I always heard adults advising to embrace my years in high school.  “Those years of youth go by in a blink of an eye,” they would say.  And here we are–another year has come and gone.  Goodbye 2013; hello 2014.

Although letting go of another year is hard to do, a new year is a blank canvas.  As I opened a fresh calendar, all the mistakes of 2013 seemed to vanish and the page appeared to overflow with opportunities eager to be fulfilled.

But now, in March, I have floated down from the revitalizing new-year-new-start-mentality and started to think about what comes with a new year–New Year’s Resolutions.  This year there were the usual: improving my health, setting aside more time to demonstrate appreciation for loved ones. Then there was my yearly vow to end my procrastination, but given the fact I’m writing on new years resolutions in March, it may be best to scratch that idea.

As my mind wanders over my resolutions, I reflect on their sister: the bucket list. In fact, bucket-listing (what I call devising a personal bucket list) is more exciting than making a bland set of resolutions that are rarely thought of again.

The ideal bucket list recipe has a sprinkle of risk, a drop of going against the usual, and heaps of thrill and satisfaction.  Its purpose is to make the creator feel accomplished–or maybe just let his or her wild-side loose.

Don’t get me wrong: I am all for throwing some spice into the daily routines.  Adding flavor to mundane circle of events is necessary to make life your own.  However, I wonder: do the goals associated with bucket lists have unfavorable effects?  Do they lead people to concentrate on what is to come, and thus force them to lose vision of their everyday life?

And what if, for various reasons, a bucket list dream is left unaccomplished?  This leaves the romantic in a state of self-disappointment.  A person may make a bucket list he or she cannot fulfill and then view him or herself as a failure–as if those scribbled down bullet points are the only accomplishments that can satisfy his or her soul. Without them, life seems like a waste.

In reality, however, there is more joy to be found in everyday life, provided that you look for it.  Consider the joy of a brand new day, the joy of a carefree afternoon, the joy of eating your favorite dinner plus dessert, and the joy of seeing your loved ones.

Bucket lists moments are short-lived, but daily opportunities are continuous.  On the whole, the amount of time you spend skydiving, mountain climbing or bull-riding is incomparable to the amount of time you spend doing common tasks.  By holding bucket lists on a pedestal, you miss out on the true satisfactions of everyday life.

Needless to say, I do admire bucket lists to some extent.  They lead people to step out of their comfort zone and allow them to embrace the feeling of achievement.  In fact, thinking about the next 70 years is important, but it is equally as integral to think about the next 10 hours of your life. So make everyday your bucket list.  By doing so, you find the hidden joy in life.