June 16, 2020

The 50 by 50

bucket list, inspiration

a bucket list per decade

Why have one bucket list when you could have one for each decade of your life?

During my 2018 trip to Antarctica I had an inspirational conversation with one of the guides leading us on a life-changing 10-day cruise/expedition. Among other things, we talked about living unconventional lives and agreed that wanderlust isn’t something that can ever be cured. She inspired me with her version of a bucket list - not a singular thing, but a series of projects and aspirations that she restarts each decade.

No surprise - I was all in for the idea and it didn’t take long to start my own list. I had the first draft of my 50 by 50 ready by the time I returned from the end of the world. That was March of 2018 and I’ve been slowly ticking things off over the last two years. Nineteen down, 31 to go.

The hardest project to date has been running a marathon. I enlisted the help of a coach and spent 18 months training for it. Going from not being a runner to finishing a marathon brought so many of life lessons together in one journey. I'm proud of what I accomplished last fall, and even more so, I'm grateful to carry the experience with me everyday, especially as I dream new dreams and face new challenges.

So Far: 19 of 50 Complete

  • The 100 Day Project 49
  • Try acupuncture 48
  • Try escargot 47
  • Live abroad 44
  • Take a lesson or class about bike maintenance in the field 43
  • Ride mountain bikes on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon 38