#97 – Are we making bucket lists just to feel interesting?
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Lily never liked the whole bucket list thing.
"Bucket lists? Not for me," Lily always says. And she means it too. Honestly, who actually rides a camel in the desert, Anyway? The whole idea of listing dreamy, slightly unrealistic summer goals feels… a bit like performance art. Like something you post next to a sunset and a cocktail, just for the ‘likes’.
"I don’t need a list to enjoy life," Lily would joke, half proud, half defensive. "I’m happy just being in the moment. You know—go with the flow, keep things spontaneous."
Sure, part of that is true. But another part?
That comes from a quiet fear that if she does make a list, she won’t follow through. Or that her goals aren’t interesting enough. Or that a list will somehow remind her how many plans get lost between laundry, work emails, and other invisible things. So, no list for Lily.
Then her sister Lisa shows up—grinning, holding a notepad full of sparkly checkmarks.
“This bucket list is changing my life,” she says.
Lily raises an eyebrow. "Isn’t it just a list of cute things you want to do?"
"Exactly. But also, not really. It’s stuff I actually want to make happen. Not big, crazy stuff—just little dreams I’ve pushed aside. And now that they’re written down, I actually make time for them."
Lisa reads a few out loud: ‘Buy that outfit you secretly love (yes, the one you’re a little scared to wear—do it anyway!)’, ‘Sleep under the stars, even if it’s just in your own backyard’ and ‘Sign up for a jewelry-making workshop’.
No stress, it seems. She looks energized. Like this list flips a switch from "daily chaos" to "deliberate joy." And Lily… can’t help but feel a little jealous.
You don’t need a plan. Just a page.
That night, Lily grabs a notebook. Just for fun. Just to see what happens.
She jots down—half-laughing, half-serious: ‘Win the lottery’. ‘Book a helicopter ride’.
Then she pauses, stares at the list, snorts, and tears the page out.
“Okay, let’s try that again.”
Fresh page. Real dreams.
She starts writing—almost without thinking—'Start my online chocolate shop’.
Then, right underneath: ‘Do something outside my comfort zone (like… finally subscribe to that show everyone won’t shut up about)’.
She pauses, pen hovering in the air.
Where did that come from?
A little surprised. A little nervous. Like these ideas didn’t come from her head… but bubbled up from somewhere deeper. From the part of her that still dares to dream. Not something to show off with. Not something that looks impressive but feels like… fluff. Not what people expect you to write. Just something real. Something that feels like you.
Lily scratches her head and smiles.
Okay, universe. Now what?
P.S. Feeling inspired? Jot down your maybe-not-so-big, but oh-so-you dreams. No pressure, no full-blown plan—just a few spark-starters to get things going. Your story? It starts right here.