How to Create a Great Retirement Bucket List
We all have things we wish to do in our lifetime, whether it’s traveling around the world, climbing a mountain or just simply having the time to do the things we never usually have time for. These activities give us a sense of purpose, which is very important to an individual’s mental health and lifespan.
According to research, positivity and activity lead to a longer life, with optimistic people enjoying an 11-15% longer lifespan. Fulfilling your life’s dreams is a great way to build positive feelings. But how can you get started, especially after living up to your fifties and sixties with your life so crowded with family and work responsibilities?
Here’s how you can start your retirement bucket list that will take you back to your youth and help you to fulfill your life’s dream.
Why Do You Need a Retirement Bucket List?
Drafting and implementing your retirement bucket list is not just about living some of your dreams that family and work commitments would not have allowed you. For retirees, having goals gives life after your career meaning and purpose, which packs a lot of benefits for your mental and physical health.
Having a greater sense of purpose keeps your brain sharper. One study shows that people with a greater sense of purpose are at a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Moreover, a greater sense of purpose helps us to deal with feelings of loneliness and isolation, plus stress, which lead to better overall mental health. According to research, improving these feelings results in lower rates of depression.
A bucket list gives you meaning and purpose since it identifies goals and activities that keep you driven and feeling positive. This works well not only for retirees but also individuals considering their future retirement someday but feel a bit lost in what or how they will fill their time.
The only care you need to put on your bucket list is ensuring the goals are realistic. If not well planned and scrutinized, an unrealistic list can cause more stress since there’s no feasible way for you to achieve those goals for multiple reasons, such as health or finances.
A bucket list should purely serve as a source of motivation and inspiration, not a demoralizing picture of what you cannot achieve.
How to Create a Fulfilling Bucket List
Creating a fulfilling bucket list requires more than just writing down what you’ve always wanted to do since childhood or through some parts of your adult life. Here’s how you can craft a realistic and fulfilling list to spice up your retirement.
Start with What is Important to You
Not everyone has a clear picture of what they want to do once they settle in having had a long career doing something else. However, having this clarity is crucial if you’re to create a bucket list that you will value and enjoy. If you’re having difficulty identifying what’s important to you, here’re a few questions you can ask yourself.
- When am I happiest and content?
- What are some of the things I’ve always wanted to do?
- What activities would I participate in if I had unlimited resources?
- Who are the most important people to me?
- What did I not have enough time for in the past?
- What did I love doing as a kid?
- What are others doing that I admire and wish for myself?
Look for patterns in your answers that point to your genuine interests.
Brainstorm Several Ideas
Next, identify several activities that you’re interested in. What, can you try within those options? For instance, if you love adventure, you could plan a safari, a hike in the Alps or travel to new and exciting places for instance.
The best way to brainstorm ideas is by talking to family and friends and doing online research on people and/or organizations that are involved in things you are interested in. Have conversations with others including seeking the advice of younger people who may have taken similar trips.
Don’t feel that you have to always go for out-of-this-world ideas. While one person’s interest might be to climb Mt. Everest, others might be happy just simply visiting a relative or friend in another country.
Assess and Prioritize your List
Once you’re satisfied with your list of ideas, assess and prioritize the list to remain with activities you can successfully plan and implement. For this phase, there are three key questions you must ask yourself:
1. Do I have the physical capacity to undertake this activity? Will I need to train?
2. Do I want to do this alone or do I need to recruit others into my planning?
3. Can I afford the activity – How much money will it take?
A bucket list is like a set of goals that need to be S.M.A.R.T – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Smart goals are easier to achieve, leading to greater satisfaction while striking items out of your bucket list.
Plan for Each Item
Once you have a comprehensive list, start planning everything, beginning with the first item. For instance, if you’ve always wanted to do art, start by taking art classes. As you plan for each activity, share your list with friends and family for different ideas and possibly help from similar hobbyists.
Join A Community and See What Ideas Others Have
As you work towards starting to do what you’ve always wanted to, consider joining a community such as Rocket50, where you can exchange ideas with like-minded individuals and see what you can add to your exciting post-50 bucket list.
Rocket50 is for people who love the idea of being switched on and tuned in the later stage of life. Grow your skills, increase your confidence, and discover what’s next for you.
Join our 50+ community and partner with us every step of the way. Let’s spark a movement. Together.