Look, I don’t want to get all deep on you right away, but here’s the thing—life is really, really short. Like, way shorter than it feels when you’re sitting in a boring meeting or waiting for your pizza delivery. One day you’re 20 and invincible, and the next day you’re 40 wondering where all that time went and why you never learned to surf.
A bucket list isn’t just some cheesy thing people make when they watch too many inspirational movies. It’s actually a pretty smart way to make sure you’re not just letting life happen to you, you know? It’s about deciding what matters, what sounds fun, what scares you in a good way, and then actually doing those things instead of just thinking about them forever.
So I made you a list. 100 things to consider for your own bucket list. You don’t have to do all of them, obviously. That would be insane. But maybe some of these will spark something in you, make you think “oh yeah, I’ve always wanted to do that,” or introduce you to ideas you never even considered.
Let’s jump in, shall we?
Adventures & Travel (Because the World is Huge)
1. Visit All Seven Continents
Yeah, including Antarctica. Imagine telling people you’ve literally been everywhere. That’s some serious bragging rights.
2. See the Northern Lights in Person
Pictures don’t do them justice, apparently. People who’ve seen them get this look in their eyes like they witnessed actual magic.
3. Road Trip Across Your Country
Pack way too many snacks, make a killer playlist, and just drive. Stop at weird roadside attractions. Eat at sketchy diners. Get lost and find your way back.
4. Sleep Under the Stars in a Desert
No tent, just you and the biggest sky you’ve ever seen. Bring a sleeping bag and prepare to feel really, really small in the best way.
5. Swim in Bioluminescent Waters
There are beaches where the water literally glows blue when you move. It looks like something from a sci-fi movie but it’s real and it’s incredible.
6. Visit a Place Where You Don’t Speak the Language
The ultimate challenge. You’ll learn to communicate with hand gestures and Google Translate, and somehow you’ll survive and feel like a total badass.
7. Take a Solo Trip Somewhere New
Just you, no friends, no partner, no safety net. Terrifying? Yes. Life-changing? Also yes.
8. Stay in an Overwater Bungalow
You know those fancy resorts where your room is literally over the ocean? Yeah, do that. Even if it’s just once.
9. Hike to a Waterfall
Not a paved path to a little trickle. A real hike to a massive, thundering waterfall that makes you feel the spray from 50 feet away.
10. Visit All 50 States (If You’re American)
Or all the provinces, or regions, wherever you live. Be a tourist in your own country.
11. Go on a Spontaneous Weekend Trip
Book it on Friday morning, leave Friday night. No planning, just vibes.
12. Take a Train Journey Across a Country
The Trans-Siberian Railway, the Canadian Pacific, whatever. Watch the landscape change outside your window while you read a book and feel like you’re in a movie.
Resource: Seat 61: https://www.seat61.com (the ultimate guide to train travel everywhere)
Physical Challenges (Push Your Body)
13. Run a 5K
You don’t have to be fast. You just have to finish. Cross that finish line and feel like a champion.
14. Complete a Marathon
Okay, this one’s harder. But imagine telling people you ran 26.2 miles. They’ll look at you like you’re superhuman.
15. Learn to Surf
Fall off the board a hundred times, swallow ocean water, eventually stand up for like three seconds and feel like you’re flying.
16. Climb a Mountain
Not Everest, calm down. Just a mountain. Get to the top, take a triumphant photo, feel your legs wobble on the way down.
17. Do a Pull-Up
If you can’t do one now, work up to it. The first time you pull yourself up feels absolutely incredible.
18. Learn to Scuba Dive
Breathe underwater, hang out with fish, explore a whole world that most people never see.
19. Try Skydiving
Jump out of a perfectly good airplane, scream the whole way down, land safely, and immediately want to do it again.
20. Go Whitewater Rafting
Get soaked, paddle like crazy, laugh hysterically while water crashes over your head.
21. Take a Dance Class
Salsa, hip-hop, ballroom, whatever. Be bad at it at first, then get slightly less bad, then maybe even good.
22. Do a Handstand
Against a wall counts. Work your way up to holding it without support and feel like a gymnast.
23. Bike 50 Miles in One Day
Your butt will hurt, your legs will be tired, but you’ll feel like you accomplished something real.
24. Learn to Swim (If You Don’t Know How)
It’s never too late. Being comfortable in water opens up so many possibilities.
Creative Pursuits (Make Stuff)
25. Write a Book
Even if you never publish it, even if it’s terrible, finish writing a whole book. That’s something most people only dream about.
26. Learn to Play an Instrument
Guitar, piano, ukulele, kazoo, whatever. Make music with your own hands.
27. Paint a Self-Portrait
It doesn’t have to be good. It just has to be honest. Look at yourself and try to capture what you see.
28. Take a Photography Class
Learn to actually use your camera instead of just pointing and hoping for the best.
29. Make Something With Your Hands
Pottery, woodworking, jewelry, whatever. Create a physical object that didn’t exist before you made it.
30. Write and Perform a Song
Even if you only perform it for your dog, write lyrics and a melody and sing it out loud.
31. Design and Decorate a Room Completely Your Way
No compromises, no settling. Make one space that’s 100% your aesthetic.
32. Start a Blog or YouTube Channel
Share something you know or love with the world. Even if only 12 people watch it.
33. Learn Calligraphy or Hand Lettering
Make words beautiful. Write fancy letters that look like art.
34. Create a Recipe That Becomes “Yours”
You know, like “oh you HAVE to try Sarah’s lasagna” or “nobody makes chili like Mike.”
35. Make a Photo Album or Scrapbook
Physical, not digital. Something you can hold and flip through and show your grandkids someday.
36. Learn to Knit or Crochet
Make a scarf, then a blanket, then maybe a sweater. Imagine wearing something you made yourself.
Resource: Skillshare: https://www.skillshare.com (tons of creative classes)
Personal Growth (Become a Better Human)
37. Read 100 Books
Keep a list, check them off, feel your brain expand with every finished book.
38. Learn to Meditate Consistently
Like, actually make it a habit. Not just downloading an app and using it twice.
39. Go to Therapy
Even if you think you’re “fine.” Everyone can benefit from talking to a professional about their brain stuff.
40. Overcome a Specific Fear
Heights, public speaking, spiders, whatever keeps you up at night. Face it, beat it, feel unstoppable.
41. Learn a New Language (Conversationally)
Not just five words on Duolingo. Actually be able to have a real conversation with someone.
42. Volunteer for a Cause You Care About
Give your time to something that matters. Help people, animals, the environment, whatever calls to you.
43. Spend a Week in Complete Silence
Meditation retreat style. No talking, no phone, just you and your thoughts. Intense but supposedly life-changing.
44. Keep a Daily Journal for a Year
Write every single day for 365 days. Read it back later and see how much you’ve changed.
45. Learn to Say No Without Guilt
This is harder than it sounds. Practice setting boundaries and not apologizing for having them.
46. Forgive Someone Who Hurt You
Not for them, for you. Let go of that weight you’ve been carrying around.
47. Apologize to Someone You Hurt
Even if it was years ago. Especially if it was years ago. Own your mistakes.
48. Have a Completely Honest Conversation
No polite filters, no white lies, just complete honesty with someone you trust.
Resource: BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com (online therapy platform)
Career & Achievement (Boss Moves)
49. Start Your Own Business
Even a small one, even a side hustle. Be your own boss, make your own rules, risk your own money.
50. Get a Promotion or Raise You Deserve
Ask for it, fight for it, don’t wait for someone to notice your value.
51. Publish Something
An article, a story, a poem, whatever. Get your words into the world officially.
52. Give a TED Talk (or Any Public Speech)
Share an idea worth spreading. Make people listen. Change someone’s mind.
53. Become an Expert in Something
Pick a topic and go deep. Be the person people come to with questions.
54. Mentor Someone
Help someone else succeed. Pass down what you know.
55. Win an Award or Competition
Enter contests, submit applications, put yourself out there and actually win something.
56. Earn a Degree or Certification
Even later in life, even online, add those letters after your name.
57. Build Something That Helps People
An app, a product, a service, whatever. Solve a problem for others.
58. Quit a Job You Hate
Life’s too short to be miserable 40 hours a week. Make an exit plan and execute it.
59. Work Remotely From Another Country
Digital nomad life. Answer emails from a beach in Thailand.
60. Retire Your Parents (If Possible)
Give them the comfortable life they gave you. Pay back the sacrifice.
Resource: Toastmasters: https://www.toastmasters.org (public speaking practice)
Relationships & Connection (The People Stuff)
61. Tell Your Parents Everything You Appreciate About Them
Before it’s too late, while they can still hear it. Be specific.
62. Reconnect With an Old Friend
The one you lost touch with years ago. Reach out, grab coffee, see if the spark is still there.
63. Fall in Love (If You Haven’t Yet)
The real kind, the scary kind, the “this person sees all of me” kind.
64. Be in a Wedding Party
Stand next to someone on the biggest day of their life. Feel the honor of being chosen.
65. Host a Dinner Party
Cook for friends, set a nice table, have actual conversations instead of just scrolling together.
66. Make a New Friend After 30
Apparently this gets really hard after your twenties. Prove that you can still do it.
67. Attend a High School or College Reunion
Face the past, see how everyone turned out, realize you’re doing just fine.
68. Have a Conversation With a Stranger That Changes Your Perspective
Talk to someone completely different from you. Listen, really listen, let them teach you something.
69. Forgive Yourself for Something
You’ve been carrying it around long enough. Put it down.
70. Be Vulnerable With Someone
The real, raw, messy kind of vulnerable. No armor, just truth.
71. Dance With Someone You Love
Kitchen dancing, wedding dancing, whatever. Look them in the eyes and just be present.
72. Make Someone’s Dream Come True
Help a friend reach a goal, surprise someone with something they’ve always wanted, be somebody’s miracle.
Wild Experiences (The Crazy Stuff)
73. Attend a Major Sporting Event
Super Bowl, World Cup, Olympics, whatever. Feel the energy of thousands of people losing their minds together.
74. Go to a Music Festival
Camp in the mud, see a dozen bands, make friends with random strangers, lose your voice from singing.
75. Witness a Solar Eclipse
The whole sky goes dark in the middle of the day and you remember how small you are in this universe.
76. Touch Snow for the First Time (If You’ve Never Had)
For people from warm climates—go somewhere cold, touch snow, make a snowman, understand what all the fuss is about.
77. See a Volcano
Active or dormant, doesn’t matter. Stand near something that powerful and feel the earth’s energy.
78. Go on a Safari
See lions and elephants and giraffes in the actual wild, not behind glass at a zoo.
79. Float in the Dead Sea
You literally can’t sink. It’s the weirdest, coolest feeling.
80. Attend a Traditional Ceremony in Another Culture
A wedding, a festival, a ritual. Be welcomed into someone else’s traditions with respect.
81. Stay Up All Night to Watch the Sunrise
No sleeping, just committing to seeing the day begin from the darkness.
82. Go Wine Tasting in Famous Wine Country
Napa, Tuscany, wherever. Swirl fancy wine in glasses and pretend you know what you’re talking about.
83. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon
Float silently above the earth, see the world from a completely different angle.
84. Experience Carnival in Brazil
Or Mardi Gras, or any massive street party where the whole city loses their minds for a week.
Resource: Atlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com (weird and wonderful places around the world)
Skills & Knowledge (Level Up)
85. Learn to Change a Tire
Seriously, this is important. Don’t be helpless on the side of the road.
86. Become a Good Cook
Not just following recipes—understanding ingredients, flavors, how to improvise.
87. Learn Basic First Aid and CPR
You could literally save someone’s life. That’s pretty important.
88. Master One Video Game Completely
Beat it on the hardest difficulty, find all the secrets, become a legend.
89. Learn to Do a Proper Backflip (On a Trampoline Counts)
Feel like a ninja for one perfect moment.
90. Understand How to Manage Money Well
Budgeting, investing, saving, all that adult stuff. Future you will be so grateful.
91. Learn to Code Something Simple
Build a website, make an app, understand how this digital world actually works.
92. Become a Wine or Coffee Connoisseur
Actually know the difference between varieties, origins, roasts. Be fancy.
93. Learn Survival Skills
Make fire without matches, purify water, build a shelter. Prepare for the apocalypse or just camping trips.
94. Take a Formal Etiquette Class
Know which fork to use, how to make small talk, navigate fancy situations without panicking.
Resource: Coursera: https://www.coursera.org (free online courses from universities)
Legacy & Impact (Leave Your Mark)
95. Plant a Tree
Something that will outlive you, give shade to people you’ll never meet, keep growing long after you’re gone.
96. Donate Blood Regularly
Easy way to literally save lives. You just lie down for 15 minutes.
97. Create a Time Capsule
Fill it with stuff from right now, bury it or hide it, plan to open it in 20 years.
98. Make a Significant Donation to a Cause
When you can afford it, give big to something that matters. Change lives with your money.
99. Teach Someone a Skill You Have
Pass on your knowledge before it dies with you. Make sure someone else can do what you do.
100. Live to 100 Years Old
Why not? Stick around, see how the story ends, meet your great-great-grandkids, blow out 100 candles.
How to Actually Use This List (The Important Part)
Okay, so you just read 100 things. That’s a lot. Your brain probably feels full and maybe a little overwhelmed and you’re thinking “wow, I haven’t done ANY of this stuff, I’m such a failure.”
Stop that. Nobody’s done all these things. That’s not the point.
Here’s what you do:
Step One: Pick Your Top 10
Go through this list again, slower this time. Mark the ones that made you feel something. Excitement, fear, curiosity, that little voice that says “ooh, I want to do that.” Don’t overthink it, just mark them.
Then narrow it down to 10. Just 10. That’s your starting list.
Step Two: Categorize Them
Which ones cost money? Which ones just need time? Which ones require planning and which ones you could literally start today?
Make three categories:
- Soon: Things you can do in the next 6 months
- Eventually: Things that need more planning or saving
- Someday: Big, scary, long-term goals
Step Three: Start With One Small Thing
Pick the easiest thing from your “Soon” category. Not the most impressive, the easiest. Do that thing this month. Get momentum going.
Because here’s the secret—finishing one thing on your bucket list makes you realize you can finish more. It builds confidence. It proves to yourself that you’re the kind of person who actually does things instead of just talking about them.
Step Four: Share It With Someone
Tell a friend about your list. Post it somewhere. Make it real by speaking it out loud. Accountability helps, but more than that, saying it out loud makes it feel possible.
Step Five: Keep Updating It
Your list will change as you change. Things that seemed important at 25 might feel silly at 45. New dreams will show up. That’s fine. The list grows with you.
The Real Talk About Bucket Lists
Listen, I know this all sounds nice and inspirational and whatever. But let’s be honest for a second—most people make bucket lists and then never look at them again. They sit in a notebook somewhere gathering dust, or they’re saved on a phone in a notes app that never gets opened.
Don’t be that person.
You know what makes me sad? Talking to old people who have regrets. Not about things they did, but about things they never tried. Places they never went. Risks they never took. Words they never said.
You don’t get a second chance at this life thing. There’s no practice round, no do-overs, no “let me try that again.” You get one shot, and it’s happening right now, and it goes by faster than you think.
So yeah, make your bucket list. But then actually do something about it.
Book the flight. Sign up for the class. Start saving money. Make the phone call. Take the first step. Do something today that gets you closer to checking something off.
Because the thing about bucket lists isn’t just accomplishing stuff so you can brag about it later. It’s about deciding that your life is going to be full, you know? Full of experiences and stories and moments that take your breath away. Full of times when you scared yourself by trying something new. Full of memories that make you smile when you’re old and sitting on a porch somewhere.
Your life can be ordinary, or it can be extraordinary. That’s actually up to you. The world is huge and full of possibilities and you’re allowed to grab some of them.
So go ahead. Start your list. Pick your 10. Do one thing this month.
Your future self, the one sitting on that porch with all those wild stories? They’re counting on you.
Don’t let them down. 🌟
P.S. — If you only do one thing from this entire list, make it number 37. Tell your parents (or the people who raised you) what they mean to you. Do it soon. Do it while they can still hear it. Everything else can wait. That can’t.
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