Experiences to Add to Your Bucket List

A “bucket list,” the list of things you want to accomplish or experience in your life, is very personal. A glance at your bucket list is a glimpse into what makes you tick and feel alive. Making it can be difficult because it asks you to examine your desires and fears and transform them into a meaningful life. If you’re updating your bucket list (or making it for the first time!) here are some categories you have to include.

It might sound counterintuitive to fill your life with things that scare you, but usually the things that scare us hold a promise for growth. Facing our fears is a thrill like none other. That’s why horror movies and haunted houses are so popular. Instead of popping in a DVD and getting your thrills secondhand, add something to your bucket list that truly terrifies you. Are you scared of heights? Then a ziplining trip like those offered in Denver, Colorado or in Montana outside of Yellowstone Park is sure to get your heart racing. Maybe your nightmares feature out-of-control speed. You could go whitewater rafting in Alaska or ride on one of the world’s fastest roller coasters, Kingda Ka , in New Jersey. If that doesn’t send shivers down your spine, head to the United Arab Emirates and hop on the Formula Rossa , a roller coaster that tops out at a heart-stopping 150 miles per hour. Whatever it is that keeps you up at night, make sure you reserve a spot on your bucket list to dive deep and face your fears. You’ll remember it for the rest of your days.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your life is to get some perspective, and adding some items to your bucket list that make you recognize the grandness of life can help you make sense of your place in the world. Make some time for something that inspires you. Travel to South Africa and sleep under the stars. Visit the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls to see the beauty and power that nature can hold. Plan a trip to Mexico that coincides with the Monarch butterfly migration and see a phenomenon that will change your life. Recognizing that you are part of something much bigger than yourself can help you breathe easier and feel more connected.

It’s not just natural beauty that helps anchor you to the world. One of your bucket list items should be reserved for something that helps you connect with others, to share in a sense of history and accomplishment. You could travel Route 66 and soak in the quirky, nostalgic moments of American history. Head to Egypt and literally step into history as you tour the Pyramids and Great Sphinx at Giza. Venture to Salisbury, England and take the tour of Stonehenge. Each of these trips creates a connection between past and present, getting you in tune with the people who came before you and demonstrating our shared humanity and sense of progress. It’s an excellent bucket list item because it helps you see what kind of legacy you, too, can leave for future generations. Whatever you decide to put on your bucket list, make sure that it doesn’t just remain a fantasy. Get started today on seeing the sights and visiting the places that will make you feel alive and deepen your sense of wonder and appreciation for the world.