So... You Want To Write Bucket List

On my last blog post (How To Be Happy In 2015) Jules asked in the comments

"What is your biggest advice you can give someone just starting out with having a bucket list (and bucket list blogging)"

What an amazingly good question! I started furiously typing out a huge response, and trying to be as helpful as possible- when I thought, why not just make a post about it?

I'm not pretending that I know what I'm doing by any stretch! This blog has been on and off at times, and I'm still getting round to crossing some of the really big things off- which I plan on hopefully doing this year (Check out what I'm aiming for to get to Level 2!). But I've put some pointers together for anyone else out there starting out, or anyone needing a bit of inspiration!


(I know this is a long one again, but bare with me :) )

1. Start.

When I was 16 (and most of the time before that), I found myself having all of these big dreams and goals that I wanted to accomplish. There was so much to do, so much to see! How was I going to get round to doing it all. And what if I suddenly got boring when I was 20, and forgot about all those dreams from all the people and articles that had inspired me? And worst of all... What if I got to aged 50 and I realised I had spent so much time and money... But not really... Done anything? 

So I started this blog. Terribly I might add! I hope my writing has gotten even slightly better from where I've come from. Most of my actual Bucket List is a Frankenstein of other ideas I grabbed from a multitude of blogs. So just start! It doesn't have to be amazing yet, it doesn't have to be something you can do in the next 5 years, it doesn't have to be 100 things - just post it out to the world! You know that journey you wanted to start? You've just made your first step :). 

2. Writing Your Bucket List

If you're struggling for ideas of what to put on your Bucket List, and are coming up dry when looking at other peoples, trying working out who you want to be, where you want to be, what you want to do and just start writing ideas down! Do you want to live in a different country, do you want to run a marathon, do you want to never drink coke again, do you want to fly an aeroplane-  what excites you? Remember to try and keep it simple, and specific - Don't write 'I want to be healthier', say what you want to achieve to do that 'run every single morning for a month' etc. 

3. Add Other Bloggers! Or if not... Find your support :)

I was so insipred by a whole bunch of other bloggers - sadly most of whom have been leading very busy lives, and like me - haven't blogged in a while. I want that to change! Some of the most active times I've had on blogger was directly the result of reading another blog that I'm subscribed to progress, or getting a nice comment to keep me going :D. It's great when you can build up a community of support. If you don't get that from the internet and are less private than I am about my blog- Friends and Family can be really helpful in making you feel good about your goals, and supporting you in achieving them. This was so helpful to me when I said I was going to run my 10K, because I told EVERYONE, which meant that EVERYONE was asking me how far I had run that day, if I was on track, how much money had I raised. Keeping you positive and focused goes a long way :)

4. Find Your Reason WHY

Discover for yourself that reason which you want to do this in the first place. Some of us are doing it because right now their life is dull, and they want to start doing more exciting things! Others just want a record of their already exciting lives. Some just want direction, something to work towards that'll make them happier than they were before. Or maybe it's all of them! My main reason was that I was desperate to travel, and it seems that all the things I wanted to do were out of my reach. I knew that one day I'd get to the point where I was able to finally start checking this stuff off - and that time is now! I've got my degree, let's go see the world! 

5. Change it! 

You don't have to treat your Bucket List like it's this rigid contract that you have to adhere to! Change up things that don't work or you no longer want to do. This is your life, do with it whatever you want! Right now I've decided to only focus on 5 things to cross off my bucket list at a time, and treat it more like a game where I can "Level Up" , so that I don't get overwhelmed with the sheer quantity of the list (and I also don't feel bad about the amount of stuff on there I haven't checked off). - After all that I know I need to change my own, I'm currently in the middle of writing my Must See Places list! 

6. Keep Writing

When I first started writing this- I hoped that no one would ever find it and read it, because it was so personal to me - I felt like anyone who found it, had found my secret diary! But don't be nervous about writing. I'm actively trying to write more than ever before, because the more time I spend on this blog, the more I'm encouraged and motivated to cross of the next big thing! It doesn't have to be amazing, you just have to do it. Make it a habit! Come up with ways of reminding yourself to write and remember your goals in your everyday life. 

7. Decided What You're Going To Cross Off Next

Here's the exciting part! Decide what you're going to cross off next! If you're new, choose one thing - if you're feeling brave choose ten! Just try and mould your life around achieving this new goal. A lot of them will require dedication and planning to achieve - do you need to change what you're doing right now to get to where you really want to be? If so just go one step at a time. You don't need to change right now - you just have to make a step in the right direction! 

Wow you made it through this whole list, damn I'm impressed... Seems like you've got what it takes!

If you're out there and have a Bucket List Blog, comment below because I want to add you! I don't know how you find blogs out there, I'm really struggling! Let me know if you're out there Bucket Listers! 

(p.s. hope that answered your question Jules ;) )

How Be Happy In 2015

Often, when we go on a big adventure, it's good to have some friendly advice. This post is a letter to myself of things I have learned of the past year, to keep me feeling good about myself and the world around me. Sometimes when you look back on a year, it can be easier to focus on the negative things that occurred rather than your successes.

1. Don't Worry About The Small Stuff

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to help people around us, and we can sometimes get frustrated about things in life that get in the way - It's raining, my computer is broken, my family won't stop arguing, the tap's leaking - It can be any number of incredibly annoying events, that end up stressing you to no end. A friend of mine always used to say "If you are worrying and you can resolve the problem, stop worrying and do it. If you're worrying and can't do anything, then why worry."

This is obviously easier said than done. Sometimes the more we focus on the negative aspects the more they turn into an unmanageable mountain. When I'm in this situation, I need to learn to let go of the little things, and think about the bigger picture. I live in a nice home, I'm doing a job I love, I graduated from university - overall I am where I want to be, and heading down a pretty awesome path. Don't worry, whatever you are dealing with know that in time, it will come to pass (unlike the creature in the Lord of the Ring!).

2. Enjoy the Journey

On my ongoing journey to forever cross things off my Bucket List and trying to level up my life and "Reach Level Two", it's hard not to focus completely on the end mission of achieving your goals. Unfortunately, however sweet accomplishing that goal is, it can make you impatient to see the end results - often missing out on things around you. Although I believe it's great to have goals, needing to reach them to the point of missing out of the present would be a waste. I don't know about you, but whenever I find myself finishing one goal, I'm always looking for the next challenge. So for a good while when my goals were getting larger and larger, I got exceedingly angry with myself for not doing more. Why am I watching TV instead of working, did I not care about my dream job enough? Why had I spent money on eating out when I promised myself I was saving to travel? I convinced myself that if I wasn't 100% dedicated to scratching off the next goal, sooner, more efficiently, then I was never going to get there.

You are already on the path, and the path leads somewhere awesome. But enjoy the steps while you're taking them.

3. Look After Yourself

Looking after myself this year is pretty important to me this year, not just regarding fitness and health, but also about being happy with who I am and how I look. Looking back into 2014, I found at times my self-esteem got dangerous low, despite the successes I had. I won't go into detail, but suffice it to say that I was very isolated for much of the year, and ended up feeling very depressed and powerless to help myself.

2015 is my year of empowerment! I was able to fight it through those feelings, and although they still haunt me from time to time, for now they are defeated. I'm not making a strict resolution to work out x amount of times a day, or eat x amounts of fruit and veg etc. However if I can take some small steps to forming habits that lead to a healthier, happier, calmer path, i will certainly be able to be much happier.

4. Have Less

This seems almost counter-intuitive, does it not? In the process of trying to progress, achieve, travel, love and explore, it seems necessary to do that through acquiring the tools to help us. After being an avid reader of 'Zen Habits', I have been increasing persuaded by the idea of 'less'. De-cluttering my life, to streamline it for the things I hold of the greatest value. I don't need the newest phone, or upgrade, and the more I seem to own the more stress, and time is spent organising, moving, and re-arranging it all! Travelling lighter will definitely help me find the space I need to breathe and be happy in the new year.

5. Fecking GO FOR IT

Stop feeling you're inadequate. Stop making excuses you'll do it later, Stop waiting for it to happen. It takes 10,000 hours to be an expert at something, if you're worried about your skills just start improving. If you're worried about money start saving. If you want to travel, go see the world! The time is now! Carpe Diem guys! This is the year. Let's make 2015. Great. :)

These are my 5 tips for being a happier me in 2015 - give me a shout fellow bloggers, I'd love to see what you're all writing about :D