As far as I can remember, I have had New Year resolutions since I was four. It was part of a series of traditions I have learned to live with until 2011. What happens after January 1 is another story altogether.
Looking back, I realized how my resolutions remained as subtle motivations or a series of must-change. Whether it was reducing my consumption of mint-flavored candies, or losing those ten pounds, it remained the same. There seems to be a viral machine that pushes me to suspend it or just let it go.
I guess this has been a problem for just about everyone, or at least mine, for the last 16 years. Not that I wasn’t sincere or determined to become a better person. It’s just that, at some point, you’d start to realize that unless it’s a matter of life and death, you’d like to keep yourself as it is, regardless of its flaws.
So this time, I made sure 2012 was going to be different. Instead of making another resolution to postpone, I decided to make my own bucket list.
It’s not just in cinemas
I remember it clearly. The first time I heard about the idea was inside a movie house four years ago while I was watching the 2007 Rob Reiner film entitled “The Bucket List” with my best friend, Chynna Cuna. It was a movie about two terminally ill individuals who in the middle of contemplating death decided to make a wish list (e.g., try sky diving, drag racing, etc.) and go on a final expedition to fulfill them.
I guess the idea pierced my heart in the sense that Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) in the latter part reached the pinnacle of satisfaction, before they both kicked the bucket. I mean, honestly, how many people are capable of saying they’re completely contented with their lives?
No damsel in distress
I know. Some people might say it’s another contemporary fairytale–one that suits those who find the Old Cinderella story a little overrated. But if there’s one thing I’m sure: A bucket list doesn’t turn you into a damsel in distress. For one, it taught me how to maneuver my way to happiness.
Here are some steps in making your own bucket list:
STEP 1: Know what you want.
Unlike exams, projects, or work, this is personal. In other words, there’s no specific criteria, no standard to follow, no tradition to live by: just you and your bucket list. Whether you want a trip to Europe or a trek up Mt. Pulag (Luzon’s highest peak), it’s all up to you. What would make you happy? What have you been dying to do?”
STEP 2: Write it down.
While you can always trust your memory, it always pays to just write it down. Not only are you able to monitor progress by crossing out adventures you’ve done, you’re assured your list is safe from going down the drain of oblivion. (Unless, of course, Invisible Woman tries to show up and creates a mess.)
STEP 3: Own it!
Tell it to your friends. You could even post in on Facebook, Twitter or your own blog. Not only do you increase the level of accountability on your part, you also open up the chances of doing it as a group. Won’t it be better if you do it with people close to your heart?
STEP 4: Take action!
Just as I said, this is all about you. If you don’t move then nothing really happens. Don’t worry though. We usually have a lifetime to fulfill it. Just make sure to cross out at least one every year. –KG, GMA News
source:gmanetwork.com
