You may have a Bucket List - but please make a Reverse Bucket List

What is a bucket list

A bucket list is a collection of things a person wants to do or achieve before they die. It usually contains a mix of personal, adventurous, and travel goals that show what matters to them. If you have not seen the movie by that name, here is a scene that will leave you wanting to see the rest of the movie.

What is I always wanted to see the Northern Lights. I imagined myself lying on the snow and looking up at the play of lights in the sky. I checked on the net, ‘where is the best place to see the Aurora Borealis’? According to most experts, the best place to see the Northern Lights is Tromsø, Norway as it sits directly within the "aurora zone" and offers excellent viewing conditions due to its location above the Arctic Circle; other top spots include regions in northern Sweden, Iceland, and Finnish Lapland.

How I had imagined watching Northern Lights would feel like

And then this happened

In May 2024 when I got to know that the universe was conspiring to bring the Aurora Borealis to Seattle, it was hard to believe. People were debating on Redditt about where to go. The advised, “Choose a place that is pitch dark so you can see the lights.” Guess what! I did see the Northern Lights not in Finland or Alaska but in my own backyard. I saw it to my hearts content. I left satiated. A bucket list item was ticked off.

I opened my diary and then flipped the page where the bucket list had been itemized. And put a tick mark. And then wondered if I should replace “Watch Northern Lights” with “Watched it in Seattle!” and felt a strange emptiness. Was it something too achievable that I had put in my list? Should I add more?

Isn’t it spectacular? And to think this happened in Seattle

The Reverse Bucket List
I had to put the lights and color spectacle of nature in my Reverse Bucket List. Things I had done, seen and hurdles I had crossed that had once seemed impossible to handle.

A reverse bucket list celebrate achievements and experiences you have already had. Instead of listing things you want to do, you document remarkable moments, personal milestones, and meaningful experiences you’ve already completed.

Why do it?

• Boosts self-confidence by recognizing personal growth

• Provides perspective on life’s journey

• Combats negative self-talk

• Helps appreciate personal accomplishments

• Serves as a powerful reminder of resilience and capability

By reflecting on past successes, a reverse bucket list becomes a powerful tool for gratitude, self-appreciation, and understanding personal evolution. It shifts mindset from constant striving to acknowledging and celebrating individual progress.