Guest Post, Emily: Bucket List

Here's another great guest post we got while we were on our break, from Emily. Check out her fantastic personal blog at http://emilymcb.blogspot.com. 

I recently graduated from college and entered the adult world of full-time work. The transition was much harder on me than I expected it to be. Suddenly I didn't have papers to write or exams to study for, and I felt that I had free time coming out my ears.

All my life, all I'd known was school. First my main goals revolved around doing well in school, so I could get into college; then the main goal became finishing college, so I could get my bachelor's degree. I got stuck when I didn't know what I was working toward anymore.

I wasn't finding much fulfillment from my supposedly "dream" job, and I didn't want to spend all my life either working or watching Netflix. That's when I realized I needed to make some goals. Life goals.

I decided to make a bucket list.

I thought long and hard about what I wanted on my bucket list. What is it that I want to do before I die? What do I want my life to be about? What are my priorities?

Some things on my bucket list are silly (like learning how to milk a cow). Many involve traveling (like taking a road trip across the country or walking along the Great Wall of China). Some things I have control over (like reading all of Shakespeare's plays and running a half marathon), while others...not so much (like having kids). But that's okay! Because now, I feel like I have things to work on and things to look forward to. Things that I can do now, and things that need to wait 'til later.

What I've realized through all of this is how important it is for me to be setting goals and working toward them. My happiness is largely dependent on my productivity.

I want to have a lovely life. I'm trying my best to enjoy the small moments of everyday life, but when I'm feeling down, it's so nice to pull out my bucket list and think about the lovely moments that are waiting.