"Its never too late to be what you might have been" – George Eliot
I’ve been a late bloomer in pretty much every aspect of my
life. Some of it was out of my control (I mean I really couldn’t help if Mother
Nature has a twisted sense of humor and exercised it heavily on me during my
teens and twenties) but I can’t put all of the blame for it on her, either. Some
of it was also by my personal choice. And by that, I mean I used to be very shy
and afraid of “what was out there” in the big, scary world so I would rarely
try anything new or took any chances of any kind. I chose instead to do my best
to hide away from life, tucking myself away from it safely like a tight little
rosebud that had not yet bloomed.
But there is a quote that says “And the time came when the
risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to
blossom.” This was the case for me. As time went on, my rosebud shell grew more
and more uncomfortable for me. So one day I just took a chance and pushed aside a
petal or two to take a peek at what was going on outside of my safe little bud.
When I did, I was amazed at what I saw and how I felt. At last I had found the
courage I needed to take a risk on myself and that big scary world outside and
started to take on the task of blooming.
It’s been awhile now since I took that first step to leave
that ol’ bud of mine behind me but even so, I still strive to blossom and grow
in other ways whenever the opportunity presents itself. I’ve created a bucket list of sorts for myself , made up of
challenges to meet, both big and small. I’ve included everything from simply trying
new foods to trying new experiences. In my ongoing quest towards
“Blossomville”, I’ve learned that most stuff you try even just once wont kill
ya…… but then again that also depends on what you want to try. I mean if you
attempt to become the queen of multitasking and try to make yourself some toast
and dry your hair while relaxing in your bathtub loaded up with Mr. Bubbles….. that
might be a problem.
(Although it still might not actually kill ya, it might put
a bit of damper on accomplishing the rest of your list, yanno?)
I’m proud and happy to say that the accomplished challenges section
of my bucket list is coming along quite nicely so far, but I have much more to
go…..and isn’t that what makes for a really good bucket list anyway? Just as
you cross of some of your met goals...start adding some new ones ASAP! I can think of only one thing sadder than an
empty bucket list….. and that would be a full one that goes unattempted.
Regret is hard to live with. When we take the time to look
back over our lives, what we often regret the most are the things we never
tried as opposed to the things we have. We learn through experience and every
new one (whether good or bad) helps us to grow emotionally, in
knowledge, and in our overall confidence level. Sometimes experience really IS
the best teacher. So give yourself permission to go out on a limb once in
awhile. Give yourself the chance to one day look back on your life with a smile
and a sense of pride and say “OMG…I actually DID that??” If you haven’t already, why not start
scratching some things off of your bucket list today? Take some advice from George Eliot. It’s never too late. And there is no time like
the present to start.
My most recent bucket list challenge that I met was walking in the annual Easter Parade on 5th
avenue in Manhattan
for the very first time this past Easter. It was so much fun and I’m so glad I tried it. If you would like to join me in my experience,
please check out my video below.
Until next time everybody…ta ta and toodles!
Tracie Dee
Tracie Dee
Great work, Tracie! And an inspiration to those of us just getting the nerve up to do those things we've been putting off for years.
ReplyDeleteDon't know where my comment went. Great job. I loved the little girl. Oh my goodness, totally precious! And the guy with the green beard was awesome.
ReplyDeleteAwesome reminder for all of us:). I am in my fifties and still have a bucketful of dreams and goals that I am working to enjoy and achieve. As soon as I achieve one I usually add more. Life is good!
ReplyDeleteGoing out on a limb is so scary but, that is what my husband and I have been doing a lot of lately. We figure we have to make things happen for ourselves. Great reminder!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome message, Tracie! You are an inspiration to me. =)
ReplyDeleteI for one, am glad you chose to not remain tight in a bud anymore. Well played
ReplyDeleteI finally got to watch the video at work (my computer sound at home is messed up) and that was a lot of fun. And at the point where you remarked about people taking your photos you were so cute! A bundle of energy released! =)
ReplyDeleteThanks Johnny. It's taken me years to get brave enough to try new things. But I'm having so much fun now that I have. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ariana. That little girl was truly the belle of the parade (for me at least). And I was stunned to see that green bearded guy there. I go to the Coney Island Mermaid parade every year (it's their kick off to summer) abd I always see him there. I thought he was a Coney exclusive. Guess I was wrong, LOL. But he also always has his little poodle with him, who is also all dressed up for the occasion. I couldn't get him in my shot. Better luck next time.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about a bucket list is they can be created ANY time in our lives. In fact, I think they might even be better to have when we reach certain points in our lives because perhaps it's at those times we might be more open to trying the new things on it, or might need a little "life boost" that they provide. Congrats on your bucket list achievements. May you have many more to come! :) Thanks so much for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteThe saying goes "It's the squeaky wheel that gets the oil". It used to be hard for me to speak up or draw any kind of attention to myself, but I learned over time that it was often the only way I was going to get things done or get anywhere. It's good that you and your husband have one another for support. It's much easier to face scary things when you have someone by your side instead of facing them alone. I wish you both the best of luck in achieving what you want :)
ReplyDeleteAs you are to me, Ron. Thank you so much :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mike. Believe me...I am, too. Thank you for reading and commenting :)
ReplyDeleteRon, that parade was better then I ever expected it would be. It was such a nice gathering of really nice people, all just having fun and sharing a beautiful day together. I have no idea why it doesn't get more coverage or recognition. And yes.....I was VERY thrilled when I was asked to have my pic taken. I felt honored :) Thanks for watching my video.
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