First I was watching Oprah and they had a show on all the cool things she has done for people (bought single mum of 10 a house, funded a street kid's college education, reunited a Rwandan family separated since the massacre). Regardless of what you think of Oprah, it is very cool she has done so much for people.
It got me thinking about what inspires me, what I can offer the world. You don't need millions to make a difference. But where to start? Then I flipped a magazine and found this article in McGill University's newsletter and it told of three uni students who set out to achieve 50 things on their list of things to do before they die. Very cool! Their website is here: www.theburiedlife.com (from the idea that day to day life buries our biggest dreams).
It got me thinking about my own list of things left to do. So many wonderful experiences to enjoy. Then I read some of the other entries on their site and realised I have already accomplished many very cool things. It felt good to remember all these. I felt inspired to share them and so encourage you to celebrate your life too.
So here goes, my list of things I have already done, while still alive:
- Ran 6 marathons
- Took a hot air balloon on New Year's eve
- Survived surgery and chemotherapy for cancer
- Tandem hang gliding
- Took a mountaineering course in New Zealand
- Hiked 50km solo over two mountain passes in New Zealand' South Island, New Year's 1996
- Paddled some of Canada's wildest rivers: the Severn, Windigo, Pipestone, Albany
- Fell in love (a few too many times)
- Got married (to the best man in the whole world)
- Set up my own business, Inner Compass
- Won a poetry contest and read the poem live on television with satellite link up on exchange from Canada to the Ukraine
- Places I have been naked:
- Paddling a canoe
- Scouting rapids
- Swimming in the ocean
- Cleaning the bathroom
- Suntanning on rocks on a lake by Ontario
- Treeplanting in British Columbia
- Zippolite Beach, Mexico
- Many other beaches
- On top of a snowy mountain, Main range, Kosciusko National Park
- Presented a paper at a national outdoor education conference
- Ran workshops on personal development themes internationally
- Published an ebook, Absolute Productivity
- Travelled to India and lived with an Indian family
- Saw the Taj Mahal with same Indian family
- Attended five days of Hindu wedding celebrations for Indian girlfriend of same said family
- Spent more than $700 on a pair of shoes
- Worked as an outdoor educator for Outward Bound Australia (worked there for ten years actually)
- Set up the Instructor Training School, the internship, for Outward Bound Australia
- Taught canoeing to a group of indigenous Canadians (I am serious, this really happened!)
- Sponsored a kid's education
- Scuba dived on the Great Barrier Reef
- Snorkeling on Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
- Sea kayaked along the Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
- Ate dinner in the Eiffel tower (disappointing food actually)
- Stayed up all night and watched the dawn
- Camped in the snow
- Learned how to ski downhill
- Learned how to boogie board
- Am learning how to play golf (I think you always 'learn', and never 'master' this game)
- Stood in the 'hole' of Alcatraz (solitary confinement) - very scary
- Got my picture on the front page of the local paper
- Spoke to a group of 300 breast cancer survivors about my own cancer journey
- Was interviewed for radio (see earlier post - very fun thing to do)
- Was interviewed for TV for local political issue on bridge closure in Tharwa. I repeated myself and looked a little dorky. Not one of my finer moments!
- Rode in a limo
- Forgave myself for everything I did and didn't do
- Forgave my boyfriend for cheating on me and made friends with the other woman. She ended up being a really great flatmate.
- Took the train across Canada. Very, very big country. Lots of flat bits in the middle.
- Was elected President of the Outdoor Council of Australia.
- Watched all 6 Star Wars movies at least four times each. Maybe it's more, not sure.
- Have a baby
- Visit my relatives in South Africa that I have never met
- Wine, cheese, and cycling tour of France
- Castle tour of the United Kingdom
- Write a hard cover book
You don't need to climb mountains, paddle rivers, or appear on television to be inspiring and live an inspired life. One of the most inspiring people I know leads a quiet life. He is inspiring because he has found a profound and enduring sense of inner peace and joy. He is just one happy guy. That's my husband Rob. :)
I would love to hear your list - the one to do or the one already done - please write a comment! I promise my eternal gratitude and thanks. Go on, be brave, share with the world :)
Zoe
p.s. Thanks to everyone who has taken advantage of the end of intro prices for my online products. I am pleased to be part of your personal growth. There is just one week left on the special prices, so make sure you get in now.
Check it out here:
Hey Zoe, Cherry from Outward Bound here, long time since we chatted and I just wanted to pass on a thanks. I very rarely get to read all the way through a lot of the things that get sent to me, however I did read the article you sent... Inspiration for Thursday. I loved it, it has come at the perfect time for me as one concept keeps coming out at me lately, 50 things to do before you die. I first came across this whilst watching an 'everybody loves Raymond' episode, when this concept was mentioned myself and my partner Adam decided to do just that. Currently we are managing an outdoor ed centre in England, but something was not settled for us. So we wrote our list, I managed to get to 36, Adam is now at 54. But it made us realise that nowhere on the list was running an outdoor centre like the one we were. So we have handed in our resignations and are now looking at taking a year out of working life to travel. We plan on taking my mother around Oz for 3 months, heading to Nz for a month or so then scouting South America for 6 months. So I loved to see that concept spreading, it has changed my life and made me realise that I dont want to get to 80 and say... 'i wish i had', i will get there and say 'look what I have done'. I think to myself if i died tomorrow would i be happy with what I have achieved, the answer is yes, but then i ask myself have i achieved everything i should have and thats where i faulter slightly. I am going to chase dreams now, whether this is seen as irresponsible, i dont mind... it is time. So thank you for sharing this article with me, it reitterates all that I have planned. To enjoy life...
ReplyDeleteThanks Cherry! So great to hear from you and how your life is taking some wild and excitin turns. Good for you for following what thrills you and lights your fire!
ReplyDeleteLife is for living - now!
Zoe
Boy this post which was sent to my newsletter list Compass Bearings (http://www.innercompass.com.au/content/blogcategory/13/35/) sure generated some comments! Here are just a couple that came through to my email:
ReplyDeletefrom Craig:
"wow here it goes...........
swam with dolphins and seals (seals are like puppy dogs in their mannerisms)
dived off the great barrier reef
seen a whale close up
camped in the African wild
flow in an hot air balloon over the Serengeti
climbed inside one of the great pyramids
been in the Canberra social pages 3 times (go check today's paper - hehehehe)
fell in love
sat on the top of a mountain and thought that I am the luckiest person in the world
ridden a horse
ridden a camel
ridden a sheep hehehehe - had a bruise for a week when fell off.........
stayed out all night with friends then gone for breakfast
told my parents and friends I am gay
told the ones I love that I love them
been inside the dungeon of a mental institution jail
eaten food that has been and best and though that I had died and gone to heaven
laughed until I have cried
watched Bridget Jones Diary a dozen times
cry every time I watch Love Actually
sung Karaoke
finished rolling out a project nationally for my work
seen Diana Ross Live
eaten a sail
Things I want to do...........
Fall in love again for all the right reason
go to the Greek isles
tour Turkey
That was so much fun!"
Thanks Craig!!!!!
Zoe
Here's one from Cherie who checked in at 40:
ReplyDelete"I thought that I would share with you my Fabulous at Forty checklist.
1. Fabulous family – a loving partner and great children TICK
2. Peace of mind (and a piece of property). TICK
3. A sense of humour TICK
4. A savings account in my own name TICK
5. Fabulous friends who you can laugh and cry with TICK
6. A little black outfit that makes you look five pounds thinner TICK
7. A passionate, fiery, sex life NEEDS WORK (by me not my partner)
8. A set of matching luggage TICK
9. Regular papsmears TICK
10. A manicure (not to mention a pedicure, a facial and a massage--all the same day) TICK
11. A comfortable home and lots of storage space TICK
12. A universty degree TICK
13. A good bra STILL LOOKING
14. A good spa/jacuzzi TICK
15. An endless credit card (used sparingly) NEEDS LOTS OF WORK
16. At least one person in your life who says: "You call, I come TICK
17. A broken heart and the knowledge you can survive it LOTS
18. A political cause TICK
19. Gorgeous long fingernails WORKING ON IT
20. To run a marathon TICK
21. A personal trainer TICK
22. A good skin-care regimen NEEDS WORK
23. The ability to wing it on any subject without the benefit of concrete knowledge TICK
24. To travel to exotic locations in the world WORKING ON IT
25. To be comfortable with my wild hair ACCEPTED
26. A shocking secret YOULL NEVER FIND OUT
27. Teaching my children how to be caring and compassionate adults WORKING ON IT
28. World peace NEEDS LOTS OF WORK
29. A pair of silk pajamas NEXT BIRTHDAY PLEASE
30. The phone number of someone who is good with their hands TICK
31. To own at least one drop-dead, don't-speak-to-me-because-you-know-you-don't-know-me gorgeous photo of myself NOT TONIGHT THANKS
32. To be head hunted for a fabulus new job NEEDS WORK
33. Friendships that have stood the test of time TICK TICK TICK
34. To have spent an afternoon sipping Campari in Paris TICK
35. One last chance to tell the guy you were crazy about in your 20s who treated you badly THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU (He was a horror!!)
36. A soul mate. TICK
37. To own at least one very expensive suit WORKING ON IT
38. Faith, hope and a good fantasy TICK
39. A dream TICK
40. A plan to make it come true ALWAYS WORKING ON IT
So my advice to all of you on this momentus occasion is don't accept anyone else's judgments but your own. In short, stop living your life for other people and start living it for yourself."
Good on you Cherie!
Zoe
Here's another one:
ReplyDeleteZoe.
I have three words that come to mind!
BRING IT ON!
Have a great week end.
Ross Blake
Senior Health & Fitness Coordinator
Juice Plus+ NSA (Australia) Pty Ltd
0402458871
juice.plus@optusnet.com.au
www.rossblake.com.au
www.childrensresearch.org