I recently saw a tweet from Arthur Brooks, stating, “On my happiness journey, I’ve turned the traditional bucket list on its head.”
Instead of focusing on what he wants to acquire, Aurthur talks about what he wants to release. This got me thinking; we often create bucket lists to outline things we want to get or achieve. But what if we also considered what we want to let go of?
We’ve talked before about having a “not-to-do” list. Sometimes, you need to decide what not to do in order to focus on what’s important. Arthur’s perspective on the bucket list is similar. Instead of acquiring more things, he suggests releasing things that weigh us down—like stress, money, power, pleasure, honor, strong political opinions, etc.
Letting go of these can help us feel freer and more open to different opinions and experiences, fostering more empathy.
This idea is valuable. We often try to control things tightly, aiming to be right or to drive performance. But sometimes, we need to let go, trust others and understand different perspectives. Funny enough, when I manage to release my grip, something even better often comes back to me.
So, thinking about the bucket list in a new way—not just about acquiring more but also about what we can release—seems interesting. We’re almost halfway through 2024. What can we let go of to live our best life at work, at home, with our families and hobbies? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.
