Be Happier: Create a Life List

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I fell in love with Hawaii 33 years ago on my honeymoon. Most people love the quieter islands of Maui and Kauai. Not I! I love the hustle and bustle of Waikiki Beach. My life list includes living there one month each year! Is that on your life list? Want to join me? This is Haunama Bay, which has the best snorkeling on the island.

Turning the big 6-0 earlier this year and Gary’s retirement at the end of this month has gotten me thinking about my life goals and bucket list. For many years we both had bucket or life lists. And suddenly with Gary having 13 days left to work before he “refires” on June 30th, it seems imperative I work on mine. The Chinese call this “crisis of opportunity” where you want to fill your years left with creativity, productivity and fun.

Why do we care about life lists? Those who know me well know we like lists in this family. We spent considerable time trying to figure out how to effectively use the kid’s vacation days and our budget to visit every state before Danielle went to college. We had the goal for so long it almost was depressing when we visited Alaska, our last state. Positive coaching psychology research has shown that one of the hallmarks of a happy person is their creating, pursuing and achieving their goals. Who doesn’t want to be happy?

Maybe you remember back to September 2007 when Randy Pausch gave his “last lecture” at Carnegie Mellon University. The “last lecture” is usually reserved for tenured professors who are at the end of their teaching days. The lecture’s philosophy is “if I just had one more chance to tell the world what matters most what would I say?” For Randy Pausch, it sadly was his last lecture as he was diagnosed with late stage pancreatic cancer, and died the following summer. Randy called his lecture “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” and he talked about the power of a life list and pursuing it with enthusiastic vigor that would propel you even farther. He entertained the audience with his stories and drove home the point of never losing sight of your childhood wonder as it is crucial to your well being.

A good life list gives you optimism and hope for the future. And, goals anchored to your values give us more zest for life – which others quickly notice and want for themselves too.

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Each summer, I get excited thinking about my goal of kayaking ten lakes. I almost get giddy thinking about what fun stuff I really want to do before I die.

5 Ways to Start on Your Life List

Caroline Adams Miller MAPP and Dr. Michael B Frisch authors of the book Creating Your Best Life recommend:

  1. Watching Randy Pausch’s “Last Lecture”
  2. Join a social networking site that is devoted to life lists. Check out mylifelist.com
  3. Listen to biographies of famous goal setters like Tiger Woods, or May Kay Ash.
  4. Create a list of people you know who are goal setters. Ask them if they have life lists.
  5. Buy their book and complete the list “One Hundred Things to do Before I Die.”

The easiest way to start on your happiness journey is to identify your values. I have made this easy for you with my inexpensive Value Card Deck.

Remember, your list doesn’t have to be all “doing.” Maggie, my client’s life list includes, “going to Iceland, spending a month in Italy, spending 2-3 months at the cabin, making one quilt, mostly just living as best (not meaning money wise) as I can AND not climbing a wall! Some people would think that it is awfully short but I really want to work the most on being, not doing.”

Graham Greene reminds us “We are all resigned to death, its life we aren’t resigned to.”

Live like this is your last day, someday it will be! Forever, I hold in my heart my sweet brother-in-law who was given 5 months to live and passed sooner at the early age of 60. We have one life to live, just imagine it was one we truly loved. Today is your day. Go. For. Life! Better get busy!

We want to hear what is on your bucket or life list. And we would love to see how we could connect you with someone to make your bucket list come true. Dreams are free and they DO come true!

2 thoughts on “Be Happier: Create a Life List”

    1. I hope you and I have something TOGETHER we can do on your LIFE LIST!! grateful Chere!

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