Bucket lists: you hear about them, but have you actually sat down and created yours? Retirement is the perfect time to give thought to experiences you have always wanted to have, as well as some new ones that are catching your interest. Putting a list together and then checking off as many items as you can gives you an opportunity to explore, have fun, and learn new things about yourself.
Ready to think about your bucket list? At Senior Star, we’re here to help, because we believe you should fill your days doing what you love most during this next chapter in your story.
Why Bucket Lists Matter
There’s nothing wrong with taking a break from a previous frantic pace and just enjoying the simple pleasures of life once you’ve retired. After all, you’ve earned that right! But for some, retiring from work or everyday responsibilities leaves them feeling a bit lost or depressed. Or, maybe just bored.
No matter the situation, having something new to look forward to, especially if it’s an exciting possibility or a long-held dream, can be the catalyst to new energy and new joy in life. That’s where bucket lists come in.
Think back to when you were a child: what were you most interested in? What dream did you always want to accomplish? Is there a “road less traveled” that you now would like to pursue? When you think of the books, movies or programs you most enjoy, is there a common theme that you seem drawn to? Mulling these questions over can help you compose your own bucket list.
Life doesn’t stop at retirement!
Your unique bucket list can:
- Give you a new direction
- Help you find a new purpose in life
- Encourage you to do new things
- Let you experience accomplishment
- Add excitement to your life
- Keep you active and engaged
- Give you an opportunity to keep learning
- Add to your story
The more you learn and experience, the more interesting you are to others, which makes connecting and having conversations easier. Your friends and family will delight in your adventures, and you’ll enjoy a feeling of success—no matter how simple the goal!
Need some inspiration? Bucket lists vary greatly of course, but here are some thoughts to get you started:
Travel somewhere you’ve always wanted to go. See the Pyramids. Go to Wimbledon and have strawberries and cream before a match. Visit Mt. Rushmore. Stay up all night in a Las Vegas casino. Hike a section of the Appalachian Trail. Enjoy a lazy afternoon in a café in Paris. Immerse yourself in a presidential library. Visit the International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. Travel is big on bucket lists, because it can open up the world to you in exciting and unexpected ways.
Take up a new sport. Pickle ball. Wii bowling. Golf. Bocce ball. Martial arts. Scuba diving! Take it slow, and find a class or others interested to make it even more fun. The goal is just to stretch yourself and have fun—and add some more movement to your life.
Write your memoir. If that feels daunting, then just start keeping a journal. Or, begin a new blog that your friends and family can read online. You might even approach it as an ongoing letter to a grandchild where you can pass on thoughts for them to read and treasure when they become adults. It’s a wonderful way to leave your mark on the world and share your inner thoughts.
Give someone an amazing experience. Does your granddaughter love ballet? Get great tickets and treat her to an afternoon she’ll never forget. Have a sports nut in the family? Arrange a weekend trip to their favorite stadium or arena so they can cheer on their team. Bucket lists are a great way to stop and consider what “gifts” you’d like to pass on to those you love.
Ride in a limousine. Always wanted to? Or, maybe you did it once, but it’s been ages? Why not invite a few friends to join you and take a special ride around town, to dinner, or a show? (Don’t forget to wave out of the roof at least once.) Sit back, relax, and enjoy the city lights while you ride in style. You’ll feel like a celebrity.
Challenge your fears. Ride in a helicopter. Take off in a hot air balloon. Get a tattoo (it doesn’t have to be permanent!) Audition to be on a game show. Visit a haunted house. Skydive (if your physician says it’s okay!) Taking a step outside your comfort zone, even if it’s a small one, can really make you feel alive. It could be as simple as committing to speak to one person you don’t know every week.
This is your time to shine!
Bucket lists are just another gift of retirement. When you choose senior living at Senior Star, your days can be spent fulfilling personal goals, preserving treasured relationships and building new ones, staying up late or getting up early, traveling or enjoying the peace of home. We invite you to learn more.
Come explore the Senior Star difference. Download Guide to Aging Well: Secrets to Successful Aging from “Blue Zones” Around The World. Questions about senior living? Contact us to learn more.