What To Do in This Life…
So, I’ve been trying this new hack, it’s called living in the present. All jokes aside, I really have been working to break my normal habits of future tripping and leading with paranoia. I get anxious thinking about my life, where I should be at this age, this stage of my life/career, and what I could be doing in a month, year, or decade down the line… which has been exhausting.
So what changed?
After a heart-shattering break-up (usually when these things happen), I started to write down the things I wanted to do in my lifetime. My ex-boyfriend did a pretty good job of living in the present moment, recognizing that life is short, it’s a gift, and to chase your curiosities. I tend to be negative. Outwardly positive and friendly to my friends and strangers, but negative about myself, my outlook on life, what and where I was going and doing in my day-to-day. Being around his positivity, listening to his way of thinking, and his approach to life led to a big shift in how I would show up for myself and others. After coming to terms with these patterns of mine, understanding that being in the now is a gift and our breakup (because, nauseatingly true, everything happens for a reason), I was finally compelled to jot down the things I wanted to accomplish during my lifetime.
Call it a bucket list, a life list, a to-do-in-this-life list; it was a place I could write down anything, however big or small, silly or challenging, that I wanted to do for myself in the short time I have on this planet.
I had a bucket list when I was a teenager that included things like ‘write a song’, ‘meet John Mayer’, and ‘visit all 7 wonders of the world’. This was used as inspiration for my current “To Do in This Life” list, with some adjustments. Some items stayed true, but new adventures and challenges were added that crossed my mind throughout my young adulthood, college years, my 20s, solo travels, and, unironically, the internet! I have been inspired by people I’ve grown up with, strangers I’ve met on my travels, in coffee shops and breweries, coworkers who took chances on themselves, random strangers on the internet who share their wildest and greatest adventures/ failures, and what they learned along the rollercoaster of their lives. Because, that’s what life is all about, right? Trying new things, exploring, learning, growing, and evolving as people and sharing those experiences, moments, and memories.
So, yeah, the ‘To Do in This Life’ list was created. Want to know a few things that are on it? Of course you do! Even if you pretend that you don’t, you do. We are nosey beings. And don’t fret, I’m going to share a few because why else would I be writing this blog if I wasn’t going to share some of the things on the list?! I’m not that self-absorbed…. Alright, let’s get into it.
A few things on my “To Do in This Life” list:
See the Northern Lights in Iceland
I have seen them once in NJ, but I would love to see them in Iceland, plus a handful of waterfalls!
See Blue Footed Boobies on the Galapagos Islands
I have been obsessed with these cute little birds since environmental science class in high school. I must go.
Visit Stonehenge
See a show at The Gorge
Make a piece of art for my home
Learn how to play piano
The tasks/items are, however big, small, silly, or complex as I’d like, because it’s my life! I’ve started to chip away at a few things, such as taking up tennis lessons, already being bi-coastal, and there are about 50+ more things on the list, and I’m continuously growing it. Again, I am inspired by the people I meet, folks sharing their adventures online. And, as I evolve as a person, the list will evolve and become a reflection of the things I find interesting to do in my lifetime. Which brings me back to Passion Projekt: a community and space to inspire, create, and flourish.
Life is short. Dream big, love fully, chase your curiosities, and dare to be cringe.
Want to check out the video post on this? Head to the Passion Projekt Instagram or check it out here.