Hi all! Apologies again for being a phantom for a few weeks, but I officially graduated this weekend, so now it will be easier to keep up with Project Light to Life and to stay in touch with my lovely readers.
I am thrilled to announce that May 23rd marked the one-year anniversary of Project Light to Life, which has now reached 15,000 followers. Thanks to PLTL, I have interacted with some incredible people and cannot wait to “meet” more of you.
When I first set out to start a bucket list blog, I was unsure what direction it would take me in, but starting this blog has pushed me to pursue some of the best experiences of my life.
When I started this blog, here was my goal: I hope to do one kind act for someone else/help someone cross off an item from his or her bucket list each time I cross off several accomplishments on my list.
If you are thinking about starting your own bucket list or bucket list blog, my only advice is: Do it! Many people suggest that when we write things down, we are more likely to do them. I can definitely attest to that advice, as there is a certain satisfaction that comes with seeing goals in list form and then crossing them off the list.
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of PLTL, I decided it would be fun to do a year-in-review post, share the items I was able to cross off my bucket lists within the past year, along with some of the motivational stories sent in by Readers of the Month, interviews I conducted with inspiring people, and the man on the street interviews I conducted with strangers.
Listed below are the items I crossed off my Activities & Adventures bucket list this year:
Activities & Adventures
5). Swim with and ride a dolphin.
6). Drive a jet ski without a partner.
11). Go to an indoor trampoline park.
16). Create a bucket list blog.
19). Go parasailing.
28). Go hiking.
42). Go to a vineyard.
56). Drive and ride on the back of a quad.
63). Make a photo book for someone (Grandpa J.) on Shutterfly.
83). Put a message in a bottle and throw it in the ocean.
90). Go geocaching.
98). Watch a sunrise and sunset in the same day.
100). Get a penpal.
101). Write at least one nice thing that happened to me everyday and put it in a jar.
103). Go mountain biking.
Here are the activities I crossed off my Kind Acts & Volunteering Bucket list this year:
Kind Acts & Volunteering
1). Leave inspirational messages on sticky notes in public places.
2). Pay for someone behind me in a drive-thru line.
8). Pay for someone’s coffee, who is in line behind me.
11). Leave $5 where a kid will find it.
12). Leave flowers on a stranger’s doorstep.
13). Spend time at a nursing home summer 2013.
15). Make a shutterfly album for grandpa.
20). This summer 2013, donate to the American Heart Association.
21). This summer, 2013 give money to someone who needs it more than I do.
23). Write a nice letter and leave it in a book for a stranger to find.
24). Pay the toll for the car behind me.
29.) Anonymously mail letters of encouragement to strangers.
36). Pick up a piece of trash lying in the street and put it in a trashcan.
38). Hand out flowers at a nursing home.
41). Bring old magazines to a hospital or doctor’s waiting room.
44). Feed someone’s parking meter that is about to expire.
Here are the places and activities I crossed off my travel bucket list this year:
Travel
1). Australia
2). United Arab Emirates (Dubai)
3). Go on a spring break trip with friends (in St. Martin).
United States
1). Georgia
Here are some new restaurants in NYC I enjoyed this year:
New Restaurants I Enjoyed this Year
1). Ninja in NYC
2). Jekyll and Hyde in NYC
Life
While I did not specifically list these goals on PLTL, here are some personal milestones I crossed off my bucket list within the past year.
1). Graduate college.
2). Make a speech as the valedictorian at my college convocation.
3). Get into graduate school.
4). Reach 15,000 followers on Project Light to Life
5). Lose ten pounds.
One of my favorite parts about starting PLTL has been all of the inspiring people I met and interacted with thanks to this blog.
For one, I was amazed to read the inspiring stories sent in by PLTL’s Readers of the Month.
For example, I had the honor of featuring:
– Carl Honeysett, a 20-something volunteer from Australia, who travels the world and runs a website called VOLUNTEERING ABROAD. As he wrote in his original article, “I’ve since left the comforts of my Australian coastal surfing hometown to give, inspire, learn, adapt, share & teach abroad. I made a decision to volunteer and help others instead of chasing monetary wealth in a pointless rat race. I haven’t always made good choices and I’m glad to be on the right side of life now. Let me tell you about my journey so far.”
– Michael Boyd, who after discovering he had eye cancer, now volunteers for Guidedogs for the Blind and the Royal National Institute for the Blind, helping people with similar problems
Those, however, are only a few of the inspiring readers that were featured. Read all of their stories here:
In addition, I got to meet more inspiring people through the interviews I conducted.
– Summer Schantz, who, only fourteen at the time of the interview, already had 78,000+ followers on Instagram because of the artsy and inspirational photos she posts. She now has her own website.
– Keith Maginn, an author who has self-published two books and is now working on publishing he third. He began his own pay-it-forward movement across the Southeastern United States.
– Heather Von St. James, a mesothelioma survivor who writes for the Huffington Post and is now a mesothelioma research funding advocate, as well as a speaker for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.
– Emily Dayton, a student who began a pay-it-forward movement that was 14,000 members strong at the time of our interview.
Read their interviews here.
Finally, I started a section known as “Bucket Listories,” in which I approached random people on the street and asked them what the number one item they want to cross off their bucket list is, along with the best thing they believe they have ever accomplished in life.
Read more here.
Thank you all for helping me to have such a wonderful year and blogging experience. I think the most exciting part about continuing to run this blog is having no idea where it will take me within the next year.
Check out my Inspiration page, to see some of the people and projects I find extremely motivational and that encouraged me to start my own project.
As I mention above, before starting this blog, I had no idea I would travel to Australia, form a great international connection with someone from there, or meet so many great people.
So thank you readers for continuing to make blogging at PLTL so much fun.
I’d love to hear from you guys. What were some of your accomplishments this year? What are some things you still want to cross off your bucket list?
Has anyone started a bucket list or hope to start his or her own bucket list now?
Enjoyed this post? Please help PLTL grow by sharing it on Facebook or Twitter!
Reblogged this on SherayxWeblog.
Wow! This is amazing. I haven’t really thought about that but this post is really inspiring. And thank you for following my blog 🙂 x
Thank you so much Harriee :)!
You’re welcome 🙂
Recently discovering Project Light to Life not only inspires yours audience but brings kindness back to you and others! Wait to go and start a very kind trend!
Aww thank you so much, I really appreciate it :)!
Congrats on your graduation!
Thanks so much Shawn :)!
I absolutely love this. I am a big planner and have life plans/lists everywhere. However one thing I love about reading over your lists is how simple and FUN some of the things you want to do are. That really challenges me…I focus so much on the big things, I need to put more value in the little. You are inspirational! Thank you!
Wow! What a year! Your blog is so inspiring! Reading about other people achieving their goals inspires me to work harder to achieve mine, so then I can write about it too! 😛
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it :)!
Congratulations on your graduation. May the Lord’s favor be upon your life more and more in the name of Jesus Christ.
Thank you so much :)!
I just discovered your blog and I love it! The concept behind this is just utterly fantastic. I’ve never been a fan of “bucket lists” but this definitely makes me want to reconsider! I’m inspired! Keep up the great work, I look forward to reading more!
Thank you so much Hanna, that means a lot :)!
Congratulations on graduating 🙂 so inspiring to see all the things you’ve achieved!
Thanks so much :)!
So fun to read about your year in review. Your blog is very inspiring.
Thank you so much :)!
The one I liked best, Leave $% where a kid will find it. Love it-I’m stealing that idea!
Aw I’m glad you enjoyed it and am really glad to hear that :)!
$5
It’s amazing how much you accomplished in a year! Congratulations on your graduation!
Thanks so much Carlos :)!
Just reading all the things you’ve accomplished, made me tired! You have such energy and joy of life. I am so glad I’m following your blog. Keep up this wonder! 🙂
Aww thank you so much :)!
Congratulations!!!!
Thank you :)!
Truly Incredible. What college did you attend ?? I feel like i would not have had time for that – you must be the master of time management !! so freaking cool
Thanks so much! I went to the University of Delaware 🙂 And haha, no worries, a lot of the items were completed last summer when I had more time!
Congratulations!
Thank you :)!
I’m so happy for you Christine – Congratulations on you Graduation and Happy Blog Anniversary! You are an inspiration to me and I wish you all the best 🙂
Aww thanks so much, it really means a lot :)!
Congratulations Christine! You’ve inspired me a lot the past year and continue to do so! Thank you for starting this blog 🙂
Thanks so much Laura, that really means a lot to me :)!
Congratulations on having such a successful year and may the next one be even better.
Thank you so much :)!
Thanks for following my blog. I’m so glad you did because it brought to yours. This blog is incredible! And I love the buried life show too. Your blog is very inspirational and I’m glad I came around your one year since I got a full recap of your year! What a wonderful year it was! Congrats on your one year blogiversary!!
Wow! What a year! I’m so glad I’m getting to read all about it.
Just Wow!!! Congratulations for what all U have achieved in a year, it’s simply amazing.
First of all, CONGRATULATIONS for your graduation! 😀
Second, congratulations for those numbers… 15000, a lot!!! 😀
Third, i repeat, but it’s important… you inspire me with all your experiences… your smile makes me happy and with ill to do some of them!
Continue like you’ve been… i love your blog! 😀
Aww thank you so much, that really means a lot to me :)! So glad to hear it!
😀
You’re welcome. 😉
Kiss
Congratulations on your graduation and your excellent blog. You have inspired many people to turn their good thoughts and ideas into action!
Thank you so much Marilyn, I really appreciate it :)!
So inspiring I started a bucket list but ill definetly be posting it and doing follow up posts!
Thank you so much Chelle 🙂 I will have to keep updated on it!
Congrats! These are stellar achievements at any age, but particularly for someone so young! Good for you!
I love your blog. While I’m not thinking of doing a bucket list or pay it forward blog, I am considering doing one on “The Secret” aka the lessons of Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone on the power of positive thinking and gratitude.
Aww thanks so much Blossom 🙂 I really appreciate it and always appreciate your comments. The project your thinking about sounds awesome though. I will definitely have to stay updated on it!
I do find myself drifting all over the map on my blog these days. I’ve fallen in love with writing. It was designed to be my search for falling in love with the right guy! I’m happy though.
Haha aww, I love this comment 🙂 And I think it’s great to fall in love with writing too! Finding a passion seems equally important to me!
What am amazing year! You should be proud. Keep up the great work. Congrats on graduation (valedictorian!!) and the upcoming Europe trip. Also on one year of your blog. You have touched people and had some great experiences. Thank you for the mention, too! I enjoy keeping up with your posts. All the best to you.
Thank you so much Keith for such nice comments 🙂 Your work has definitely inspired me and I can’t wait to read more about your upcoming projects! Hope you are having a great summer so far.
It’s me again I couldn’t help but comment and say congratulations on all achievements! Thank you for sharing your heartwarming stories with us. And finally thank you for following my blog!!! Xo
Aww thank you so much Hannah, I really appreciate it, and am glad I found your blog :)!
That means a lot, thank you xo
Congrats on graduating from college! You just gave me a bunch of ideas to add to my own bucket lists. I especially love the kind acts & volunteering list. Also, thanks for following my blog.
Thank you so much and I’m really glad to hear that :)!
What an amazing, inspiring blog! As a not-recent (English major) college graduate (okay, I’m old!), I am so happy that you are shining your light on the world. 🙂 What a promising future you have! Congratulations on graduating, and at the top of your class! Also, I went to Europe a couple of years after I graduated from college. Although I did a great job documenting my trip with photos, I wish I had done a better job keeping a travel journal or at least finishing my scrapbook upon return! I also wish I had seen more theatres in London… but the Globe was an amazing place to experience. I could go on and on, but I’ll spare you. Stonehenge was the best part of my trip, though, by far. ENJOY!!! And thanks for finding me so I could find you. 🙂
Haha, aww thank you so much for such kind compliments; I really appreciate it 🙂 I think that’s a great idea though about a travel journal or a scrapbook. Thank you so much for the suggestions, I really appreciate it and am glad I found your blog!
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Aww I’m so glad to hear you’re creating a bucket list Debbie 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing this post!
What a great post Christine! Inspired me to start my own bucket list. I love that you tied your bucket list to helping other people cross items off of their bucket list. Hope you don’t mind if I borrow a few items from your list to start my own 🙂
Aww thank you so much Brett, I am really glad to hear that 🙂 Of course I don’t mind! Good luck with your bucket list.
Try rafting through the Grand Canyon it is wonderful. I took my daughter and we had an awesome time.
Alex
Congratulations 🙂
Thank you for following “The Whiz-ard That is Dr. Oz” – I’m so grateful. BTW – I love your blog! It’s so positive and very inspiring. I’m working on my own bucket list, so I’ll be coming back for inspiration.
Jill