Life Expectancy: Men-73 Years: Woman-79

How Will YOU Use Them?

Photo by Sporisevic Photography on Unsplash

“You Get 4000 Weeks Alive” is the partial title of an article I recently read. It stopped me cold! That’s 76 years—and I’m 85 years old. The rest of the title was “So, Stop Worrying . . . and Do Things.”

I have many excuses for not doing things and worry a lot. The author suggests doing things you want NOW rather than hanging on to the excuses. Humpff!!

He also recommends these options.

1. Do things you’ve always wanted to do.

2. Play with your kids more - if you have them.
I remember the Harry Chapin song “Cats in the Cradle.” It's about a son whose father had no time for him while he built his career. When the father was finally ready to spend time with his son, the son had no time for him. That song strongly influenced my parenting choices.

3. Work less. We work too hard because we think we need a giant security blanket for a disaster that’ll probably never happen.

4. Spend more time with your parents.
I would love to have known my parents better.

5. All of us should travel.

According to those calculations, I am in the last 750 weeks of life —15 years - if my goal is to live to be 100. I’d pretty much completed my bucket list: that list of experiences or achievements people hope to have or accomplish during their lifetime. In the past three years, I’ve managed to

• go to Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest and take cruises to Mexico and Alaska

• develop the newsletter, take art lessons, and identify other hobbies, such as plants and cooking

• commit to aging well and being healthy

• do more with my family

But wait!

After reading that article, I thought, “Maybe it’s time to make a new bucket list!!!” What would it include if I dreamed big?

• a second cruise to Mexico or another trip to Hawaii, and other ventures

• visit my grandson and his family in New York

• continue writing and develop an email coaching program

• experience excellent health, feel good, exercise, and age well

• upgrade my apartment

• learn more on various topics

I guess those aren’t big dreams, but they are doable ones.

Big dreams would include

• traveling to Europe, cruising the Mediterranean, or around the world

• having a new apartment or condo centrally located

• be independent and experience well-being for as long as I live

Do you have a bucket list? What’s on it?

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