Why I Created a ‘Life Skills Bucket List’ And What’s on It

You know those moments where you're like, “Wait, why am I an adult and still not sure how to do this stuff?” Ah, yeah, a few too many of those moments here. For example, when my car got a flat tire, and I stood Googling, “Can you still drive on a tire that's obviously sad?” Or when it hit me that I’d never even sewn a button on, ever.

So, I began writing down everything I wanted to know how to do, the actual, practical things that no one ever teaches you unless you had a parent with the patience of a saint or an over-the-top scout leader.

And with that, my Life Skills Bucket List was created.

Why Bother with a List like this?
None of this had anything to do with having been the most self-sufficient human in the room. It wasn’t about living in the woods by myself or having a compost toilet in the garden. But through it, I started to see how much time, stress, and money could be saved by knowing a few easy things. And what confidence do you get from having finished something yourself, without having to depend on someone else to come in and save the day? A win.

So, instead of noting down dream destinations or bucket-list moments, I started taking note of easy but achievable skills. These were small things on the outside, but seemed like huge triumphs once learned.

Some Skills Simply Make Life Smoother
Let’s begin with the classics. Figuring out how to change a tire actually made me feel ten times stronger than any inspirational quote ever could. It’s a grimy, frustrating task in the beginning, but now I don’t even wince when that small dashboard light goes on.

The One Thing That Truly Matters Most
I had one on my list that stopped me in my tracks. It’s not that it’s difficult, but it’s one of those things you promise yourself you’ll get to and never do: learning CPR. It occurred to me while reading an account of a woman saving a stranger’s life in a grocery store. She didn’t possess a medical degree. She simply had an idea of what to do at the time. It stuck in my mind.

I began to seek out ways to learn and stumbled upon American Heart Association courses, providing easy, concise CPR and first aid instruction that actually accommodates a hectic schedule. No classroom or pile of medical textbooks is required, just some time and a desire to put down the phone and learn something that might actually save a life.

The Slightly Unexpected Additions
Nothing on my list shouts “essential,” but each one deserved a spot.

• Sharpening a kitchen knife: Because using a dull one is actually unsafe (and makes cooking a form of punishment).
• Reading a water or electricity meter: When the bill increases drastically, it’s good to understand what’s happening and where to look.
• Resetting a tripped circuit breaker: When my lights first went off in one area of the house, I waited for someone else to come fix it. Never again.
• Creating three good, go-to meals without a recipe: It revolutionized my whole week. It’s not about showing off; it’s about eating for yourself in a way that doesn’t lead to a snack or dinner.
• Composing a good email that elicits a response: You’d be surprised at how many people get this wrong. Well-worded subject line, polite tone, and definitely not 14 emojis.

I’m Still Adding to It
This is not a checklist I’m trying to get through in a month. I add things to it gradually whenever something else comes along, most often after finding myself in a situation where I’m thinking, “Well, that would’ve been good to know.”
Some of them are small. Some are strangely pleasing. Some simply make me feel less like an impostor adult and more like an adult in the making. I’ll never be the kind of woman with a power tool in her handbag, but I appreciate being the woman with the knowledge of how to wield it if needed.

So, if you feel a bit lost in the daily grind, make your own list. Don’t overdo it. Just begin with the things that bug you the most when you can’t get to them. One by one, tick them off. Or not. It’s not about being perfect, it’s being a bit more capable today than yesterday.
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That actually feels pretty good.

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