Why Create Soul-filling Bucket List Experiences

Ageless Adventures: Wendy Deacon

January is in full swing and all around the world people are making and working on resolutions for the year.

It comes with new hopes and expectations and is a wonderful time to reassess it all.  

I wholeheartedly support capitalizing on this moment to reassess and scope out what is best for YOU over the next 12 months. As an Exercise Physiologist who’s focused my professional career on preventive health, I strongly support anyone trying to improve their physical, mental, and emotional health.

“It comes with new hopes and expectations and is a wonderful time to really reassess it all.”

The Common Resolutions:

Many do focus their resolutions on lifestyle changes with the Top Five being:

1. improving one’s physical health,
2. including better fitness &
3. nutrition habits,
4. improving finances, and
5. improving mental health. 

What is interesting to me is that when asked for additional resolutions, only 25% want to make more time for loved ones. Only 9% want to learn a new skill. And only 7% want to make more time for hobbies and improve work-life balance. 

When you consider why we’re setting up these sometimes-too-lofty goals, my hope is that we’re trying to feel healthier and better and improve our financial security to enjoy more going forward. 

Why not live with what floats our boat and makes us feel alive top of mind today? Let’s not have it be an afterthought or something only relegated to our dreams. Most of us truly want to try to get the most from our time on this planet. In this vain, I implore you to consider adding one more New Year’s Resolution to your list. One goal that will help you focus on something that brings you joy and that will quietly and powerfully reinforce your commitment to fulfilling your soul. 

“This goal is to set up and complete at least one soul-filling or bucket list experience.”

Soul-Filling Bucket List Experiences:

This goal is to set up and complete at least one soul-filling or bucket list experience. What does that mean to you? Does it mean a special 1:1 trip with a grandchild?  Connecting with your family roots in a small village far away? Does it mean finally learning how to play the violin as you find it so calming and soothing?

Stop focusing on the wrong reasons to set these resolutions and quit beating yourself up if you’re not quite achieving the Top Five as mentioned above. Instead, I encourage you to focus on one activity or experience that you commit to in 2024 that makes you feel alive and reinvigorates your soul.

My hope (and belief!) is that you find it helps you be more successful with your other resolutions. A great mindset and life approach in 2024 only fuels your desire for more going forward. Give it a chance this year and see if it helps you refocus on your joy and what is truly important in life. My hope for you is that it also helps you set up your newest and healthiest addiction and that you commit to expanding this focus and many more of these experiences in future years.

What’s your soul-filling experience resolution to set up for more in 2024?

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Wendy started DestinationU in 2019 and through her community and platform, she is a champion for aging adventurously. She is on a mission to resource and empower women over 40 to reimagine what’s possible and live with way more adventure, fun & fulfillment.  

Wendy had a successful career, but after a series of personal life changes, she decided it was time for a seismic shift to create something much more personally fulfilling. She authored several books, started building the DestinationU community and started setting up and leading more customized group adventure trips.  

She previously spent 20 years in preventive health as a national non-profit leader, international speaker and world class athlete but she still wanted more. Wendy was increasingly focused on intentional and experiential living with healthy aging and she met many women like her on the same journey. A whole new world opened up.