Lola’s POV: It’s Never Too Late to Create a Bucket List

buck·et list

noun

informal

1. a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime.

If you’ve followed my last few POV’s you know by now that life as usual is a thing of the past.  “The new normal” includes living at my grandparents who got power restored post-hurricane (I still have no power at home) and no longer having my parents live under the same roof.  So last week I travelled to West Palm Beach to visit my dad and celebrate the 4-years of my heart surgery, a bit differently than the party I’m used to.  I could let that bring me down, but in true Lola fashion, I wasn’t going to let that put a damper on this yearly celebration.

As I was searching for things to do in the Florida area, I scrolled through lists and Googled travel sites and found that I could swim with the dolphins, which has been one of my lifelong dreams… Hello! Did anyone say “bucket list?” I was beyond excited to go share a couple of minutes with the dolphins, which are so playful, but also sensitive and serene. And mission accomplished, that was exactly what I did.  As I got closer to the time to get in the water I was nervous, excited and beyond jittery at this point, resembling, as my boyfriend pointed out, that character Mumble, from the movie “Happy Feet.” Almost  thirty minutes later, after tricks, treats and some TLC with the dolphins, I can safely check that one off.  

Photo: Courtesy of Lola Montilla

How soon is “too soon” to start a bucket list? Never! Some, of course might be easier to complete than others, but how can goal-setting be a bad thing if it keeps you moving in the right direction? As I work on my bucket list, I can definitely see a pattern. So, in the spirit of accountability, and just plain sharing (even more!) with you, here are some of the items on mine.

Publish a poetry book

Poetry has been my passion for as long as I can remember. It has been my escape whenever I’ve had a bad day, felt angry, sad, frustrated, or in love. My way of writing has developed insanely and I know I have so much to give to the world! When I was writing Beautiful Scars, I had no idea I would end up loving composition as much as I do now. The emotions I’ve written down in my poetry notebook are the purest and deepest of my thoughts and if anyone wants to know my genuine feelings, that would be the place to find them.

Become a world-known writer and public speaker

Writing and public speaking are what make me most happy, and the adrenaline I find in speaking to a group of  people who are willing to listen is something I can rarely find anywhere else, I love what I do and I want to continue doing it at a much larger scale, which brings me to my next item…

Give a TED Talk

I told you I could see a common thread here. I always find myself thinking what I would say to my crowd when I give a TED talk and what their reactions would be. Will they cry, laugh, be inspired? I’ve stood in front of my mirror holding a hairbrush pretending I’m giving a speech at a world known stadium with the giant TED letters behind me. I so look forward to giving people something that they would want to continue listening to, and something that would move them to make a change, or to further motivate others.

Make a change in my community

This is one of my biggest challenges. I want to leave this world a better place than the one I found.  I want people’s lives to be better because they met me.  I want my community and the people who live in it to better because of something I did, or set off.  Whether it’s through my movements, my actions, or my words. Come on, changing the world can’t be unattainable for someone who doesn’t believe in the impossible.

In my POV, Bucket Lists should be a reminder that you have a life to live and that you have dreams to achieve and things you want to do. Lately we get so caught up in our daily rut of responsibilities and tasks that we forget to allow ourselves to dream about all the things we want to accomplish. I think having a bucket list is important to let you know that you must take a minute and LIVE. So, go do it!  Dream about all that the future holds, enjoy those new events and cherish the ones you’ve had the opportunity of experiencing already.