Yesterday I went for a run with a friend.
I told her about my Christmas Bucket List.
Her reaction?
“Wow! That’s a lot! But that’s great.”
Now I know my list is ambitious.
I’m not delusional.
But I want to create some memories for my family.
It’s not about stress. Or checking off items on a list.
It’s about creating an experience, or a number of experiences for my family.
Because I’ve lived the past 6 years without the list.
Without any goals.
And that has left me stressed out and feeling depressed and unfulfilled.
So what if I only do one or two items on that list?
That will be one or two more memories than I created last year.
So in my eyes, that’s a pretty big success.
Not a failure in any way.
Maybe I attempt the gingerbread houses and I want to fucking kill myself.
And everyone within ten feet of me.
But what if I attempt them and everyone loves it?
What if instead of a failure, it turns out to be a huge success?
You never know unless you try.
The same goes for fitness and weight loss.
Here are the latest pictures from Samantha and Ashton.
Day 1
Day 36
Day 1
Day 36
Day 1
Day 36
Day 1
Day 36
Both have expressed frustration with results.
Or lack of them.
Here’s what I think.
You need to aim higher.
Register for a 5K.
And not in like, 6 months.
Find the next 5K race that’s being held within an hour of your house, and register for it today.
Start training today.
I will help you.
Will it be easy?
No.
But…
Just like the Christmas Bucket List,
the results you want to see aren’t going to happen if you don’t make a change.
And if you don’t aim high.
So what if you had to walk some of the 5K?
What if you had to walk all of it?
What if you didn’t even finish it?
Would that make you a failure?
No.
And why look at life from that perspective anyway?
How about you try it this way:
Now go for it.
And not just Ashton and Samantha.
All of us.
Whether it’s a Christmas bucket list, or weight loss, or fitness, or a career change…
Whatever.
Don’t sell yourself short.
Don’t settle.
Don’t be complacent.
Take a risk!
You never know where it may lead you.
But you’ll certainly never know if you don’t try.
Help me stay Number 1!
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A friend of mine has as Christmas activity as the prize in her advent calender. I thought that was a cleaver way to check off the bucketlist since if planned correctly 🙂
This is awesome!! Life is about challenge, change and movement all the time. That’s what really makes feel alive! Sometimes those challenges and movements are that easy and at the moment you cross over you couldn’t be happier or simply satisfy.
Love your blog!
http://www.aznannies.com
Though I think your bucket list is a a great idea (and inspiration), it seems that the holidays put enough pressure on us as it is. Losing weight and simultaneously having to prepare an enormous meal seem counter-intuitive, and ridiculously difficult. Anyway, thanks for sharing!