Life List

[pegkerr]

A number of thoughts have been coming together lately on the idea of making a life list. One was this recent LiveJournal entry, where I talked about how my greatest character flaw, perhaps unrecognized until just lately, has been a reluctance to take risks, to stretch myself. A number of other things have come up that I have been reflecting upon

Comments

A very worthy comment

[pegkerr]

and one which will spark further thought. Thanks. I like your summing up of my organizing principle; yes, I think that is it. The point of taking more risks of course isn't to stupidly endanger myself for the sake of thrills--but I do want to experience life more fully.

I keep thinking of the point made during a financial planning seminar I took earlier this year. The seminar leader pointed out that people are mistaken if they think that putting their money under the mattress is the least risky thing to do. On the contrary: they end up with less than they started with, because of inflation. Tolerance of risk is necessary for financial health. I've been thinking, more and more, that it is also necessary for a fully lived human life. For example: let's say that I live a long full life. If I make no new friends, and many of my peer cohort die before me, I will become lonelier and lonelier as I age. It is important to keep making new friends, esp. younger friends as I age, to keep fully connected with other people.

I would like to find a list somewhere on the Internet to give me more ideas about what to put on my life list. Can anyone point me to any?

Cheers,
Peg

Re: A very worthy comment

[diony]

I'm glad it was helpful to you. Commenting in journals is much more fun & interesting than actually finishing my music history midterm. :-)

I agree about risk -- risk does not have to be 'do something stupid and dangerous for the sake of the adrenaline rush' -- and indeed, I don't think there are many people in the world who need that sort of thing in their life. My personal biases are showing, yes. But the sort of risk which is pushing one's own personal boundaries and levels of comfort -- that I think is necessary to living a full and engaged human life. Growth isn't comfortable, just necessary.

I've never made a life list, but thinking about it I can identify a few things; I want to raise kids, whether or not I'm married (although married seems increasingly likely, what with this whole being engaged thing!) and whether or not they're genetically mine.

My personal crusade is women's self-defense, so I am going to go out on a limb here & suggest you put 'Take a model mugging class from Impact Twin Cities' onto your list. I think this is something that every human being ought to do; it is incredibly mentally and emotionally challenging (but not usually terribly physically challenging) and I think vital to changing some of the most negative aspects of modern culture. Especially if you are having the reaction "I could never do something like that!", think about adding it to your list. :-)

Back to the midterm!