Fly Fishing Down The South Holston, Check!

It has been one whirlwind of a week for me. This week has been filled with big events from beginning to end with very little time to just sit down and relax. It started with a fly fishing trip down the South Holston River with four of my best friends and our own personal guides (thank you South Holston River Company) and ended with my high school’s 40th class reunion. We also celebrated my birthday. It was just a very special week and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.

The fly fishing trip was something that has been on my bucket list for some time. Some friends and I planned a fishing trip to honor a birthday of another special friend. It was a beautiful day floating down the South Holston River with some of the dearest people in my life. We sang, laughed, screamed and tangled our fishing lines too many times to count. Our guides, Tom and Sam, were saints to put up with the five of us. Did I mention the fact that we all caught a fish? I caught a big brown trout, so my day was complete. This week has been a week of adven-tures and fond memories, which leads me to my wellness point, a bucket list.

I strongly urge you to write down several things you would love to do before you leave this earth. I have been reminded of the brevity of life these last few weeks. We have attended two funerals of people that passed away at a young age.

Your bucket list will serve as a constant reminder to live each day to its fullest and to not to put off tomorrow what you can do today. It is about wellness, emotionally, spiritually, physically and socially, all of these or one of these will be enhanced by checking off dreams on your bucket list. Here are some hints on how to create your bucket list,

The sky is the limit, you can edit for feasibility after you get your thoughts written on paper

»Set a time frame for each action. For example, before my next birth-day, I want to ride a horse. It can be adjusted of course.

»Share your list with your family and friends. This will create a team effort and also provide accountability for you.

»Do not be afraid to write down what excites you most.

»Does the action require quite a bit of money. If so, set a plan to start saving for your adventure.

»Perhaps you might want to invite a friend or family member to take part in one of your adventures. Things are just things, they lose their luster after a while, but relationships build the sweetest memories

»Be prepared to take lots of pictures so you can relive the magical moments.

This may sound strange but the goal of this project is not to finish your bucket list, but to keep growing it as you check off what you have completed. Half of the enjoyment is dreaming big, writing it down and solidifying your ideas on paper.

In this fast-paced, stressed-out world we live in, creating a bucket list is a healthy thing to do for yourself. It can give you hope for the future, inspire you, connect you with others, and encourage you to achieve life experiences. Write it down, look at it often, and let me hear about some of those adventures.

See you in the gym!!