After contemplating my personal goals before I perish and considering the limits of reality and ability, I’ve decided to compile a list of general life experiences to add onto your bucket list. Although I haven’t experienced most of these myself, I think that they’re a good start if you know you want to step out of your comfort zone but aren’t sure where to begin. Some of these categories are very broad and the gist is to experience the high of philanthropy, self-discipline and creative contribution at some point in life.
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1. Fluency in Multiple Languages
There’s an incomparable charm about being able to communicate in multiple languages. 40% of the world population is monolingual and about 43% are bilingual, so be part of the 17% who can speak 3 or more! Discover mind-blowing idiomatic expressions, practice your favorite accents and connect with new folk of many nationalities and cultures! Exercise your brain while becoming more cultured. Keep in mind that the basis of all shared ideas and understanding is language and the way things are worded. There’s power in being able to switch from one language to another, to be able to understand others when they think you don’t, etc. etc. Polyglot Power!
2. Dedicate Time to a Cause
Throughout life we’re absorbed within ourselves, distracted by interactions with our close peers, caught up with life in our immediate communities and often tortured by irrational fears. No matter your background and life growing up, it’s great to distance ourselves from our own needs and help others in order to broaden our perspectives on the communities we’ve always been familiar with. Immerse yourself in the lifestyles of people who are less fortunate than you in any aspects and make an active, personal, positive impact in their lives. Looking to aid a cause outside of yourself can help direct you to your ultimate life goal, achieve “self-transcendence” and clear up your thoughts of life’s purpose.
3. DARING Recreational Activities
We’re stuck on this rocky blue planet for all our lives (this century, at least), so one should make the most of it. Sometimes we wonder what it’s like to fly like a bird. We spend most of our lives on the ground, so why not experience being at the mercy of momentum and gravity, FOR REAL? If you’ve already been on a scary roller coaster, turn it up a notch and subject yourself to some more dare-devil-like experiences. Once you do it for the first time, you may unlock a daring part of your spirit you never knew existed. It can range from ziplining, skydiving, bungee jumping, paragliding, to more. Fear of these activities keeps most from ever attempting them, so satisfy your curiosity and at least be able to say you’ve tried it!
4. Compete with Team
Exercise your competitive spirit and be motivated not just for a tangible prize, but for the sake of winning and propelling your teammates to a victory of any kind. It’s easy to have the predisposition that competition is pointless and useless struggle, but it actually hones in on a fact of our daily lives that we try to ignore: comparison to others. It enables you to develop into a better version of yourself and to cultivate understanding towards others and cooperation for a common goal. It brings to light the reality that success cannot be achieved to its optimum without both talent and hard work, a concept that can apply to many other things in life outside competition. Whether it be sports, speech and debate or the chess club, choose your interest and challenge folks in the same field!
5. Publish Your Own Work/Perform Before an Audience
As consumers of music, games, fashion, writing and film, we’re always preoccupied about the creations of other people, but surely you’ve got a lot to say on your own! Seeing your own original ideas published for both praise and criticism can broaden your horizons and strengthen your character. This doesn’t mean you have to launch your own eyeshadow palette and expect millions in revenue: it can be as simple as expressing your own opinions through blogs. It’s up to you! No matter what, every genre and category of art needs contributions like yours. Most people leave the world with only memories of them with their immediate loved ones, then fade from human memory into the endless void of oblivion. Leave your own mark on the world, it’s easier than ever!
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