The Bucket List

Pay it forward

Acts of kindness can be as simple as a gift card, a cup of coffee,  or a surprise for a loved one. They can also include a few kind words or a reassuring smile.

Go on a picnic

Pack a few sandwiches and head to the lake. Take along a kite, Frisbee, or ball. Too cold outside? Spread a blanket on the floor, turn up the heat, and enjoy lemonade in shorts. 

Go on an adventure to a new place

Explore near, far, or right at home. Take that trip you've always wanted to take, enjoy lunch in a nearby unfamiliar city, or research a dream destination. 

Do something outside the box

Get creative. Move out of your routine. Follow up on that idea you've carried around but thought too ridiculous to try. Lace up those shoes and step outside that comfort zone.

Throw a dart at a map and go where it lands. 

Choose a map of the world, the country, your state or city. Let adventure be your guide. Whether gone for a week or a day, discover, photograph, and explore. 

Send a message in a bottle.

Get creative! Write a letter of inspiration, a thank you note, or lines to live by. Send it off to someone you know or to the lucky “finder of the bottle.”

Learn a new sport.

Not the athletic type? No worries! Everybody can do something. Tennis, softball, swimming, and basketball may be the obvious but don’t rule out bowling, putt-putt, tetherball, and ping pong.

Spend time with someone you haven't seen in a long time.

Call up that long lost friend, phone your college roommate, message the cousin you used to be close to as kids.  Do lunch or coffee or schedule a weekend break. Reconnect. 

Hug ten people today.

Human beings are social creatures. We have gotten too weirded out by touch. Spread a little love today. Maybe with a heads up that a “hug’s coming in.” 

Cook a new dish.

We all have our tried and true favorites we turn to regularly. Here’s permission to think outside the pan!

Write a letter telling someone how much they've impacted your life.

This can be an email message, snail mail card, journal entry, or a blog post. Send it, or don't send it. Dig deep for the feelings, for the contribution, for the gratitude.

Learn to juggle.

Spend an afternoon being silly! Try tennis balls, oranges, or potatoes. Explore different techniques and larger objects. Once you’ve mastered the skill, teach a friend.

Plan your dream vacation.

Play “as if” for a day. Look into resorts, flights, activities, and agendas. Not sure if you have a dream vacation? Time to cook one up!

Visit your local animal shelter and play with the animals. 

Sign up to volunteer or just visit for an afternoon. Take along donations of food or supplies or maybe consider adding a new family member to the fold. 

Take a class.

So many options here - pottery, sign language, cooking, surfing, knitting, glass blowing. Check out community education centers, small businesses, and the local community college.  

Fingerpaint.

Release your inner child. Spread some paper and grab the paints! Or try “painting” in shaving cream spread on the shower wall. Easily washes off when you’ve finished your masterpiece.