Living List

2–3 minutes

“The good life, let’s go on a livin spree.”

Kanye West, ‘Good Life’

Most people have bucket lists. A bucket list consists of things we want to do or achieve before we kick the bucket, also known as, die. I’ve decided to rebrand it as a living list because I want to center life. Death is inevitable, so in the meantime, let’s center being present and living the life that I want for myself.

When I first started this rebranded list, it was tempting to fill it with performative things. Things or achievements that sounded great, but did I really want them? So I sat still and got quiet some more. I thought about what I value, what I enjoy, and if there were any common themes in them.

7 key themes were identified

Learning and teaching
Storytelling
Play and movement
The Arts & Culture
Making things
Experiences (traveling, attending events, workshops, etc. )
Community

Getting more clear on the themes in what I like and want to do, helped me zero in on what’s included in my living list.

It was tempting for me to create separate living lists for different areas of my life, I.e. personal, professional, health, etc. I decided against this because I don’t want to compartmentalize my life anymore. My areas of life aren’t happening in isolation. There isn’t work-life balance or work-life harmony to me anymore. There’s just my life and how I choose to live and feel in it.

It has been liberating to view my life as one giant masterpiece instead of separate pieces to try to make fit together cohesively.

This may not work for everyone, but it’s been paramount for me. I’m still working on the list, and I’m sure it may evolve some over time as I live more life and keep growing. I’m ultimately not attached to what I do, really. It’s important how my life feels to me and that it aligns with those values I shared that matter to me the most. I’ve shared a few of mine below.