August 2006: “100 Things” List

I hope you’re having a great summer – I sure am!  One of the reasons I’m feeling so good about summer – and life in general – is that I’ve learned a system that’s really helping me focus on what’s important and how I want to spend my time.

I recently attended a training seminar, and the main speaker talked about a list he called, “100 Things I Want to Do Before I Die.”  The purpose of this list, as he described it, was to make sure that when you reflect back on your life, you’ll smile at all the memories and know that you spent your time in ways that were meaningful, fulfilling, and made the most of your life.

The speaker passed out copies of the “100 Things” list, and I admit I was daunted at first.  Staring back at me was a piece of paper with lines on it numbered one through 100.  It was up to me to fill it! 

My hesitation came as a surprise because I’m a “list” person.  You may be like this too.  I look forward to creating to-do lists for weekend projects and grocery runs with the ultimate goal of checking items off these lists.  But to create a list of things to do before I die felt incredibly daunting.  Where do I start?

I decided to just take it one step at a time.  After a few minutes, I got into a groove and recalled some of the things that I dream of from time to time.  These thoughts tend to be suppressed by day-to-day routines and the everyday nuances that tend to keep us all so occupied.  Once I stripped my brain of all of that, I was freed to dream.  These were some of the first items that found their way onto my list.

·  Live in a foreign country for a year

·  Own my own business

·  Buy a new ski boat

·  Run a marathon

·  Volunteer at the SPCA

·  Coach a kids sports team

·  Go bareboat sailing in the Caribbean

·  Learn to surf

·  Go sky diving

·  Be a mentor