Are you dreaming of retirement? What do you plan to do in your free time?
When people start talking about preparing for retirement, they ultimately refer to their finances. But often they forget to prepare for a new lifestyle since they won’t be working full-time anymore. Planning how you will spend your days, weeks and months can be very beneficial for your mental and emotional health.
When we are working every day, we don’t have enough time to travel and enjoy life as we want. Vacations are limited and we have to go back to work. But when we retire, we have more time on our hands.
To many of us, there are always things that we wanted to do or accomplish but never seemed to find the time until we retired. Retirement is something most of us dream of because it means we will finally have the time to do those things that we have always wanted to do.
Now that you are retired it is important to know what you want to do in retirement. Creating a retirement bucket list can be helpful to have goals and ideas so you can make the most out of your golden years.
5 reasons you should have a retirement bucket list:
1. Create a vision.
Many retirees go back to work because they are bored. But then they grow bored because they did not set up any goals for the future. It is so easy to get caught up in the routine of everyday life. But when you try something, you have never tried before it can help you escape your comfort zone and become a more adventurous spirit.
Creating a retirement bucket list will give you a sense of direction and purpose. When you get engaged in things you like to do it makes you feel energized and happy at the same time.
Your retirement bucket list may work as a visionary board. It reminds you of those things you want to do that is bigger than your day-to-day routine.
2. Set goals.
When we have a lot of free time ahead of us, we start thinking about what we would like to do with it. Sorry to say but often life takes over and we may focus more on our day-to-day chores and less on our goals for fun and excitement.
However, it is a proven fact that people who set goals achieve more in life than people who do not.
Setting goals help us define what we want to explore, learn, and accomplish. You look anywhere online at successful influencers, athletes and entrepreneurs, and they will tell you that writing down your goals makes them become a reality.
3. Keep track of your experiences.
The process of creating a retirement bucket list can be inspirational. It gives you time to figure out what makes you happy and what your likes and dislikes are.
While you may not achieve every item on your bucket list, you will definitely complete some. Fitting more hobbies, adventures, and fun into your lifestyle can be beneficial for your happiness in retirement. These are the experiences you may remember the most in your life.
4. Explore and learn something new.
Exploring new places and learning something new can be an exciting experience. Exploring will teach you more about yourself.
When you make a list of all the things you would like to do and all places you want to visit, this activity will make you more aware of what is really important to you. Making your retirement bucket list can help you find perspective on how you currently living your life and what you would like to be doing.
5. Create excitement in your life.
Simply put creating your retirement bucket list can be fun.
Sharing the list with your family and friends, updating the list over time, and then checking off experiences, can be ways to enjoy life more and share the fun with your loved ones.
How to Create a Retirement Bucket List.
Now that you know you need to create your own bucket list, how do you go about it?
Generally speaking, a bucket list is a list of the top things you want to do before you die. This can include places to travel, new skills to learn, people to help, and anything else that matters to you personally.
Visualize what you want.
A retirement bucket list makes you start thinking about what is important to you.
Take time and reflect on everything you want to learn, explore, and experience in your retirement years. Start writing down whatever comes to your mind. It does not have to be all amazing once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Making a bucket list is a time for you to dream big and think about what you really want out of retirement life. This list is to remind you to live every day to the fullest.
Think about this:
- What do you want to learn?
- What places or countries do you want to visit?
- What is meaningful to you in life?
- What new things do you want to do?
Create a plan of action.
After you put your dreams on paper, start thinking about how to accomplish them.
It is so easy to make a bucket list and then do nothing about it. That is why you need to stay focused and write down the timeframe. The time frame cannot be “before I die”.
You need to be realistic and have some sort of idea for your deadline. For example, a list of things you wish to do before you turn 70, before the end of this year, or before this summer ends.
Here I want to share 40 ideas you can add to your retirement bucket list. This list is divided into different and helpful categories like traveling, experience, skills, and hobbies so you can create your own retirement list.
Retirement bucket list Ideas for traveling:
- Travel to Africa and go on a safari.
2. Travel to Egypt, visit the pyramids and take a boat ride along the Nile River.
3. Take a trip to Japan for cherry blossoms festival.
4. Visit Machu Picchu in Peru.
5. Climb on top of the hill and visit a Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany.
6. Drive around Ring Road in Iceland.
7. Visit Australia and go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef.
8. Fly to your honeymoon destination.
9. Explore Venice by gondola.
10. Take an unplanned flight to your favorite city.
11. Spend one night in an ice hotel (Hotel de Glace) in Quebec, Canada.
12. Drive the Pacific Coast Highway in California.
13. Go on a cruise around the world.
Retirement bucket list ideas for unique experiences:
14. Take scuba diving lessons or go snorkeling.
15. Learn to go horseback riding.
16. Participate in a baby sea turtle release.
17. Ride on a camel.
18. Go camping and fishing. Take your family with you to make it a great experience.
19. Drive a race car.
20. Take a helicopter tour.
21. Experience a hot air balloon ride.
22. Canoe or kayak along the Maine coast.
Retirement bucket list ideas for learning new skills:
23. Learn how to sail or learn a new water sport.
24. Take salsa (tango) dancing lessons together.
25. Learn new digital skills. Open an Instagram, Pinterest or a Twitter account.
26. Start (or join) a book club.
27. Learn how to be a photographer.
28. Take a cooking or baking class.
29. Learn a new language and write a poem.
30. Write and publish an e-book.
31. Start a blog and learn how to be a blogger.
32. Learn how to paint or take a pottery class.
33. Learn how to play a musical instrument.
Retirement bucket list ideas for starting a new hobby:
34. Start a vegetable garden.
35. Learn to cook gourmet meals.
36. Start a couples’ book club.
37. Create a scrapbook of your life together.
38. Start a food photography blog.
39. Assemble your own cookbook.
40. Explore local museums and art galleries together.
Final thoughts
You only live once. And when you look back you do not want to remember only working, cooking, cleaning, and rushing to complete your chores for the day. It is so easy to get caught up in life and responsibilities that you truly forget to live.
Making a retirement bucket list is a time for you to dream big and think about what you really want out of life.
Related Articles:
- How to Organize Your Time in Retirement
- How to Adjust to an Empty Nest Lifestyle
- How to Travel on a Budget in Retirement
- Finding Your Purpose in Life in Retirement
- 15 Ideas on What to Do in Retirement
Do you have a retirement bucket list?
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