"Run towards what you want,
as opposed to running away from what you don’t want."

—Will Guidara, Unreasonable Hospitality

This entire newsletter was actually inspired from a wildly successful post I made on Instagram about my 40th birthday. For a long time I had a dream on my bucket list to treat my three sisters and my dearest friends to an exceptional dining experience and I did exactly that a few weeks ago.

I bought out a full table seating at one of my favorite upscale restaurants and I took my sisters and friends to an incredible 20-course dining experience. It was a night I’ll never forget and I don’t think my friends will, either.

A number of years ago, that birthday idea would have felt way out of reach and beyond what I felt was possible. However, as a professional in the field of transformation, I take my own “medicine.” I do all the same assessments, inventories, and processes I run with my people — and I invest heavily in working my my own coach every year.

Two of my all-time favorite processes to do with clients and with myself are:
100 Dreams & Desires, and Your Rich Life Vision.

Through those specific processes over the years (in addition to others), I’ve expanded my ability to dream into my desires in a bigger and more vivid way.

Now, because I’ve adopted dreaming as an ongoing practice, dreaming is a natural part of my everyday. I feel more equal to what I desire. I feel braver in the things I say I want.

The more normal dreaming has become, the more I have begin to see that I can actually start living my bucket list as a lifestyle instead of crossing my fingers and hoping to check off someday.

I lovingly refer to this as: BUCKET LIST LIVING.

This idea essentially means that instead of waiting for the right time or the right conditions, you can live your bucket list life NOW. You don’t have to wait for the future. You don’t have to wait for the “right time.”

And you can experience bucket list living regardless of what is happening in your life - because it’s actually more about holding a mentality about living fully and a choice to opt into joy. Even in challenging circumstances, there’s opportunity to be gracious with yourself and to lean into the goodness available.

For example, the last 2 years of my life has held a lot of adventure — and a lot of heartbreak and hardship. As many of you know, I sold my dream home in the desert (heartbreaking and so much paperwork); my (second) marriage ended and I worked with deep feelings of shame, disappointment and failure; I moved back to Los Angeles (hello, stress!); I had to get my daughter into a new kindergarten (yikes, applications!); I faced my fears that my daughter might not ever recover from the divorce — and so much more behind the scenes.

I chose to shift into I had to navigate life as a single mother and business owner and that came with a lot of inner feelings and a lot of actual energy and legwork. It was not easy.

HOWEVER, none of the hardships prevented me from experiencing Bucket List Living in my own way.

For example… My Bucket List Living the last two years has included:

+ I’ve been available for my daughter’s school drops/pick ups consistently on the days I have her. I planned adventures and regular dates with her that made core memories.

+ I signed up for a cooking class at one of my favorite restaurants.

+ I went to London by myself for 2 weeks (and met my coach there for a private intensive!).

+ I take over a month off of work every year.

+ I stayed at Amangani, which is one of multiple Aman-brand resorts worldwide I want to stay at.

+ For my 40th birthday, I treated my sisters and closest friends to an upscale dining experience in Los Angeles.

+ I found a beautiful, spacious, penthouse condo with a view of Hollywood hills for me and my daughter.

+ I brought on my first 2- year apprentice in my business.

+ I hired a team of assistants for the first time.

+ I led a masterclass series that was wildly successful.

+ Worked directly with two of my big heroes who are known globally for their impact.

+ Deepened my friendships and traveled with them.

+ And so much more!

Bucket List Living can occur no matter what, because YOU get to define what that would look like.

Do you have a bucket list?

How often do you revisit it and revamp it?

How often do you let yourself dream and desire?

And what’s the last thing you checked off of your bucket list?

What’s the next thing you want to check off - no matter how big or small?

What is your own definition of Bucket List Living?