I made my first inspirational bucket list for Valentine’s Day in 2021. It was a collaboration with my mama who is the most creative person I know. We started the bucket lists because she has a lifetime of scrumptious recipes that we wanted to seasonally share. My mom currently is taking care of my grandma who has Alzheimer’s and also loving being a grandma to babies again, but she still really loves to bake. You can find her “artwork” on IG at TastesDivineSweets The pic below was our very first Inspirational Bucket List post.
On my side of the fence, I share ways to help women live out love, self care, creativity and hospitality in every season. Specifically, inspirational bucket lists help me to “list” distinct ways to grow good seeds in oneself and out in the community. Below is a short explanation of where the four “bucket list” inspirations come from and why I think living them out contributes to joyful, peaceful, hopeful living.
LOVE
Love is about sharing acts of kindness and encouragement daily, weekly and in big ways from time to time. This outward love comes from the deep love of the Father who first loved us. It’s not possible to genuinely receive God’s love without also being filled with time, energy and gifts to serve others. You will always find several simple ways in my inspirational bucket lists to love others.
SELF-CARE
The bottom line is that most women find it easy to lose sight of the handful of things that make them strong and fill them up. Most of the women I know have an easier time with output than input. Poet Amena Brown gave me insight that the golden rule – – Love your neighbor as yourself – – implies that you must first love yourself in order to love others well. You will always see lots of ways to reconnect with yourself. The end game here is to be revived so that you can continue to do whatever it is you love to do.
CREATIVITY
Creativity is for everyone. Yes, you! Author and Spiritual Director Emily P. Freeman taught me that there a million little ways to live out art. Art doesn’t necessary require a paint brush or easel. We live out art in our vocation, through relationships, parenting, hobbies. Whatever you were made to do, that’s your art. The problem is that, as life goes on, we usually drop creativity down on the list of priorities. In that manner, we lose some of the fullness we were made to experience. My inspirational bucket lists invite you to linger again with creativity so that you can find your way back to living with “lightbulb” moments – – lightbulbs that bring on more joy in your every day.
HOSPITALITY
You can find versions of hospitality in the Danish lifestyle of Hygge, Cozy Minimalist living/decor and all sorts of social supper clubs. I think all of these versions and the hundreds of others have exceptional value. There is a ton of joy that comes from hosting friends or couples for a potluck dinner party in your home. Small acts of kindness like sending encouraging snail mail cards or delivering a basket of food are significant components of hospitality – – which is really just a way to help someone feel loved and seen. There is no real formula for hospitality. In fact, I wrote a whole blog about my hospitality failures and wins. The heart of hospitality is that it flows out of a God’s love. We give joy and find a measure of it from loving others through hospitality.
SUMMER BUCKET LIST
Two years ago, I created this Summer Bucket List. That year, I printed the Bucket List and mailed it to about 200 of you. As you know, I love snail mail and I love the idea that maybe the Bucket List could help even one of you find more joy, peace and hope in your every day. I revisited the bucket list this summer. There are a few things I decided to do, again.
Independence Day Mani
I decided on the red, white and blue mani. I was rather excited about this and it turns out that the manicurist was also. She took pics before I left last Thursday. Double bucket list win.
SUMMER LOVE STORY NOVEL
I decided not to read a summer love story novel. Instead, I chose to watch all three Divergent movies. My daughter and I watched the first one again on the plane home from vacation. I always liked the love story between Tris and Four. In May of 2021, I put a few life lessons in place, which allows me to choose this over that, even if I once wrote a list about that. You can read the keep it simple rules I wrote for myself. I know they will resonate with you.
SUMMER GET TOGETHER
I decided not to invite friends over for Kitchen Sink ice cream or for mocktails. However, I am inviting friends over to make Summer Time Capsules. If you are local and are interested, please send me a message at skatz@skatzlaw.com and perhaps you can join us.
THE MAYBES
The rest of my bucket choices are maybes related to things I used to do. Do I welcome them back? Is my life too different now? Do I let these pass without sticking to me? What is my Best Yes? Even small things take time and resources. Small decisions matter in the big picture.
- Do I get involved again in one of the social justice organizations I financially support?
- Do I try again to learn the art/skill of Creative Lettering?
STAY IN THE MOMENT
It’s only July. But there are probably fall decorations in Michael’s and Target already. We could be tempted to jump ahead to fall and lose sight of all that God has for us this summer. Push back on the temptation to leave summer early. Take in these days because you won’t get them again. Take what you may need or want from the summer bucket list, or write your own. No matter what, stay here in the summer moment.
Questions to Help Stay in Summer
- Which of the four areas could I use the most right now? Love, Self Care, Creativity or Hospitality?
- Chose 2-3 bucket list items in the area that would bring the most peace, hope and joy.
- Take a look at your choices. Now, choose one more that is outside your interest or comfort zone.
- Pick an end date to complete the bucket list items.
Feel free to share this post or download the bucket list right here. (page one, page two)
If you want to look at the other bucket lists, check them out here.
