Reverse Bucket List

There’s something about a new year starting that inspires many people to write a bucket list.  You’ve seen them – the 101 things I want to do before I kick the bucket.  I am not against writing a bucket list, in fact I wrote one for myself several years ago and I must admit it is a great feeling to be able to cross items off the list as you accomplish them.  It provides a great deal of satisfaction. 

Setting goals is a fantastic way to start off a new year, but it’s also important to take time to celebrate as well.  In that spirit I have decided to share with everyone my reverse bucket list – a list of so many of the wonderful things that I have done during my lifetime so far.  I am always a very goal driven person, but sometimes I am so busy looking ahead that I skip over the part where I stop and feel good about where I am in my life.  This list is a chance for me to celebrate and to take a minute to slow down and look back on my accomplishments.  I had a lot of fun coming up with this list & although I am sure I missed quite a few, I think this is a pretty good representation of my adventurous spirit:

·      Went skydiving

·      Rode a jet ski

·      Drove a snowmobile

·      Went Kayaking on a lake, river and in the ocean

·      Went ice skating

·      Went roller skating

·      Went hiking

·      Went snow skiing

·      Went cross-country skiing

·      Went water skiing

·      Rode an ATV

·      Rode in a hot air balloon

·      Went rock climbing & repelling

·      Went para-sailing

·      Swam with dolphins and stingrays

·      Held an alligator

·      Went scuba diving

·      Went river rafting

·      Went on a cruise

·      Got a tattoo

·      Ran a 5K

·      Ran a half-marathon (Okay so I walked/ran it, but I finished)

·      Graduated college

·      Got married (twice actually)

·      Had children (2 beautiful daughters)

·      Bought a house

·      Wrote & published a book

·      Rode a subway in NYC

·      Rode in a NYC cab

·      Rode in a cable car in San Francisco

·      Rode in a Gondola in Venice Italy

·      Visited the grand canyon ( and hiked part of it)

·      Went skinny dipping

·      Flew first class

·      Visited Rome

·      Visited Paris

·      Visited New York City

·      Watched a play on Broadway

·      Visited London

·      Protested for a cause

·      Visited Niagra falls

·      Swam in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans

·      Went to a drive in movie

·      Attended a mystery dinner theatre

·      Drove part of Route 66

·      Went to Speed dating

·      Ordered room service

·      Rode a Segway

·      Stayed on the Vegas Strip

·      Saw Cirque du Solei

·      Visited Disneyland

·      Visited Disneyworld

·      Visited the Empire Sate building & went to the top

·      Visited the Space Needle and went to the top

·      Visited the St. Louis Arch and went to the top

·      Visited the Leaning Tower of Piza and climbed to the top

·      Visited the Coliseum

·      Visited the Smithsonian

·      Visited the Lincoln Memorial

·      Went to Mexico

·      Went to Canada

·      Visited Napa and did wine tasting

·      Played laser tag

·      Made a snow angel

·      Went gold panning

·      Dyed my hair bright pink

·      Attended my high school reunion

·      Spent the night at a haunted hotel

·      Kissed someone under the mistletoe

·      Did a pub crawl in England

·      Watched a meteor shower

·      Visited Germany

·      Drank beer from a glass boot

·      Visited Switzerland and had a real Swiss fondue

·      Was a bridesmaid

·      Threw my three coins in the Trevi fountain

·      Visited the French quarter of New Orleans

·      Earned my beads in New Orleans 

·      Had a bonfire on the beach

·      Went whale watching for Orcas & saw some

·      Went sailing on the ocean at sunset

·      Rode a bike through Central Park

·      Visited the Sistine Chapel

·      Drove a convertible

·      Rode in a limousine

·      Rode a motorcycle

·      Took a sleigh ride in the snow

·      Visited Times Square

·      Walked in the Florida Everglades

·      Attended Space camp

·      Attended a Major League Baseball game

·      Attended an NBA Basketball game

·      Attended an NFL football game

·      Attended a College Bowl football game

·      Explored Pompeii

·      Went Christmas Caroling door to door

·      Stayed in a hostel

·      Rode a double-decker bus in London

·      Went camping

·      Saw a bear in the wild

·      Was the Keynote speaker at a conference

·      Saw the Daily Show in person

·      Rode in an airboat across the everglades

·      Visited the Hollywood Walk of Fame

·      Went horseback riding

·      Explored a shipwreck under water

I guess some people could say I am bragging, but that is not my intention – I just want to remind myself that I really have done a lot…and I’m not done yet, I still have so many things I still want to do.

What is on your bucket list - and what adventures have you done that you can celebrate?