This blog post will discuss the reasons why we can discover ourselves and move towards our dreams through a bucket list even in the midst of life’s trials.
Everyone has trials in life. Whatever form they take, they will be a very big concern for each individual. Some people suffer from health problems, while others suffer from problems in their relationships or careers. I, too, am now part of the memories that I talk about with a smile, but at the time I had a very difficult time. When everything did not go as I had planned, my anxiety and worries about the future continued endlessly. As a result, I gradually lost myself and wandered around not knowing what to do.
Then I learned about the bucket list. It is a list of things you want to do before you die. It can include grand plans and goals, but you can also write down simple things you want to do, such as learning yoga. At first, I was skeptical about the meaning of this, but as I gradually made my list, I began to see positive changes in my life.
Making a bucket list had a significant impact on me, helping me to figure out what I wanted to do and what areas I was interested in. Through this, I began to understand myself more deeply. It was a time to think about what I really wanted and why they were meaningful to me. My bucket list included many activities such as traveling to many places in the world, meeting various people, cultural activities, and carrying out interesting projects. While doing so, I realized that the things I liked and was interested in were actually unique to me, and I thought that others would also like and be interested in them.
I thought that most people like to travel abroad, experience the local culture, and make local friends. However, I realized that some people do not travel abroad, and some people are uncomfortable meeting foreigners. I do not like being awkward in a new environment, so I try to get people to talk to me about their interests as much as possible and get to know them quickly. And this characteristic of mine, of adapting well to any environment, was not just a simple personality trait, but a way of life that I valued. Treating people with an open mind, regardless of their nationality or age, and having an attitude of considering others’ perspectives. I realized that this passion for human relationships and desire for interaction are the driving forces behind my life.
In addition, I gained a sense of accomplishment in the process of learning something new, thinking about it, and solving it. The future I dream of is no longer something vague, but a specific goal I want to achieve. In the process, I realized that I had been thinking about my dreams too grandiosely. However, as I achieved the small goals on my bucket list one by one, I came to understand myself better and began to become clearer about what I really want.
The process of achieving small goals one by one has brought about a big change in me. It has become clear to me what I truly want and what direction I should take to achieve that dream. As I wrote down what I wanted to do without any restrictions, I realized that the real obstacle was not the external environment but myself. Dreaming and setting goals is not just about success or achievement, but a journey of discovering and growing myself in the process.
When people talk about their dreams, they often worry about the resources they need to achieve them. I was the same. I often thought that I would not be able to achieve what I wanted because of my financial situation or lack of time. But as I wrote down my small goals, those thoughts gradually disappeared. I realized that there is no gap between the rich and the poor in dreams, and that only the desire and will to make them come true are important factors. I am currently financially lacking, but I am confident that I have unlimited possibilities to move towards my dreams.
Our brains are designed to recognize danger and fear first. Past pain, present suffering, and future anxiety give us fear and induce an instinctive reaction to avoid it. This reaction helped our ancestors survive, but in modern society, it often gets in the way of us challenging or trying to change. However, while making my bucket list, I was able to dream of a positive future beyond fear and anxiety.
Through my bucket list, I realized that life is not just full of grand goals, but that the process of realizing small dreams is meaningful in itself. Just as small things come together to make big changes, I began to feel a sense of accomplishment that I was making progress little by little every day. Life is just a short period of time given to us to realize what we want to do. That is why I have come to believe that small challenges every day add up to the big goals I dream of.
