April 30, 2012

Can I Make My Life Count?....My Bucket List!

In life's journey there comes a time when we reach a point where we are in a crossroad taking assessment of our lives. We look back and ponder upon all we've done and wonder if there is more we need or want to accomplish.  We ask ourselves if there is anything different we would've done.  Have all we've done thus far served a purpose?  Do we have any regrets?  We feel time passing by and fear we'll leave this earth without reaching all our goals or dreams.  Did we surrender our true passions and dreams only to conform to societies norm of sustaining a job we're not happy with just to pay bills and have a roof over our heads?  Are we happy?  Are we proud of who we are?  Have we made a difference in life?  According to the psychological stages of development, the ever existential question at this point in life is Can I Make My Life Count?   I believe to find myself at this very crossroad and have decided to search for the answers...for my answers!
 
Psychology teaches that there are 8 stages of psychological development.  I remember studying these stages back in college, but for the life of me cannot retrieve this information from many years ago.  So I took a refresher course (thank God for the Internet) and found that I am at the crossroad of #7...Generativity vs Stagnation.  Also that I've not mastered #6...Intimacy vs Isolation (but I'm working on it).  However, the study of the psychological stages also teaches that mastery of one stage is not required to move on to another. The significant relationships listed for stage #7 are household and workmates which is a good thing because I do have a household, well technically had a household (recent empty nester here) and I do have workmates, lots and lots of workmates.  And as far as to the existential question Can I Make My Life Count?, well I am sure going to give it my all to find out.  

The study of the psychological stages also provides a list of tasks associated with each stage broken down by age group.  It provides information on what psychologically development is occuring for each age group to determine "healthy" developing from infancy to adulthood.  In each stage one confronts new challenges.  Following is a list of the "tasks" associated to stage #7 (middle adulthood 25-64 or 40-4 years) which I have taken the liberty to  "check-reference" accordingly to my life: 



  • Express love through more than sexual contacts. - check


  • Maintain healthy life patterns. - ummmmm check


  • Develop a sense of unity with mate. - thought so at one point, but nope, no check here


  • Help growing and grown children to be responsible adults. - check, check and still checking

  • Relinquish central role in lives of grown children. - um, does really trying count??? Hey, you can't blame me they're my babies!

  • Accept children's mates and friends. - difficult, but do "accept", as for "like", not all the time


  • Create a comfortable home. - for the moment...check


  • Be proud of accomplishments of self and mate/spouse. - check to proud, but more to accomplish! as to mate/spouse...divorcee and widow


  • Reverse roles with aging parents. - both parents deceased


  • Achieve mature, civic and social responsibility. - check


  • Adjust to physical changes of middle age. - ummm I guess I'm gonna have to


  • Use leisure time creatively. - nope, no check here! this is where my focus will be!!!!! thus...


  • My Bucket List! yep, I sure do got me a Bucket List! 

    Here's a starter list of a "few" things I wanna gonna do!  I'm starting off light, with little things I feel I've missed out on, but just want to have fun with and experience...


    Get my sexyy on with my alter ego "Mariposa" on the Dance Pole! 
    Already checked off....stay tune for picture segment!

     Fly High Free in the Sky!

    Never worn false eyelashes...gonna see what it's all about!
      
     Ooooh! Nope! Too weird; definitely do not wanna try these!!!
      
    Okay, getting closer, but not quite there yet! 


    Wow! Pretty...a definite maybe! 

    but I think...
    I'll just leave it as a mystery and make my search an adventure!
    I also don't know what wearing a wig for fun feels like...

    There are so many to choose from...


     I think I'll just clown around and have some fun with them before the final choice!


    Which ever I pick, will represent a little of the whole ME!


     
    Do you find yourself asking these questions too?  Have you found YOUR answers?  What things do YOU feel you've missed out on and would like to do?  Do you have a your very own Bucket List?  Tell me, I'd surely love to hear all about it.  You just never know who you may inspire with your story or simplyy by sharing your views, thoughts and comments.  Hey, you just may very well end up inspiring yourself!  As always, thanks for stopping by to visit.

    Keep coming back for more of....to Inspire and be Inspired! 
    And well, of course for more of my experiences with My Bucket List!

    Tootles!
    SimplyyMayra

    1 comment:

    1. fun post! really cool that you want to try all those things, you've even got me inspired to ponder over what kind of things I can create a bucket list with :) I've always said I've wanted to try and skydive at least once in my life (even though I'm severely terrified of heights lol) so it's really awesome that that is something you want to do, hope it turns out as amazing as the idea sounds, can't wait to hear all about how it goes! I've warn false eyelashes before.. not something I would wear on a regular basis but definitely something fun for a special occasion, I totally love to accessorize with my unique flair ;) other things I would definitely want to also do before my time runs out include, but are not limited to, learning to speak Portuguese, French & Italian, as well as travel abroad to all those countries, especially hoping to backpack through Italy. I would also like to write a book and maybe even start a blog of my own (yours has definitely Inspired that in me!) I would like to take guitar lessons, enroll in cooking & baking classes, design my own lingerie line and open a boutique showcasing my work, take a dance class (maybe salsa, or hip hop or both!), go on a cross country road trip, take vacation on a cruise, go on a float trip... I'm starting to notice a traveling pattern here.. lol but definitely see a lot of places and experience a lot of things! life is too short not to live the most of every moment!

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