I know what you’re thinking, “I need another list in my life like I need a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.”
As a mom, your life is full of lists. Grocery lists, task lists, fix-it lists, and right about now, perhaps a New Year’s resolution list that’s already looking a little over-ambitious.
Sometimes it’s difficult to determine whether you own the lists or the lists own you.
But I promise there is one list that is by far the best list you’ll ever create: a list of future experiences shared with someone you love.
A list of future experiences shared with a husband or daughter or son is really a string of promises to spend time together in meaningful ways. It’s a contract between individuals committing to not just talking about doing things together, but to actually doing them. A shared list of future experiences is not a to-do list, but want-to-do list – together.
Some advice: these shared lists should aim “small, near, and soon” — in other words, they shouldn’t necessarily be comprised of exotic far-off places, but of practical, we-could-do-these-tomorrow list items like a list of restaurants to try or local hikes to explore.
It’s why I’m so excited to share with the ModernMom community Unbucket, a web and mobile application that we’re launching today dedicated to creating these types of lists. Unbucket is a place for all the things you want to do and all the things you’ve done, in one easy place shared with the people you care about most.
I’m also excited to share that we have some incredible launch partners that are providing inspiration for those not sure of what types of lists to start. In particular, I thought these would resonate with the ModernMom community:
- EngagedMarriage.com has created a “Day Date Ideas” list
- Cookstr.com has created multiple recipe lists, including one for Valentine’s Day
- Author Will Schwalbe has created two lists inspired by his New York Time’s best-selling book, “The End of Your Life Book Club”
- And if you’re here in Los Angeles, the environmental non-profit TreePeople has created a list of ideas for creating a healthier city (for instance, planting a tree with your family)
The origin of Unbucket was a Mother’s Day gift: a list of things a mother and son could do together while living in separate cities. It was easily the best list I’ve ever created.
I hope you’ll also create a list with someone you love, and with open arms I invite you to create it on Unbucket!
Elliot Darvick is the CEO and co-founder of Unbucket. He grew up in Detroit, Michigan and currently resides in Los Angeles. His parents are in town this weekend and they already have a list of things to do together.
