Creating Your Anti-Bucket Travel List

Bucket lists are commonly mentioned in casual conversations about travel plans. You’re talking about taking a trip and someone says, “Going to Costa Rica is on my bucket list.” Or maybe it’s visiting Machu Picchu, going on a safari, or trying skydiving. It’s fun to think of things you absolutely want to do in your lifetime.

But what about the reverse? There are certainly things you don’t want to do in your life. Figuring that out is a mental exercise that surprisingly can provide a healthy amount of direction.

Anti-bucket lists often include very negative things like becoming addicted to substances or going into major credit card debt. They also can include small things you’ve learned to avoid through experience or large aspirations that reflect the kind of person you want to be.

Here are 14 anti-bucket list items for travel to get the ball rolling. When you’re hoping to hit the road, here are things you don’t want to do.

1. Wait to travel until it’s the right time or you have the right travel partner

It’s easy to come up with excuses not to do something. Maybe you’re waiting to book a trip because you have a fear of missing out. Your friend might have a party while you’re gone or you’ll miss a sports tournament or some other event.

Or maybe you think you have to wait until you have a friend available to travel. These thoughts make it too easy to avoid traveling at all. Take the lead and make the leap while you can.

2. Allow your phone to take center stage

If you haven’t seen it, the Icelandverse commercial is one of the best and most humorous pitches for putting down phones and living in the real world. It simultaneously shows the sad absurdity of living in a virtual reality while also recommending journeys to truly breathtaking places.

Think how much you may be missing if you’re spending hours everyday on your phone. And once you do travel, worrying about Instagram shots can really make you miss out. Memories in your mind will have a much bigger life impact than photos on your phone.

3. Overpack

So this is a small thing, but really – do you want to spend your travel time lugging around a bag that’s too heavy? It’s inconvenient, annoying, and can wrack up luggage fees.

4. Stick to major tourist sites

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to see major tourist sites. They became famous for a reason, but you’re missing much if that’s all you see when traveling. You can’t experience the culture if you’re only hanging out with other Americans at international sites with fast food restaurants and Western consumerism. There are many gems off the beaten trail.

5. Try to see it all

With that said, you’re going to stress yourself out if you try to see it all. When you go home, there may be a time when someone asks if you saw a certain part of a country. It’s okay if the answer is no. It’s impossible to see it all, and if you try, then you may rush through activities rather than enjoying the moment.

6. Avoid local foods

Even if you’re a picky eater, trying local foods is part of the fun of travel. Really it is! So take a bite and see what tastes you may have been missing.

7. Get overly irritated by people

It admittedly may be impossible to never get irritated at all, especially if you happen to run into someone who is rude. But there’s already enough irritability to go around. There’s no point in getting annoyed because someone is moving slower than you, prefers different activities or has other ideas. One of the biggest benefits of travel is to see people are different, and that’s what makes the world much more interesting.

8. Do things just to impress people

Some of this goes back to social media. Thinking about what will make the best Instagram post isn’t helpful when making travel decisions. We can’t guarantee other people will be impressed, but we can do things that will make us proud of ourselves.

9. Worry about other people’s opinions of you

This is similar to concerns about impressing people. You also don’t want to worry about someone maybe making fun of you because you didn’t do something well. As Lee Ann Womack sang in one of her famous songs, “When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance!”

 10. Talk negatively about other people

Western society seems to have a morbid curiosity with gossip and putting other people down. You almost can’t avoid it online. But that attitude certainly isn’t helpful when traveling. We often need other people’s assistance while on the road. So that may be one of the best times to embrace the goodness of others.

11. Stop learning

Maybe in school you had days you just daydreamed. But when traveling, don’t tune out when a local guide is giving local history or cultural lessons. On the road is where real life lessons happen and show us how fascinating the world truly is.

12. Ignore your gut instincts

Your gut helps keep you safe and make decisions. If you start feeling like something is wrong, pay attention, particularly if you’re traveling alone. On the flip side, your gut can sometimes help you make decisions. Sometimes things just feel right.

13. Ignore your mental health

Traveling can cause some people to get a little nervous. That’s normal, but if there’s a deeper level of anxiety or depression, that shouldn’t be ignored. There are moments when self-care is paramount. On the flip side, traveling provides many opportunities to embrace joy.

14. Fret about things you can’t control

Sometimes things go wrong while traveling. Inevitably, there’ll be times when a flight is canceled or delayed, a tourist site is closed, or the weather doesn’t cooperate. That’s when it’s time to master the art of rolling with the punches.

This attitude helps not just with travel, but with life. Who knows? Maybe you’ll meet your new best friend while hanging out in the airport. Adventure is always around the corner, and if nothing else, you may have a great – “I can’t believe this happened” – travel memory.

What would you add to your anti-bucket list? Think about it, and let us know! Until then, happy travels!