My own slice of life...

the bucket list update… in all it’s glory.

It’s been a while… I figured it was time for a bit of an update on the bucket list… In no particular order… here are the 50 items that my aunt and I put together as a freshmen in college…  I ran across this delightful list shortly after she passed away and have now set a personal challenge to complete all of these items… right down to all the travel.

1.    Get married

2.    Life with purpose 12/1/2011

3.    Make a difference in whatever job you choose

4.    Run a 5K

5.    Have a better relationship with your mom 12/2/2011

6.    Run a half-marathon

7.    Run a full-marathon

8.    Be proud of your accomplishments, really proud of them. Completed 10/18/2011.

9.    Find a cause to invest your time in. It doesn’t have to be money, but it should be your time, and you should care about it.

10. Love fiercely. Completed 10/18/2011.

11. Walk by Faith. Every single day of your life. ALWAYS

12. Take chances in your life. You never know where exactly they’ll lead. Something I think I’ll always do, but we’ll mark it off because I’ve at least started…

13. Keep a journal you can share with someone special to you in the future. You’re looking at it!

14. Be confident in your abilities.

15. Go skydiving.

16. Study abroad in college

17. Keep your scholarships

18. Give back to your sisters and your brother when you can.

19. Be who you want, never settle for less that what you know you deserve.

20. Photograph your life and share it.

21. Visit the following places: London, Cambridge, Paris, Florence, Rome (not Georgia, ha!), Sydney, Japan, China, Canada, Germany.

22. Visit all 50 states.

23. Record a song.

24. Live a life of service

25. Don’t change yourself for someone else to be happy with you.

26. Learn a new language

27. Pursue your passion

28. Connect again with people who inspired you

29. Take a hot air balloon ride

30. Be a mentor 2/1/2012

31. Climb a mountain

32. See a sunrise

33. See a sunset

34. Sleep under the stars at least once.

35. Learn a new instrument

36. Take a trip with no plans

37. Go on a roadtrip

38. Fly in a helicopter

39. Go on a cruise to somewhere you have never been.

40. Fall in love 3/12/2012

41. Visit a castle in England.

42. Get closure from people who hurt you Always.

43. Have a picnic lunch

44. Learn to crochet

45. Do something that scares you

46. Be honest about your feelings Always.

47. Be happy with your body

48. Learn strategy

49. Write a book on something that means a lot to you.

50. Sing a favorite song to loved ones.

So… an update on the newly marked off ones!

12. Take chances in your life. You never know where exactly they’ll lead. Something I think I’ll always do, but we’ll mark it off because I’ve at least started…

I like to think I’ll always be some kind of risk-taker. The most recent chance… investing in someone I haven’t invested in, in over 10 years. My relationship with my mom has been significantly improving in the past year, but I think that investing in the relationship will always be some kind of chance. Insert #41 and 46 (kind of) here. See blog post from October for the update regarding my relationship with my mom! :)

13. Keep a journal you can share with someone special to you in the future. You’re looking at it!

By blogging you always run some kind of chance. In my field in particular, you run the risk of a student running across it, so in a way you have to censor part of what you would sometimes LOVE to say! I think this is a fair snippit of what I think and feel, I can only hope that one day he’ll read this and realize how important he is.  Throughout these posts and pictures there is an adequate story told of how I live my life… both cautiously and optimistically. Through quotes he can realize life’s little things, and through the random story a little about how gracious and fortunate life can be, and at the same time realize how fleeting it all is sometimes. You’re not always promised tomorrow, and hopefully through the words and pictures here, he can realize just how loved and cared about he is.

30. Be a mentor 2/1/2012

I was asked by a graduate student for the first time to be a mentor through the field of Student Affairs. It was then that I realized that all I’d been through in work and life was worth it. I’m certain I’ve had a feeling similar before (a la college graduation), but to be asked to be a mentor suddenly gives you a realization that what you do matters more than ever. The work you put forth is worth it, the hardships are worth it, and the work you will continue to put forth will be worth it. The investment in that future professional is worth it.

41. Get closure from people who hurt you. 12/5/2011

I know in the future there will be people who hurt me. I think I finally got the closure I needed, especially from family in late November and early December. All the drama I was able to put behind me, I was finally able to forgive, and I was finally able to get the closure I was looking for.  It took over a year to get there, and for me to finally understand exactly what kind of closure I was looking for… but talk about an amazing feeling. :)

46. Be honest about your feelings. 2/2/2012

I think for the first time in my life I was truly honest about how I felt on a random night at O’Charley’s over dinner. I realized it was then that I needed to take yet another chance and put my feelings out there, regardless of how they were received (a la #12). I was fortunate to have my honest feelings reciprocated. Those that know me, know that there is a code I never break. For the first time in my life I felt the need to break the code of “never *officially* asking out a boy” I did (kind of) and it worked. I’ve never felt emotions like this, I’ve never felt this happy, content, blessed, you name it, and in the last month it seems like I’ve felt it. All happy feelings though… never a moment of frustration. Not to say that it’ll never happen, because relationships have to be messy at some point, but the harder you work on them, the better they are right?

…which leads me to this…

40. Fall in love. 3/12/2012

I don’t think I’ve ever actually had the “act’ of falling in love. I think I’m starting to figure out what that feeling or act is like. I have moments now where I can actually see a future, and I’m happy and content, and I see him and it makes me smile. My heart skips a beat when he calls me on the phone, and his hugs are the best. (Insert my ridiculously mushy self here). I legitimately have girl moments (and thos that know me know how low maintenance I am and how the “giddy” girl stuff never happens to me). So it’s funny to others when they see those moments happen. It’s amazing to hear from your friends how happy it seems that this other person makes you, and how the influence they have on your everyday life leaves you content. It’s even better, when for the first time in your life your mom accepts him, and realizes that he’s special to you. It’s the first time this has actually happened, and that leaves me feeling more content and happy than ever.

Who knows what the future holds… I’m up for the adventure and whatever is in store. I’m ready to continue to see what’s in store for me and my future. I’m actually looking forward to including him in it. Those that know me, also know how hard that actually is for me to be willing to include someone else in my life (especially long term), but he’s different, and that’s amazing.

…so there it is… a quick (but longer than expected) bucket list update. I promise (or should I say resolve… is it too late for those in March?) to write a little more, update a little more, and to keep everyone (all 4 readers) tuned into whatever lies ahead. So stay tuned!