It is not long until I will check off a major item that has been on my bucket list for over a decade — taking the kids to Disneyland.
I do realize that this is a tough time for many people and I absolutely do not take my fortunate circumstances for granted but I simply cannot contain my excitement about this upcoming once-in-a-lifetime family vacation.
The combination of the kids being at a good age to enjoy all the rides, being able to travel again after the pandemic lockdowns and having the resources to go has made it the perfect time for this massive bucket list dream to be turned into a reality.
But I know, more than anything else, that ‘taking the kids to Disneyland’ would not have happened without it being a most-desired wish that I had written down on my bucket list long ago.
Maybe that is enough to sway you to start your own bucket list today, but if not, here are three convincing reasons to kick off your bucket list…
1) A Bucket List Creates Happiness
One of the main intentions of a bucket list is to get you excited about doing the things on it. Studies have shown that planning, researching and looking forward to experiences creates almost as much happiness as the experience itself.
After writing a number of non-fiction books I know that I love to deep-dive into a subject I am deeply passionate about. This year that ‘subject’ has been Disneyland. Don’t worry, I am not going to write a book about it! However, after reading every page of a Disneyland guide, listening to numerous Disney-related podcasts and watching countless YouTube videos by dedicated Disneyland vloggers, I could have a very, very long conversation about best rope drop and park-hop strategies with or without Genie+. These were all terms I had not heard of until a few months ago.
Sometimes the best laid plans may have to be cancelled last minute, but that doesn’t necessarily counter the days, weeks or months of happy anticipation. Although I was disappointed that my trip to Dollywood (Dolly Parton’s theme park in Tennessee) was scrapped due to the pandemic, it remains on my bucket list. And because it is still there, it provides me with a hopeful determination that one day I will make it to Dollywood. Even if you write something on your bucket list that you have no intention of doing for months or years, it can still bring you happiness.
2) A Bucket List is a Planning Prompt
When you kick off your bucket list, it starts working for you in two ways. First, you are subconsciously shaping your mind about what you really want in life, not what you don’t want which ultimately helps you become happier.
A bucket list is also a jumping-off point to start consciously planning for the items on it to actually happen. I understand that planning may not be everyone’s cup of tea but the discipline of saving for something you really want, the effort sorting travel arrangements or the time put into gaining knowledge in areas you previously knew little about can provide a deep sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.
Now, I absolutely love the planning stage, probably a little too much. For Disneyland I have numerous spreadsheets with to do notes, travel admin, financial number crunching and ride lists. My kids now say I sucked all the fun out of going to Disneyland after I created pivot tables for our must-do attractions.
Plan for your next bucket list item in a way that best suits you but please do something. One of the best places to start is opening a bucket list savings account. This can be as simple as putting a few dollars per week aside for that yoga retreat / swim with whales experience / to get a tattoo or whatever it is that you have always wanted.
3) A Bucket List is a Way to Connect
No one has yet proven that money, career choice or — unbelievably — even health, have much of an effect on happiness. But consistently, across many different studies, personal connections and strong social bonds have been shown time and again to make a meaningful contribution to happiness.
When you kick off your bucket list, take some care to write it in a way that resonates with you. I did not write down ‘go to Disneyland’. I wrote ‘take the kids to Disneyland’. I want this vacation to be a magical and memorable family experience.
There are lots of benefits when the whole family is involved with checking off a bucket list. Kids gain important life skills such as persistence, making decisions and tackling risk in a controlled environment with a parent around. They learn to make goals and achieve them, and they grow less fearful and more confident as a result. If travel outside of your local area is involved, they may get a better understanding of other cultures and gain empathy for different people they meet. Also, you bond more with your kids as you share common fears, struggles and obstacles and find ways to overcome them.
If nothing else, it gets your kids and you off screens and into real life — and everyone can agree that that is a wonderful thing.
YOLO
These reasons should convince you to kick off your bucket list. After all, who doesn’t want more happiness, connection and the satisfaction that comes from planning something well?
Look, I don’t read or watch the news but even I know that the world is banana-pants crazy right now. What is the harm in kicking off a bucket list? We have already survived a global pandemic. What are you waiting for? The zombie apocalypse could be right around the corner.
You only live once. Life is not a dress rehearsal. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, and someone out there is breaking a world record / seeing the Northern lights / riding on a tandem bicycle and you are not. Our culture celebrates busyness! Don’t confuse this with living a fulfilling life.
Hopefully, Disneyland, ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’, lives up to the hype. But whatever happens, I have done everything in my control (yes even down to pivot tables) to check off my ‘take the kids to Disneyland’ bucket list item. And that is what truly matters.
