness, perseverance, honor, self-discipline, and self-development — all of which help to better our daily life. There are many styles of martial arts,
from weapon-based (archery, shooting, swordsmanship), to grappling (brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling, judo, jujutsu, sumo), to striking (boxing, karate, kickboxing, taekwondo), to internal (aikido, baguazhang, t’ai chi ch’uan), to
full contact (professional boxing, mixed martial arts). Check out the full list of martial arts on Wikipedia, and here are some popular martial
arts to start off with:
A road trip is a journey taken on roads, typically by automobile. While some would consider a road trip as tiring, a road trip can actually be fun, especially when accompanied by the right people — and
perhaps, great music! Not only is it relaxing to go on a long, non-stop ride, it also provides a great view of the country/city (depends on where you are driving) and creates an opportunity for you and your companions to bond with each other.
*Visit Bucket List Ideas, Part 1 for bucket list ideas #1 to #25 and Bucket List Ideas, Part 2for
bucket list ideas #26 to #50.
51. Pack your bags and set off for a random location with no itinerary
If you have seen the movie Yes Man, you may remember the scene where Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel took
a spontaneous trip to nowhere. Traveling on a spontaneous trip, with no itinerary planned, is not only exciting with friends, but also very romantic when done with a significant other / romantic prospect. Rather than going on a tour package where everything
is already pre-planned, why not create your itinerary on the fly and explore places without anyone directing you? Like backpacking (see bucket list idea #50), you will find this a highly memorable experience. 🙂
52. Protect dolphins and marine
life
In the recent years, dolphinariums have sprung all
over the world, in part to enable humans to get in touch with the marine life, in part to profit from this seeming fun-loving activity. And I kid you not — as simple as they seem, dolphinariums are actually a multi-billion-dollar
industry today.
However, unlike their kind facade, many of such dolphin programs do not promote conservation; neither do they give the dolphins (or whales, or the marine life for that matter) a good life. Today, many dolphins are stressed in captivity thanks to these dolphinariums, with many dolphins being treated in an inhumane manner unknown to the public. Some die pre-maturely, only to have the dolphin hunters
hunt for more dolphins in the wild and replace the dead dolphins like they would their material goods.
While the idea of swimming with dolphins may seem fun (and I’d admit that it used to be on my bucket list until I discovered the dark sides
of dolphinariums), wouldn’t it be better to let these dolphins be in the vast sea where they belong, as opposed to being kept in little pools their whole lives, forced to learn tricks and what not just to please us?
Patronizing dolphinariums
will only encourage such inhumane activities and perpetuate the captivity of dolphins. So, make a stance! As opposed to swimming with dolphins, protect them by not patronizing dolphinariums and supporting animal
wildlife groups. I’ve chosen to make this stance—how about you? Read more about the ill-treatment of dolphins (and marine life) below and why they activity do not promote conservation:
53. Live in a different country for at least 6 months
It’s great to holiday in countries around the world; it’s a different thing to live
in a different country for an extended period of time. With the former, what you get is a taste of how different countries and cultures are like; with the latter, you get a full immersion of local culture and an inside view of it’s like to be a resident.
Realize that every country is richer than what you see from its tourist attractions — for example, while tourists in London will remember it for its Big Ben, London Eye, London cabs, and castles, what I remember London for (having stayed there for 3 months)
is the amazing friendships I made that have stood the test of geographical boundaries of time, how its a melting pot of different cultures, the cosmopolitan outlook of its residents, and the forward-thinking culture.
How does one make this
bucket list item happen though? One way is through an overseas job assignment; another way is an overseas internship/attachment; yet another way is going on a student-exchange program. The world is increasingly global today, and I believe as long as there’s
a will, there will be a way.
54. Act in a film (self-production or otherwise)
We watch
movies and dramas growing up, but have you ever considered being IN a movie/drama yourself? Not only is acting fun, it’s also a great way to discover yourself and pick up new skills, from self-expression, to communication, to personal grooming.
It can just be a recreational activity, without turning into a full-fledged career.
Consider auditioning for the role of an extra or get together with a group of friends and act in a self-production. With the wide availability of video recording
equipment today, anyone can be a director and producer. Immerse in your role and have fun in the process!
55. Get featured in the media for something you are proud of
Me being interviewed on a local documentary on inspiring
women, Soul Sisters
Perhaps one of the highest forms of endorsements one can have for his/her work is when the media interviews him/her about what he/she has done. I’m
a low-key individual and I don’t care for being in the spotlight, but I always get very excited when I’m approach by the media for a media coverage for Personal Excellence, as (1) it represents
that I’m doing something right in my work, and (2) it’s an opportunity to reach out to more people with a message I care about.
I’m proud (and lucky) to have been featured over
80 times in the media on my personal development work (of which over 80 are unsolicited), including the feature on me in Soul Sisters, a documentary about inspiring women in
Singapore. Each time, I’m excited to share my knowledge and experience, and I always ensure that the viewers/audience gets something in return for reading/watching/listening.
What is a message that you believe in? What is your mission that
you want to accomplish in this world? What are your highest goals and dreams? Realize them, and you’ll find that you’ll slowly get
56. Knit a scarf
Why knit a scarf when you can easily buy one in the market? Well, for sentimental value, that’s why! Perhaps knitting a scarf for yourself seems redundant, but doing so for a loved one makes it
totally worthwhile. Not only can you customize the color, length, or design, your scarf will be a personalized gift that can’t be bought anywhere.
Get started with knitting:
57. Create your dream home
We live in our home for nearly half our life — make it two-third for those of us who work from home — so
why not make it a beautiful and inspirational place that nourishes our soul? You don’t need to be a millionaire to create your dream home, for there are lots of cheap yet creative furnishing options these days (IKEA comes to mind). What you need is an
expressive mind, a good eye for colors, and a well-planned budget.
Read: How to Create Your Inspirational Room
58. Whip a home-made meal for your loved ones
When it comes to food, nothing beats a home-cooked meal. While restaurants can offer
you top-of-the-world ambiance and gourmet foods, a home-cooked meal is where you can feel the love and effort that went into the meal preparation, by a loved one no less. My husband cooks for me every day, and it’s the reason why I look forward
to dinner daily.
Who are the most precious people to you? What do they love to eat? How about whipping these foods for them, over lunch/dinner? It doesn’t matter if you’re not an award-winning chef — it’s about cooking a
meal by yourself for the people you love. Watch some cooking tutorials, research on recipes, and get down to cooking! Not only will they get to enjoy their favorite foods, your efforts will also express your love to them in a way words can’t.
59. Bake a cake for someone special
It’s easy to just buy a cake for
a special event, but how about baking a cake yourself? Like whipping up a meal (see bucket list idea #58 above), a cake is more personal and close to heart when prepared by a love one. Even if you don’t know how to bake (I don’t either!),
you can start by reading cake recipes and experimenting before doing the actual cake. Here are some cake recipes:
60. Go deep into the heart of Mother Nature
Most of us live in a world that’s far removed from Mother Nature. In Singapore where
I live, I’m surrounded by high-rise buildings, shopping malls, material goods, automobiles, and digital goods. While I’m very grateful for the advancement of the human civilization and the modern society, the world we live in (for those of us who
live in modern cities) is very much different from the natural state of Mother Nature.
For your next vacation, consider a trip to get close with mother nature. Go trekking in a rainforest; camp out in the wilds; walk in a valley; visit a waterfall;
or even, swim in an ocean. Feel the heartbeat of the planet that you live in. You may walk away with a renewed experience on life.
Links:
61. See snow (if you haven’t before)
If you have lived most of your life in the tropics and haven’t been overseas before, then chances are you have never seen snow in person! I was born in Singapore and lived here my whole life, so it was only when I was in 24 and vacationing in Chengdu
(in China) that I saw snow for the first time. And it was truly a surreal and majestic moment to see these little white balls floating down from the sky. 😀
There are plenty of activities you can do in the snow such as:
But before you fly to the nearest winter wonderland, make sure you have appropriate clothing. Winter happens between December and February in the northern hemisphere and between June
and August in the southern hemisphere. For some temperate countries, snow does not happen every year, so check the local weather forecast and plan your trip accordingly.
62. Live through 4 seasons of the year: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
If you live in a tropical country like I do, then you likely only experience 2 seasons
every year — rain or shine. 🙂 (Or in some countries, a third season — haze. 🙂 ) Living through 4 seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter is a fun experience and something everyone should at least experience once in their life.
I got to live through the 4 seasons while I was traveling abroad, and while I prefer living in a tropic country (too afraid of the cold!), experiencing the 4 seasons has helped me to see the other sides of mother nature, experience the pleasure of
dressing up for different seasons, and appreciate the warm climate in my home country.
To fulfill this bucket list goal, it doesn’t mean that you need to migrate! Getting a work assignment in a country with a temperate climate or planning your
travels around the 4 seasons will work just fine.
63. Read a book on a subject you had never thought of reading
Reading books is the perfect way to gain quick knowledge about a subject. However, many of us tend to read only topics that we have an interest in. How about
reading a book on a subject that you had never thought of reading? According to The Medici Effect, the most groundbreaking
ideas are found at the intersections of diverse fields, industries, disciplines, and cultures — meaning, the most powerful ideas tend to come from reapplying ideas from a totally different field.
So, open your mind and read a new book, a
book in a domain you’d never think of reading! As you read this book, think about how you can apply its concepts to the field you are in now. Who knows, it may create paradigm shifts in how you approach your work/life.
64. Volunteer at a hospice
Loving
elderly couple at hospice
A hospice is a place of care for the terminally ill, in their final months/week. While we can’t do anything about the patients’ condition, what we can do is to provide emotional and spiritual support
to them in their last days. Consider volunteering at a hospice — not only will you change the lives of the patients and their loved ones, you may well change your life in the process too.
65. Fly a kite
Did you know that in the ancient times, kites were used to send messages? Kites were invented in China in the 5th-century BC., and it was recorded in AD 549 that a paper kite was used as a message for a rescue mission. It was also reported that kites was used for measuring
distances, testing the wind, lifting men, signaling, and communication for military operation.
Nowadays kite flying has turned into a fun recreational activity, with kites coming in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and colors! If you have not made a kite
before, consider making one with your loved one(s) — not only is it fun, it’s also something you can use over and over again! You can get kite kits at Amazon at an affordable price. Check out HQ Kites Creative Line: Eddy Kid’s Creation and X-Kites MicroKite Mini Mylar Kite
— Tropical Fish.
Links:
66. Fall asleep on grassy plains
Not only is sleeping outdoors a great way to get close to nature, it also helps you to relax and rest your
mind, body, and soul. Here are some tips to follow to get the best of this experience:
- Bring a pillow as a head rest
- Bring a mat so that you can rest comfortably on the ground without abrasion
- Make sure you’re in an area
where it’s safe, e.g., there’s no snakes or wild animals
- Bring a mosquito repellent and sunscreen to protect your skin
67. Contact a company you like just to thank them for their great product/service
Many of us are often ready to complain when we get bad service. But how about when we
receive good service ? Do we take that for granted or do we go the extra mile to thank the company for a job well done?
Just like how companies need to know when
they’re not performing to standards, they also deserve to be credited when they are doing a good job. Not only does it help them to know what they are doing right, your compliment will inspire them to create more great products and deliver superb service
to you. Be it writing a quick email or calling their customer service, this is a quick 5-minute thing that you can do right away now.
Related:
68. Eat a healthier diet
The whole point of creating a bucket list is to do what we love before we
die. The easiest way to have more time for what we love is to live healthily. Barring genetics, the best way to manage our health is through our diet.
What is your diet like? Do you have unhealthy habits that you want to stop? How can you improve your
diet? As our bodies are different, the best way to figure out what’s healthy for you is to research, learn more about the nutritional value of the food you consume, and experiment. Try different food items and assess the effects on your body. Constantly
read up on health studies to learn about food and health. To quote Jim Rohn, “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” We only have one body, so start caring for it today.
Read: 45
Tips To Live a Healthier Life
69. Explore a cave
Have you explored a cave before? A cave is a natural chamber in the earth or in the side of a hill
or cliff. Caves form naturally by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. While caves are found throughout the world, only a small portion of them have been explored and documented.[1] Some popular caves are Mammoth Cave (US), Sistema Sac Actun (Mexico), Jewel Cave (US), Sistema Ox Bel Ha (Mexico), and Optymistychna Cave (Ukraine).
When I was in South Africa, I went to the Sterkfontein Caves, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site. It was humbling being in such a towering structure of nature, where fossils of more than 4 million years old, dating to the birth of humanity, have been found.
Read:
70. Go bamboo rafting
We are surrounded by high-tech modes of transport from airplanes to automobiles, so it’s nice to kick back and return to nature with bamboo rafting. Here, you stand on a bamboo raft and navigate
your way through the river, while enjoying splendid nature views. Many places offer bamboo rafting as a tourist activity, such as Chiang
Mai, India, some
China provinces, and Jamaica.
71. Fold 1,000 origami cranes and give them to someone special
We all know that the crane is the classic shape in origami. However, did you know that crane is
a symbol of happiness and eternal youth in Asia? In Japanese, Chinese, and Korean tradition in particular, cranes stand for good fortune and longevity because of its fabled life span of a thousand years. In fact, an ancient Japanese legend promises
that anyone who folds 1,000 origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, which is why there is the practice of folding 1,000 cranes today, be it among school students or ministries.
If there’s someone whom you’d like to bring hope to, perhaps folding 1,000 cranes (with some help if needed) and giving them to a person will brighten up his/her day. Whether or not
his/her wish is granted, he/she will definitely be touched by your kind gesture.
Links:
72. Conquer your biggest fear
Franklin D. Roosevelt
once said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
We all have fears. Fear of heights, fear of spiders, fear
of public speaking, fear of failure, and fear of rejection are among them. While physical fears are legit for safety reasons (e.g., fear of lions, fear of falling off a ledge, etc.), in most cases, our fears are irrational and don’t protect
us from any real danger. Such are mental fears, as I have shared in 4 Reasons We Should Overcome Fear.
The good news is that fears can be overcome. Some fears (such as intense fear of dogs)
can be a result of traumatic events in the past, while other fears (such as fear of failure and fear of rejection) can be simply a desire to protect ourselves from “danger”
when the danger is merely self-perceived.
73. Tell at least 10 people about your bucket list and encourage them to join you!
Rather than work on your bucket list alone, how about inviting your loved ones to create their own bucket list too? 😀 Not only will it be super fun to do so, you may also learn something new about
them during this process, such as dreams they have which you never knew! Not only that, after creating your lists, you can also be accountability buddies, holding each other accountable to the items on your lists!
Simply point them to this
very article you are reading, 101 Things To Do Before You Die, and invite them to create a draft version of their bucket list. You can share your list with them as an example. Then, schedule
a session to discuss your lists together and build on them!
74. Go on a meditation retreat
With the urban, work-driven and material-driven culture that most of us live in today, it’s easy to get lost in the thick of things and neglect our well-being. When that happens, it helps to go on a meditation
retreat to reconnect with our inner selves. I’ve been on a meditation retreat before, Vipassana Meditation, which is a 10-day free meditation retreat (it’s donation-based).
During the course, I did a deep dive into meditation — think continuous, nearly non-stop meditation from 4:30am to 9pm every day for 10 consecutive days!! I got to sit still and listen to my deepest inner thoughts,
which apparently had been inside me all this while, just that I didn’t know about them.
I definitely recommend everyone to go on a meditation retreat at least once in their lives, if not for meditation, then for the experience. Learn more
about meditation in my 3-part meditation series:
75. Experience an OBE (out-of-body experience)
If you think an out-of-body experience is woo-woo and only possible when you die, think again. Astral projection
is an out-of-body experience where your astral body separates from your physical body without you physically dying. If it sounds impossible, you actually do it every day — when you sleep. The only difference is that you’re not conscious of it when
you sleep, whereas you’re conscious of it when you astral project. I’ve experienced astral projection twice in my life, during my teens. I wouldn’t say they were life-changing experiences as I already knew that astral projection is possible,
but they did affirm my belief in this area.
Skeptics will always be skeptics, so I’m not going to talk about my experiences or justify that they did happen. Rather, I will point you to some resources and let you decide whether astral
projection is real, and whether to try it out. 🙂
Proceed to page 4 for bucket list ideas #76 to #101…
Bucket
List Ideas: 101 Things To Do Before You Die
*Visit Bucket List Ideas, Part 1 for bucket list ideas #1 to #25, Bucket
List Ideas, Part 2 for bucket list ideas #26 to #50, and Bucket List Ideas, Part 3 for bucket list ideas #51 to #75.
76. Start a movement for a cause you believe
in
Is there a message that you believe in? Female empowerment perhaps? Creating a life on your terms? Healthy living?
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” If there’s a message that you’re
passionate about, don’t just think about it — spread the word, educate others about it, and inspire them to join you! With tools like WordPress, Facebook and Linkedin, it’s now easier than ever to start a page/group, spread a message and rally people behind a cause — all for free. In the next minute, you can create your page/group
about your cause and build a community behind it!
77. See cherry blossoms in Japan
In Japan, there is a tradition of flower viewing (known as “hanami” in Japanese), where people enjoy the transient beauty of flowers, usually cherry blossoms (known as “sakura” in Japanese). The custom is said
to have started during the Nara Period (710—794); at that time it was plum blossoms that people admired. By the Heian Period (794—1185), sakura became the flora of interest and hanami became synonymous with sakura. (Source: Hanami)
The popular practice for flower viewing today is to gather with friends and family under the trees, have picnics, and enjoy the beauty of cherry blossoms. For non-Japanese, many people specially
plan trips to Japan just to catch the blooming of sakuras which happens once a year! I plan to visit Japan in the future, and when I do, this is one event I’m not going to miss out!
Links:
78. Bury the hatchet
with people whom you had conflicts with in the past
Unless you live in utopia or you have a generally shielded life, chances are you’ve had conflicts with people before. Conflicts are never pleasant, sometimes resulting in soured or even broken friendships.
In
my 30 years of life, I’ve had conflicts with people — some silent conflicts (where there’s unhappiness at the other person but it’s not aired out) and some direct ones. There was a point when I was 24 and starting Personal Excellence when I reached out to these people to re-establish our connections and “bury the hatchet,” so to speak. I felt this was necessary because I needed to practise what I preach
first in order to do my work without reservations.
While a tough task, I felt a release — much to my surprise — each time the person I contacted responded, with a friendly message to boot. There was one that didn’t work out
(which I shared in Day 24’s review in Be a Better Me in 30 Days Program), but this was okay as I had done all that I could and it was not within my control if the person refused to
let go of her issues.
As Lewis Smedes rightly said, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” Is there anyone whom you had conflicts with before? Is it time to let go and forgive him/her? While it
may be difficult to let go of incidents where the person hurt you very deeply, remember that when you bear a grudge against someone, the person who gets hurt the most is you and not the other person, because you are the one bearing the “hate”
and carrying its weight. Be the better man/woman: reach out, speak to the person, and bury the hatchet. You may be surprised at what comes out of it.
79. Get closure on any past unhappiness
Is there anything that’s making you unhappy? Any childhood
incident that still rings loudly in your mind every now and then? Any bad breakup that’s still hanging in your head? Any grievance that you’ve yet to let go?
While we cannot change the past, hanging on to it sure doesn’t make
our life better. Have you ever watched a bad movie, and decided to watch it again and again after that? No? Well, then why replay bad incidents that happened before? Doing so only makes you more miserable, and prevents you from moving on to better things.
There are plenty of resources on PE to help you let go:
80. Organize a picnic outing
Having a picnic is a great way to
enjoy the outdoors with loved ones! From the park, to a garden, to beside a lake, to anywhere in nature, these are great places to have a picnic. Even if you live in an urban city like I do, there are always public parks or private corners of nature that you
can go to for picnics. Rather than go to shopping malls or eat at restaurants, how about organizing a picnic this weekend with your loved ones for a change? Enjoy the home-prepared meals in the comfort of nature, and most importantly, enjoy the company and
conversation! 🙂
Other fun activities to consider during a picnic are kite flying, playing board games or card games, playing the guitar, and playing frisbee.
81. Do something completely crazy and out of character
Our daily lives can get repetitive and boring. You wake up at the same time, take the same route to work,
get the same cup of coffee, and get disturbed by the same things over and over again. It’s easy to get lost in such daily routines.
So, do something crazy and out of character for a change, just to spice up your day! After all,
we only have one life, so why live it one way?
- Rather than keep to yourself in your commute, strike a conversation with the stranger sitting beside you on the bus!
- Rather than work the whole time at the office, draw smileys and write
“Hellos!” on post-its and stick it on your colleagues’ desks!
- Book a weekend getaway and go skydiving at a neighboring island (with a certified, reputable vendor of course)! (See Bucket List Idea #12: Do an extreme sport.)
- Go
to the busiest part of your city and give free hugs to every stranger you meet! (If you think this is crazy, I’ve done it before and it was indeed crazy but fun! Read about my experience: The
Day I Went Around Giving Free Hugs to Strangers.)
- The next time in rains, don’t use an umbrella — dance barefoot in the rain! (See Bucket List Idea #28: Walk/Dance barefoot in the rain.)
Remember, if you’re
worried about what people think, “crazy” is merely a perception. There’s nothing too crazy in the crazy world we live in! 🙂
82. Fly first class
It’s expensive to fly first class. Like, ridiculously expensive. For reference, a one-way flight from Singapore to San Francisco by Singapore Airlines costs USD $1584 by economy class, $5082 by business class, and $7974 by first class! This makes a first class ticket 5 times the price of an economy ticket, for
exactly the same flight, time taken, distance traveled! The price difference is purely for the added amenities, the extra leg room, and a service fit for a king/queen.
But hey, this is precisely why flying first class is something to put on our
bucket list, isn’t it? Don’t use all your life savings just to make this happen though. Rather, pursue your dreams, achieve financial abundance, then enjoy first class as one of the perks of your success. Then you can truly sit back, relax, and
soak in the first class experience. 🙂
83. Hit bull’s-eye on a dartboard
Whether you have experience throwing darts or not, hitting a bull’s-eye requires a steady hand, precision, and most of all, practice. While being able to hit the bull’s-eye isn’t going to change your life, it’s nonetheless
a fun milestone to achieve, and a great way to wow everyone at a party!
84. Visit a volcano
Do you know there are an estimated 6,000 volcanoes in the world? About 3 quarters
of them are underwater volcanoes, which means they are inaccessible to humans. About 1,500 volcanoes are on land, and about 50 of them erupt every year, spewing steam, ash, toxic gases, and lava into our ecosystem.
While volcanoes are dangerous,
there are some volcanoes which are worth visiting such as the Mount Sakurajima in Japan, Mount Mayon in Philippines, and Mount Pelee in Martinique (more in the second link below) — just be sure to keep a distance, as there have been volcanoes
that erupted while hikers were climbing the summit!
85. Fly in a helicopter
Unlike a plane that sends you about 30,000 feet above ground and brings you right to the clouds and into the skies, a helicopter hovers at about 1,000 feet above ground, hence giving you the opportunity to
enjoy some really fantastic views on earth. Thanks to Groupon, you can get a helicopter
adventure ride at relatively affordable prices. If you have a special occasion coming up such as a wedding anniversary or a loved one’s birthday, or you are simply looking for a way to spice up your weekend, this will be a great activity
to try out!
86. Meet someone you can only dream of meeting
If you can meet
someone, anyone, living in this world, who will you choose? There are many inspirational people whom I want to meet, but tops on my list will be Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres. They are an embodiment of what it means to be a strong,
successful, authentic, and inspirational female in our modern world today, all values that I strive to achieve myself.
Rather than just dream about meeting someone, how about making it happen? Perhaps it may be difficult if that person is
inaccessible like Barack Obama (president of U.S.) or Richard Branson (billionaire business magnate), but you can start off with other people who inspire you and are more accessible. Identify the events where they will be — conferences, public
functions, and networking events will be a great start — and meet them in person. Talk to them, ask questions, and learn from them. It’ll undoubtedly be a consciousness-raising
event.
87. Tell your parents and siblings that you love them
None of us choose the families we were born into, but that doesn’t change the fact that we love each other unconditionally. From being there with us when we took our first step as a baby, to our first day at school, to going through puberty,
to our graduation day, to our wedding day, our families have always been silently working behind the scenes to help us get through our lives in one piece.
Given that our families have always been there for us, it’s always easy to take their
presence for granted. How many of us have neglected our family for work before? I know I have — and that’s because my thinking is, Work is urgent, but family will always be there tomorrow. After all, they’ve always been there —
what’s to say that I can’t just spend time with them this weekend rather than today?
But that is precisely the wrong kind of thinking — a thinking that takes things for granted. Life is short — you will never know when things disappear,
for the most unexpected reasons. No matter how busy you are, always make sure to set time for family every day. Drop your family a call just to say you love them (you’ll really surprise them). Give your mom and dad a peck on the cheek before you leave
for work. Let them know that no matter how busy you are, family will always comes first to you.
Read:
88. Ride a roller coaster
They say life is like a roller coaster: it has its ups and downs, and loop-de-loops. Some of us may be fearful of roller coaster rides (I personally love them but my husband doesn’t!) because of
the way it twists and turns oh-so dangerously!
But don’t be, because a roller coaster ride can be very fun and exhilarating — it’s the one time when you’re defying earth’s gravity and “coasting” through
the air! Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride — who knows, after the ride, you may find yourself at the end of the queue, waiting to get on the roller coaster again. 🙂 (Of course, make sure the ride you’re taking is by a reputable vendor
that does rigorous testing to make sure that it’s safe. You don’t need to put yourself in danger just to experience exhilaration.)
Links
89. Go on a cruise
Going on a cruise is an experience unlike any other. If you think you may get bored on board, then throw those thoughts off the deck because cruise companies offer various entertainment choices on board
nowadays! From karaoke, to mini-concerts, to movie screenings, to arcades, to talks, to buffets, these are some of the many activities I’ve seen on cruises I’ve been to before.
Read: Top 100 Cruise Ships in the World
90. Try frontline jobs for the experience
We live in a service-oriented world today, with waitresses, waiters, cashiers, call center staff, and retail assistants at our beckoning. While service staff is everywhere, it’s certainly not an easy job.
From unreasonable customers to weird customers, there are all kind of people in this world!
Yet, customer service can be fun and rewarding. I’m listing this down as a bucket list idea to consider because not only is it a tremendous
personal growth experience, it puts you right at the intersection of people contact — where you interact with people face-to-face (or voice-to-voice if you’re in a call center) and have the power to impact them and change their lives. Consider
doing this, even if for a short duration — and you may find yourself a changed person after that.
Read:
91. Fall in love 🙂
To get things straight — you don’t need to be in a relationship to be happy. Are You Looking For A Relationship To Complete Yourself? is an article I wrote in 2009 — when
I was still single — talking about how we are complete beings who don’t need relationships to complete ourselves or to be happy. Media often hypes up the notion of “finding your soulmate,” “being in love,” and “happily
ever after,” like being in a relationship with someone is the answer to all life’s problems.
However, to meet the right person who shares similar values as you, supports you in your life endeavors, and loves you unconditionally
— this is one of probably one of the best things that can ever happen to anyone. I was a complete individual before I met my husband Ken; I thought that I was the happiest I could ever be and this was as good as life gets. After I met him and we
got together, my life became several layers richer — layers which I never knew were there before. I have finally experienced for myself the true meaning and value of being in a conscious relationship with someone who is the perfect match for you,
and I believe this is something that all of you out there can have for yourself too.
So get out there and date freely! Open your heart and mind and allow yourself to fall in love. Who knows, “the one” for you may well be around the corner.
Some articles to get you started:
92. Be in a conscious, fulfilling relationship 🙂
The
path of true love never does run smooth. Before you meet “your one,” it’s normal to experience a few bumps on the road, where you are in bad relationships that drain your energy,
on-again and off-again relationships that don’t go anywhere, or worse case, abusive relationships. (Read: Top 12 Signs It’s Time To Move On From A Relationship.)
Before
I met my husband Ken, I went on many dates and became close to a few guys (at different time periods), all of which didn’t work out. From ambiguous relationships that seem to be heading nowhere, to toxic connections that leave you feeling like a piece
of sh*t, to relationships that may have worked out had it been a different time, I experienced them all.
If you’ve been in bad relationships before, don’t lose hope. Love is everywhere around us, and love is certainly in your cards
too, as long as you believe it. These 2 series I’ve written before will be particularly useful for you:
93. Go on a romantic getaway
With all our tight schedules, it’s very difficult to set up quality time with our significant other. Bring back the spark in the relationship by going on a romantic getaway! Be it a dreamy Caribbean cruise or a simple staycation,
anywhere is romantic as long as you’re spending quality time with the person you love.
Having a getaway every once in a while is also beneficial for the relationship as it allows both of you to spend quality time with each other, as opposed to
being weighed down by day-to-day responsibilities.
Some ideas
94. Do a somersault
Have you ever seen stunts in an action movie and stared at the actor (or rather, the stunt person) in awe?
Well, most death-defying stunts (think Jackie Chan movies) shouldn’t be attempted
by anyone at all, but with some training and practice, it’s possible for the average person to do a somersault! Doesn’t matter whether you are a kid or adult, fat or thin, ripped
with a six pack or terribly unfit, nothing is impossible with perseverance and determination.
While you don’t get any prize for doing a flip, it sure as heck is fun and satisfying to be train and accomplish a seemingly impossible
physical feat to many!
If you normally don’t exercise, please consult a professional trainer and get supervision before attempting to practice for any “stunt.” I also recommend phasing in your training: you can start off
by training for a forward roll, progressing to a cartwheel, then finally progressing to a somersault.
Resources:
95. Visit a castle
Castles are an innovation of Europe and originated in the 9th and 10th centuries. The noble people built castles as offensive
and defensive military structures, and used them to control the area around them. For the urban castles, they were used to control the local populace and travel routes; as for the rural castles, they were used to control integral areas like mills and fertile
land.
Today, many castles have become tourist sites, with the more popular ones being Windsor castle in England (oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the Official Residence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II), Edinburgh castle (Edinburgh),
The Tower of London (London), and Château de Chambord (France). I’ve been to at least 3 castles — Windsor, Edinburgh, and Tantallon) — and it’s always
fun to take a walk through these medieval structures and marvel at their beauty.
My husband and I at Tantallon castle in Scotland for our engagement
shoot in 2013. It was truly a beautiful place — I only wish we got to spend more time there!
I definitely recommend visiting at least a few castles — with hundreds of castles in the world, you’ll be spoiled for choice!
Further reading:
96. Change the world
Regardless of race, nationality, religion, or social status, we all live in the same place — Planet Earth. The world that we live in is not perfect. Poverty, pollution, conflict plague
our society. Solving these problems by changing the world is no easy task but you shouldn’t be discouraged. Everything starts from simple ideas. You can also find other people that will support your causes and ideas. Who knows? You might be the person
who can revolutionize the world and make a mark in history.
Read:
97. Help someone in need
Do
you know that 50% of the world’s population — that’s over 3 billion people — lives on less than $2.50 a day? That 80% of the world’s population live on less than $10 a day? That 22,000 children die each day due to poverty?
And that a quarter of humanity — that’s 1.6 billion people — live with electricity each day? (Sources: Statistic Brain, Global Issues.)
The purpose of sharing these statistics isn’t to guilt trip you, but to help you realize how blessed and lucky
we are. By virtue of being able to read this article, I assume that you have a computer and internet access like I do, which will already put us in a better position than billions around the world. Most of us are often engrossed in our own issues
every day, but how about lifting our heads every once in a while to lend a helping hand?
Here are organizations dedicated at helping the less fortunate. How can you contribute, be it in terms of monetary or in-kind donations? Every little bit
helps:
Don’t forget to people around you: these are
people who need your help too, even if they don’t call out for it. Check out my 14-day Kindness Challenge, with 14 tasks of kindness: 14-Day
Kindness Challenge.
98. Learn sign language
Sign language is a language
that uses body language (as opposed to verbal communication) to convey messages. Did you know there is actually no one universal sign language? One of the greatest misconceptions about the sign language is that there is one common sign language across the
world, which isn’t true. While sign languages may share similarities to each other, every country generally has its own native sign language, with some having more than one! In fact, Ethnologue lists 137 sign languages as of 2013!
If you’re not deaf or mute, you’d probably never need to learn the sign language. However, this I ask, “Why not?” Just like learning
a new language can be fun and adventurous (bucket list idea #2 is to learn a new language), so is learning a sign language. In fact, I dare say that learning a sign language will be an mind-opening experience as it’ll utilize a totally different facet
of your body — non-verbal, body cues — to communicate with others. Pick it up and practice it on people you know. Are you up for the challenge?
Links:
99. See the Mona Lisa (in Louvre, in Paris)
The Mona Lisa (Monna Lisa or La Gioconda in Italian; La Joconde in French) is a female portrait byItalian artist Leonardo da Vinci, which has been acclaimed
as “the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art
in the world.” The Mona Lisa is as famous as it is famous for its popularity, and many people flock to the Louvre in Paris each
year just to get a glimpse and a chance to photograph with the enigmatic lady.
And that’s me in the photograph below, with the Mona Lisa, when I was touring in Paris in 2011. 🙂
Sadly, the hall with the Mona Lisa was so crowded and there were so many people egging to see it that I barely got a chance to study the painting, beyond
snapping the quick shot above. I did spend many hours in the Louvre though, which I’d say that the amazing artifacts and sculptures makes this one of the most enchanting museums I’ve been to. They alone are worth the visit to the Louvre.
100. Go to a costume party and dress up as your
favorite character
Cosplay, short for “costume
play,” is a very popular Japanese art where participants dress as their favorite movie, comic book, or video game character, mimicking everything from their clothes, to accessories, to hairstyles, to makeup, right down to their mannerisms and personalities! While
the cosplay culture started in Japan, it has since gained popularity around the world, with many joining cosplay events to dress up and pay homage to their favorite characters, as well as to meet like-minded fans.
One of the items in my bucket list was
to participate in a cosplay event. So, when I got the chance to formally play dress up at my then-company’s dinner and dance event in 2008, I was more than delighted to masquerade as Danielle, the beautiful modern Cinderella in Ever After (portrayed
by Drew Barrymore).
That’s me on the left cosplaying as Danielle, with one of my then-colleagues!
If you have a character you love, why not pay homage to him/her by cosplaying as him/her? Find out what is the next cosplay event
in your country and join it! Who knows, you may even meet new friends there! Get started here:
- Cosplay Calendar — A calendar listing of all major
cosplay events around the world
- Kotaku — Cosplay news, videos, reviews, and gossip
- Hello Cosplay | Cosplay Magic | Cosplay House —
No time to make your costumes? Well, these are online stores to fulfill your cosplay needs — from Chun Li boots to Iron Man masks to Resident Evil jackets to Sailormoon Wigs, these sites have a wide selection!
- Homemade Costume Ideas — General costume ideas that can work for any party!
101. Gain enlightenment
If the purpose of living is to become a conscious human, then the ultimate aim of life is to achieve enlightenment. Enlightenment can seem like an abstract concept for those who are new to the idea
of “consciousness,” but essentially enlightenment is the highest state of human consciousness.
That said, I don’t think enlightenment is an end goal per se, but rather a state to strive for in our everyday life. For example, say
you just argued with your partner, and both of you are having a “cold war.” What is a more enlightened way to handle this situation: to ignore he/she gives in to you, or to be the better man/woman and break the ice first? It’s by undertaking
these little actions that may seem to betray our ego but are in line with our highest selves that we evolve as humans and truly live the enlightened way.
Read: Map of Consciousness —
Crucial article for anyone serious about personal growth. Here, I share the 17 levels of human consciousness, from the lowest being “Shame” and the highest being “Enlightenment.”
More Bucket List Inspiration
Here
are some sites you might want to check out for inspiration as you create your list:
Take Action! 🙂
After you finish your list, here’s what to do next:
- Start acting on them! Plan out the successful path toward these goals.
- Be
reminded of the list all the time. Use environmental reinforcement — put them up in a prominent spot where you will see them
every day / very regularly. Put it in your life handbook, set it as your wallpaper, pin it on your noticeboard, print it out, stick it on your wardrobe/locker.
- Share them
with your family and friends. Inspire them to create their own bucket lists too! This way, you also create
accountability for yourself as you complete the items on your list.
- Don’t limit your list items to a certain definition. Sometimes opportunity present itself in a totally different manner. Keep your eyes peeled! The universe
will start throwing things your way. 🙂
- Review your list regularly. Cross out the things after you do them. See if some of the items become irrelevant and if there are new things you want to add. Just as you finish the items, you’ll
add new ones as they come along. There is absolutely no reason why your list should ever be empty. There is such an incredible wealth of things, events, activities, experiences to witness/go through in life that it’s impossible that you will ever be
done with living. Likewise for me, I’m continuously completing and adding on new items that will help me live my life to the fullest, so my bucket list always
has new items to accomplish.
Get the manifesto version of this article: [Manifesto] Bucket List: 101 Things To Do Before You Die
My Bucket List Interviews
Since 2010, I’ve been interviewed many times on the topic of bucket list, including CNN, Channel News Asia, Kiss92, 938 LIVE, and BFM 89.9. Below are some of my notable bucket list interviews which I recommend watching/listening
— I share important tips to note as you create your list!
- My radio interview on BFM 89.9 (Jan 3, 2013) — Listen to recording in Media section
- My radio interview on KISS92 FM (Oct 22, 2012) — Listen to recording in Media section
- My radio interview on 938LIVE (Aug 27, 2012) —
Listen to recording in Media section
- My interview on Channel News Asia again (Dec 21, 2012)
- My interview on Channel News Asia (Dec 28, 2010)
This is part of the Inspiration & Motivation series. Check out all the articles in the
series:
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