Many people say, “I’ve always wanted to do ‘this’” or “I’ve wanted to do ‘that.’” How many times have you been the one to say this? You could be one step closer to finally doing “this” or “that” if you write it down. In other words, create a bucket list.

For those who have not heard of this concept, a bucket list is a list comprised of goals a person wants to achieve before he or she dies (an old saying for dying is “kick the bucket”). It could be as simple as owning a garden or something more complex such as climbing to the top of Mount Everest.

There’s been plenty of movies that feature having a list of goals. Perhaps the most well-known movie is "The Bucket List" starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The two famed actors portray older men who finally get around to their bucket lists, but only when their time is limited. Why is it so difficult to do the things you want to? Life gets in the way, your bank account tells you no, your boss asks you to work on the weekend, and countless other things may inhibit you for the time being. Don’t do what Nicholson and Freeman did; write and start on your bucket list before an unarguable deadline is given.

While making a bucket list, I would advise being lenient with it. Don’t be so specific because doing so will eventually lead you to feel obligated to cross something off the list and place a lot of pressure on the activity to the point of it not living up to your high expectations. Another reason to be loose with a bucket list is all the unexpected things you’re going to experience while accomplishing a bucket list goal. There’s a saying for this: go off the beaten path. You want to have adventures? Adventures are those unplanned, unorchestrated times that turn into experiences.

The best thing about having a bucket list? You can always add to the list. As you get older, your priorities change, you change. The activities you once did in your twenties may not be what you’ll be doing in forties. This only means that your bucket list is going to be varied and you’ll go through a wide range of goals. It’s about stepping outside your comfort zone and experiencing happiness in various ways.

Here’s some items on my bucket list:

• Travel to Italy. And Germany. And Scotland. And Russia.
• Drink a cappuccino at an Italian cafe.
• Go skiing.
• Swim in an infinity pool.
• Go to the top of the Empire State Building at dusk.
• See Taylor Swift in concert.
• Go on a road trip with friends.
• Take a Disney Cruise.
• See "Wicked" on Broadway.