Wisdom Day 81: The Wisdom in Bucket Lists? Belonging & Love
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Most bucket lists include things like, “Go on an adventure in a far-off land,” “Learn a new language,“ or “Buy a dream car.” Although all these experiences can make our lives more exciting, the reason we crave these activities goes a little deeper. What drives each of these desires is one common connector, an innate yearning to belong and to feel love. When we do what we love, we become an expression of love and our happiness is infectious.
Who doesn’t want to experience a sense of belonging? Who doesn’t want to feel loved? I know I do. But did you know that fulfilling a “throw caution to the wind” “bucket list” style dream could bring you closer to both?
Creating a list of must-dos before you die (aka “kick the bucket”) can lead not only to a sense of accomplishment, by checking off the boxes, but also to an enlivened and enriched life. And just so we’re clear, I’m talking about the life you’re actually living right now … not the one you wish you had lived or hope to live one day.
Saying yes to the things that make your heart sing and spirit thrive expands your capacity to love yourself.When you are filled with self-love you are better able and willing to give love, and to receive love from others. The love within each of us reaches beyond our physical being and reminds us of the connection that already exists between our self and every other divine creation in the universe.
I don’t know about you, but knowing my bucket list goal of spending a summer in France and Italy on a food and wine excursion can actually lead to world healing, peace and love makes me want to start researching today! [Note to self, start researching TODAY!] I’d say that’s one heck of a BONUS and ROBLI (return on bucket list investment).
I admit I never put skydiving and running a marathon in the same category as connectedness. But I guess it does makes sense. As our relationship “within” goes, so goes our relationship between our selves and others. If we are in tune with the true passions and desires that make our spirits shine, we are more inclined to reach beyond the comfort of the familiar to grab a hold of the brass ring experiences of all that life and living have to offer.
But sometimes we allow our amazingly bright, divine light within to be obscured by the shadow of our human fears. Fear of the unknown. Fear of rejection. Fear of failure. Or the most crippling fear of all; the fear of success. Connecting our mind’s will with the desires of our heart takes us deep within our selves to connect with the divine creative spark. That spark has the potential to ignite authentic connection, excitement, passion … and love.
So in this season of commercialized “love” be sure to take a moment to love yourself in the most authentic way possible … say yes to your inner dare-devil. Yes, to the idea, goal, plan that’s so crazy it just might work. Get out of your own way and say YES. Green light your dreams and start crossing off the items on your bucket list. Don’t have one? Fret not.
Click on the links below for a gazillion ideas of things to do before you die. Or, just spend some quiet time (even just five minutes) letting your heart lead you to its truest, deepest desires.
But whatever you do, “don’t die with your music still inside you”, as Wayne Dyer says. Live now. Or die trying. And remember. When you do what you love, you become a manifestation of love. And that divine manifestation can enliven and brighten the path of others. Because we are all connected in and through LOVE.
30 Things to do Before You Die
Bucket List [hundreds of great suggestions in image format]
BucketList.org [create a list and share with friends]
Wisdom in the Whisper™ and WisdomintheWhisper.com by Tonya Marie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at www.wisdominthewhisper.com.
Wisdom in the Whisper™ 
Nicely said. And so very true. I had a long discussion with someone recently who had nothing more than making a certain amount of money as their bucket list goal. I didn’t think that one fit the criteria or qualifies for the BL, but then I guess we all have our own dreams to live. To each his own.
🙂 Agreed. We all have to start where we are. And always dream bigger dreams, especially after we achieve the ones that were seemingly unachievable! Peace, T Marie