A Life List

I make lists.

It's what I do.

Daily to-do lists.

Lists filled with short-term goals.

And ones with long-term goals.

What can I say, I'm totally Type A!

So you can imagine my excitement when I was introduced to the concept of a Life List on Brene Brown's Ordinary Courage blog several months ago.

A Life List, as you might guess, is much like a bucket list.

It's a compilation of 100 things you'd like to do/learn/experience/complete/participate in before you exit this earth.

As far as I can tell, the idea of a Life List started with Maggie Mason and her Mighty Life List: 100 Things To Do Before I Go.

She's inspired thousands of others to create their own lists.

Now as I first mulled over the idea of creating a list with 100 goals, I couldn't get past the formidable length of the list. Would I really be able to think of 100 things I want to accomplish?

Secondly, was I willing to commit to making them all happen?

As I tend to do when I'm overwhelmed by a task, I set it aside for a couple of weeks. Then, I revisited it, scribbling ideas on post-it notes here and there, and then typing those ideas into this blog post.

Along the way, my internal dialogue went something like this:

What if I just started with 25 goals instead of 100? (I can always add to it later, I reasoned.)

And so what if I don't finish all of the goals on the list?

Realistically, I probably won't complete them all.

But if I make a list, I bet I'll accomplish many more than I otherwise would have.

And checking items off a list is even more fun than creating the list itself.

Without further ado, below is my Life List in progress.

It's a combination of travel/life experiences/challenges--some big and some small--and they are listed in no particular order.

I had a few more items on my list initially, but I'm not quite ready to share my most personal goals.

1) Plant some peonies (I've heard that deer will NOT eat them; anyone know for sure?)

2) Host a Bunco night

3) Drink in the beauty that is Yellowstone

4) Visit the Grand Canyon

5) Show Brian where I grew up in Issaquah, Washington

6) Learn to two-step with my hubby

7) Buy a pair of red cowgirl boots

8) Sing a song while my husband plays the piano

9) Learn to whistle

10) Become a mom

11) Attend the farmer's market in Auburn

12) Eat at McCormick & Schmick's

13) Take a road trip here in the good 'ol U.S.A.

14) Remodel a bathroom (or two!) in our new house

15) Visit Alaska

16) Start a collection of milk glass

17) Make a list of all the books I've read/listened to in 2010

18) See the fall leaves in the Northeast

19) Visit Niagara Falls

20) Drink sweet tea in the south

21) Experience Switzerland again

22) Rent a red Corvette (a 5-speed of course!) and drive it for the weekend

23) Fly in a vertical wind tunnel (This would be a blast to do with a group of people..maybe for my 35th birthday!)

24) Financially support someone in achieving his or her college degree

25) Visit Notre Dame (I'll be able to cross this one off my list in November!)

What is on your Life List?!

J