Bucket List... its never too early!

Please pardon this post, it has very little to do with Martial Arts, and nothing at all with Fitness or Nutrition in general. This another personal post about goals.

Last time, I posted some of my Martial Arts goals, which I am on my way to accomplishing. Building good practice habits, and learning more material for my Orange Belt, etc. However, I've really been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my life lately, and some things I would like to accomplish before I 'kick the bucket' as it were. This has been mostly inspired by some of the books I am reading, namely "Hyperfitness" by Sean Burch and "The Way of Kata" by Kris Wilder and Lawrence Kane, among other things. I'm not very far into either of these books yet, but they are both good so far. Hyperfitness is a pretty inspiring and motivational read. The history chapter of Way of Kata is very cool and makes me want to study harder and re-enforces the fact that I want to devote my life to Martial Arts.

Hence, I have decided to create a Bucket List. Granted, I'm only 22 and I don't intend to die anytime soon, God willing. But I still want to do it. My list is still small at this point, but I'm sure it will grow as I figure out more things I want to do and as I accomplish these goals.

Last night I mentioned this to my boyfriend, that I was making a Bucket List. He gave me this really weird look and said "You're too young for one of those." Then I gave him a really weird look and said "What?! No Way! Why wait to start doing the things I want to do with my life? I want to start working towards them now!"

My list can grow and change as I do, but if I wait, who's to say I'll get it all in before I bite the dust?!?! Granted, I could die tomorrow (or at any time) in some freak accident with none of these things accomplished. But if I don't even try, or if I just keep putting it off till tomorrow, then I'll never get any of them done for certain. That's a scary thought. I don't want to be on my death bed 60 or 80 years from now and look back and think, "Wow... coulda, shoulda, woulda...."

So, here we go, my Bucket List thus far, in somewhat of a no particular order:

1) Travel to Japan
2) Learn to speak, read and write Japanese at a more or less fluent level
3) Obtain an 8th degree black belt ranking in a Martial Art (preferably Aiki) and teach M.A.
4) Get at least one book published
5) Go to driving school and learn to power slide a car among other wicked sweet racecar/stunt diver moves
6) Swim with real live sharks in the ocean

I pledge to never look back with regret and say "coulda, shoulda, woulda...". Instead, I want to live Carpe Diem! Seize the day! I want to live each day to its fullest potential, always looking for the positive aspect of any situation and treating others with kindness.

Find out what you want from life and make it happen people! Only you have the power to make your dreams real, so do it! Don't let anything or anyone hold you back. There is no such phrase as "I can't." YOU CAN. If you want it, you can make it happen. Throw caution to the wind! Don't listen when someone tells you: you can't, or you're not good enough, or your dream or idea is stupid. If you are pursuing what you love, then you will be happy and fulfilled. Those people who have only negative things to say to you are not happy with their lives, so ignore them and follow your bliss.

~ Samurai Girl Sahara