Life List… Life Menu… List of Awesome Things To Do… without pressure, but with purpose.
And my tastebuds are dying because… that’s what they do as you get older.
I am turning forty. Hitherhencetofore…. OLDER.
Back in July, I attended the Evo Conference in Park City, Utah. I love Evo. I have gone every year…
Karen calls her list a Life Menu… She said (I am not quoting verbatim because my memory doesn’t speak “verbatim”)… she prefers to see her list as a menu. Say…. you go to a restaurant and you look at a menu. You can eat anything on the menu… Â but you can’t eat it all! That’s kind-of how she explained her philosophy of life listing. The list is not there for one to feel the pressure to complete before DEATH, but rather the list highlights the neatest of the neat things to do/experience… Listing brings to the front of mind the array of wonderful things one can choose to enjoy when life permits or opportunity knocks.
Karen went on to share that it is important to put that list “out there”. For Karen, and me… “out there” is our online home. Â Putting one’s list “out there” makes it more real. It gives certain focus or added awareness. Say you have an opportunity to ride in a hot air balloon. When you have an item on your life list – the opportunity is seen in a different light. Instead of reasoning an opportunity away, a connection is made… Where once there were only crossed fingers for someday… there is a target.
With a goal there comes determination.
I hit my 4th decade tomorrow. My list has been sitting in a little journal since July, though it has been living loosely in my brain for years. I have decided a present to me is to get my list written down and put “out there”. This list is living. I will probably add things. Â I may remove things. It’s OK. I know you will never see “Be President of the United States” on my Life Menu. This is a list of joy and/or things that will stretch me. Not STRESS me.
What is intriguing to me now, may not be in 5 years. I want my list to reflect things that will bring joy. Things that may stretch me, but not create pressure or anxiety.
Karen had us list items in categories:
- Things you’d love to do
- Things to do with someone you love
- Crazy silly fun things
- Ways to give back
- And MONDO BEYONDO
Things I’d Love To Do
– Do a daily photo challenge to document life. Say… 5 years? Life changes a lot in 5 years. I think seeing a daily visual life catalog could be mundane, but also moving… (Idea via Justin Hackworth).
– Write a book!
– Learn how to surf
– Learn how to play the drums
– Start a chick band
– Learn to french braid
– Swing on a trapeze
– Vlog every day for a month
– Swim in all 7 oceans
– Complete and Iron Man triathlon
– Be keynote speaker (EVO!)
(photo cred: Justin Hackworth)
– Throw a party to treat and celebrate my friends & family
– Have a reason to get a passport
– Go to/work on a dude ranch
– Go paddle boarding
– SOAR in a hot air balloon (did it at Evo too!!! I see a theme!)
– Ride a mechanical bull
Things To Do With Someone(s) I Love
– 6-8 week road trip with family across the U.S. (We already a 3 weeker… I think we are THAT kinda family!)
– NYC with the family (Really, I want to take them everywhere… I want to watch my kids see the world)
– tropical vacay… but only the hubs and me. We’ve never gone tropical without kids.
– sail away on a catamaran
– drink coffee on an outdoor patin in a Parisian cafe
– Go to Greece (I know, I know… but someday…)
– Go to Italy
– Paris with the husband… sip espresso in a Parisian cafe *sigh*
– Make annual vision boards with the family (We did it in 2012!)
– Coordinate a flashmob
– Own a home on the water
Crazy Silly Fun Things
– Walk the Red Carpet (Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, all… whatever)
– Make a Flula-like video (music, dancing, silly…)
– Wear a wig all day, on a regular day & out to dinner.
Ways To Give Back
– Send a handwritten letter/card to a different friend/family member. Do it once a week. Forever.
– Pay it forward – groceries
– Pay it forward – an outstanding bill
– Give a bouquet to a stranger
– Help a family with a sick child to raise funds. (kind-of doing this now)
– Leave encouraging post-its in random public places.
– Serve in another country with my family (missions)
– Serve in another country (missions)
– Ice cream for everyone!
Mondo Beyondo
– Walk the Great Wall of China
– Go on a safari… Africa, Australia. Either. Both.
– Host/star-in a tv show.
– Be in a movie. WHY NOT?!
– Host the Oscars (HEY. MONDO BEYNDO!)
– Take our (hub’s) family on a vacation. Treat them. Completely.
– Landscape our yard. If you’ve seen our land, you’d understand why this fits in MONDO BEYONDO.
– Pay-off mortgage.
– Be an SNL cast member. Wouldn’t that be RAD?!
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So. Have you ever made a life list? Have you ever wanted to? If you have it somewhere to share, I’d LOVE to see it (Leave the link in the comments!)… Without thinking and reasoning it away, what would be one of YOUR MONDO BEYONDOs???
Do you have any suggestions for things I can add? I will admit, this is not complete. But a first pass. It feels good to get it out. I also feel a little funny about putting it all out there. Makes me feel silly. Vulnerable. My Mondo Beyondos… very mondo and beyondo…
But that’s OK.
Alrighty. Hi there 4th decade…. LET’S DO THIS!
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Peace and Sparkles!
Jenny
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