Bucket List

"The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experiences behind you. Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

~William Jennings Bryan

So... here's to my first blog post!! I've been meaning to get this started for a while now. Life has just been a little hectic. Prepping to leave to Michigan in a few days. My best friends are getting married in just a couple of weeks! Gosh - typing that seems so surreal! So, while I want to absolutely dedicate some time and get this blog up and running, I have a VERY important speech that I'll need to write in the next couple weeks as well. I've been writing it in my head for years for Whitney, but now she's decided to marry my best guy friend. I'll have to figure out how to condense this speech because I could share so many wonderful stories about these two for hours! :)

I have a couple of goals for this blog. I'd like to use it to really help me focus on living life! I need to do better at making the most of my life. Realizing that there are no limits. As kids, we were the biggest dreamers, the possibilities were truly endless in our young minds. Somewhere along the path of "growing up" we lose that ability to believe that our dreams can come true. They can. We just need to make them come true.

One of my closest friends, Chinua, had really been encouraging me to watch The Secret. I told him that I had been meaning to read it, but he said I need to watch it right now - to start implementing the mindset immediately. Clearly, Chinua could see that my outlook wasn't exuding the light it should be. My heart was deflated and I wasn't holding the optimistic attitude that I should. I wasn't believing that something great could be around the corner waiting for me. And as we learn from The Secret, with that attitude, nothing good will come to me. I haven't yet bought into The Secret like Chinua and many others, but I'm trying to reconstruct my thinking to be similar to their suggestions, because I do believe there are some valid points made.

Around the same time, I had a great dinner chat with another friend of mine, Jaclyn. We were talking about all the things we wanted to do in life. It all stemmed from a simple night of karaoke that Jac experienced. Karaoke was something she's always wanted to try and said she would at some point in life, even though she was nervous. This prompted her to create her "Bucket List." We discovered through our chat, that most of us have a subliminal Bucket List. There are many moments in life where we stop and think, "Man, I really want to do _______." or "One day, I'd really like to experience _____________." Here is where most of us go wrong... We stop there. That thought gets pushed to the back of our brain and suddenly it's lost among the many other thoughts that flood our mind... "How am I going to pay all my bills this month?" "I can't forget to get this from the grocery store." "What if I don't make enough sales at work this month?" "Why hasn't he called me back?" etc. etc. In order to actually start checking things off your Bucket List, you need to envision it. The only way to do that, is to get it all down on paper.

That is what I needed to stop and make myself do. Everyone's life is hectic. We like to think we don't have time to sit down and do something so trivial. But for our enjoyment's sake, we must make the time. Otherwise, many of life's greatest experiences are passing you by. I would like to think of 100 things I'd really like to do, achieve or experience in my life. I will have to revisit this post several times to update, but I will get 100! :)

So, I've decided that my blog will be dedicated to combining the message behind The Secret and my Bucket List. This blog will be my "Vision Board" (Secret reference). I am putting The Secret and myself to the test! How willing am I to chase after my dreams? Will I leave my comfort zone to obtain what I really want? Because I know that many times, it will be necessary. Hopefully this blog will keep it all in perspective for me, and keep me in check. Remind me that the only person who can control my destiny is me. God has a plan already set in place for me. Now He is just waiting for me to take the right steps. I'm ready for the universe to align and to welcome all the new joys I have been waiting for. I'm ready to finally FEEL ready to accept what is waiting for me. This blog will keep you all updated on how it's all panning out. If I truly start envisioning my dreams, feeling my dreams, will they come true? According to The Secret, they will. There is a quote I've always liked to live by, ""If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you." Let's see if it's true! Without futher adieu... My Bucket List:

1. Meet Ellen DeGeneres. (Yes - it's my #1! It's the first thing that popped into my head because it's something I truly want! I've always loved Ellen and said numerous times that I will meet her one day. I don't know how, but I will!) :)
2. Find the love of my life in an unconventional way. I want a story to tell my kids!
3. Go sky diving
4. Have a presence on a track. Whether it be background vocals, a clap, talking... whatever! I want to experience a studio session.
5. Be successful enough to be able to give my parents an amazing gift (material gift - car, new house, something along those lines) to thank them for all they've done to me.
6. Successfully develop an event or organization that will benefit this world in one way or another.
7. Swim with dolphins.
8. Scuba Dive.
9. Travel the world - Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Australia and many more!
10. Explore Australia.
11. FINALLY become completely fluent in Spanish.
12. Start my own company.
13. Have a beautiful family.
14. Become a certified dog trainer.
15. Have a wedding full of celebration and MUSIC. I want my wedding to be a concert! ;)
16. Better yet... have Brian McKnight sing at my wedding! My dream!! "The Rest of My Life"
17. Be on television in some way, shape or form.
18. Write a book (right now I see an honest, comedic relationship book, but any book will do!)
19. Become Baptized when the time is right.
20. Get my body into amazing shape that I could pose as a fitness model.
21. Go on a cruise.
22. Go for a hot air balloon ride.
23. Visit a rainforest.
24. Ride a horse on a beach.
25. Further my education.
26. Earn six figures. :)
27. Get a dog (even though I already got him, I feel this needs to be on here. It was the most important thing to me for most of my life!)
28. Develop a popular blog that is followed by many. One that gives insight and inspiration to its readers. One that many find relatable to their own lives.
29. Buy my own house/loft/condo - whatever fits.
30. Be a road manager for someone on a tour.
31. Train Cooper to be a therapy dog and go visit hospitals to spread his unconditional love and cuteness! :)
32. Run a race (start with 5K - would love to move up - running's not my thing).
33. Learn dancing (salsa, ballroom, belly, all of the above!)