How is a list of things to do before ‘kicking the bucket’ supposed to inspire you? The whole idea of fitting things into your life before dying seems so backwards. And I’m not sure about you, but I don’t plan on dying anytime soon. After spending roughly 11,000 days on this planet, it dawned on me that I had never been motivated by a bucket list. So I decided to create a new type of list.

A list of ways to grow in how we think, feel and act. Something integrated with daily life, something designed to help invest our time and energy in the things that really matter. Something to cultivate better health, relationships, knowledge, spirit and wealth. A list for thriving. A list for the living!

As you can imagine I held high hopes for this mere collection of dot points we call a list. So I did what anyone in my position should do and enlisted the help of my closet friends and family. What I ended up with was: The Butterfly List. A list of extraordinary adventures and challenges to complete throughout a year that push the edges of who you are, but mostly who you will become.

Below is my first Butterfly List — a list of 30, for my 30th birthday.

Health

• Learn to Eat/Cook — 30 recipes
• Spend 30 days whole & sober
• Start 30 rituals
• Dance 30 times
• 30 ways to live more sustainably

Relationships

• Host 30 dinners
• Go on 30 dates
• 30 good deeds
• Challenge 30 people
• Send 30 hand written letters

Knowledge & Wisdom

• Write 30 stories
• Watch 30 documentaries
• Interview 30 people
• Read 30 books
• Ask for help 30 times

Spirituality

• Vipassana
• Visit 30 places
• 30 days offline
• 30 year diary
• Watch 30 sunrises

Material

• Give 30 gifts
• Make 30 investments
• Build a farm
• Create & exhibit 30 art pieces
• A day in the life of a: bird, fish, blind person, homeless person, clown & pirate.

+ 5 More Coming Soon

If this list sparks any interesting ideas for you share them with me here or leave a comment below.