Dan's Story
Dan shares how his bucket list project allowed him to take back control of his life and overcome feelings of anxiety.
"Nobody is going to swoop in and fix your life for you. That’s your responsibility, and yours alone."
About Dan:
My name is Dan Davison. I’m a business owner here in the UK. I’ve dealt with anxiety for most of my adult life. By the start of 2024, I found myself at a standstill – emotionally numb, unmotivated, and directionless. I started Project Bucket List as a way to get out of that, and it’s completely changed my life!
WHAT WAS THE MAJOR TURNING POINT IN YOUR RECOVERY FROM FEELINGS OF ANXIETY?
I started Project Bucket List as a last-ditch effort to shake things up: 100 different challenges in 4 years. I started the project on January 1st 2024, and now, a year and a half later, my mindset and confidence have completely changed. I’m exploring the world, always working on something exciting, seeking out new experiences, taking risks and genuinely enjoying life again. You can read more about the list and what I’ve done on it at my website, Project Bucket List.
WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT REALLY HELPED?
Writing down my bucket list and treating it like a contract with myself:
- Physically writing your bucket list down gives it real-world weight. It’s a way of committing to yourself that you’ll follow through!
- It also helped me look at it often. If it was stored away on a notes app somewhere, I’d never really get to see it. If it’s somewhere easy to find, I can quickly find something that I should be working on or towards, so I’m never in a slump.
Following the SMART goal system:
- Specific – I had to know exactly what I wanted to do (100 things!)
- Measurable – Know what my win condition is, I needed to be able to measure if I’d ticked it off clearly.
- Achievable – I needed to set myself realistic goals, while still pushing myself.
- Relevant – I had to make sure it was relevant to me, what I wanted to do, not what I thought somebody else wanted me to do.
- Timely – I had to set clear time constraints (4 years!)
Reaching out to people:
- It turns out that most people are at a kind of loss as well! We’re all just trying our best, and often, we don’t know what to do. So when I started reaching out to people to help me tick things off the bucket list, people were very excited to join in.
- I booked trips with people, invited them to concerts, took up new hobbies, tried new things, etc. Before this list, I just flat out would not have reached out to people, whereas now, people have commented that I’m a real go-getter who makes things happen!
- Ongoing at the moment: I’m soon flying out to Arizona to meet up with a wildlife group, I’m working with an illustrator on a children’s book with a twist, and I’m set to try out fire breathing and falconry in September!
Recording my journey:
- As much as this is about going out and experiencing life, it’s been really nice to take photos and a few short clips along the way. I’ve been documenting everything I’ve done on my website, and I’ve now spoken to a few people about turning it into a book once I’m finished with the project, which is mind-blowing to me!
- Recording the journey and sharing it with others is a great way to celebrate and keep on top of your list, and also, it’s drawn people in and given me opportunities that I’d’ve never expected!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER GUYS DEALING WITH FEELINGS OF ANXIETY?
Write your own bucket list! Write down what you want to do: it’s really important to write it down in a place where you can see it every day. If you don’t know what you want to do, you’ll never break out of your shell and do it!
I have some really clear guidance on how to write your own, as I’ve now started a few other people on their bucket lists, and it’s having the same effect! I’m very passionate about enabling other people.
I think the really big thing about dealing with this sort of thing is at the end of that article. I’ll shamelessly copy and paste it here!
All that’s left is for you to get off your arse and actually do something. If you don’t start now, when?
No one’s coming to save you; nobody is going to swoop in and fix your life for you. That’s your responsibility, and yours alone. This bucket list is your rope; it can be a safety line.
What I would like you to do – once you’ve written your list, get in touch with me. Send me your list, I want to see it. If there’s anything I can do on that list to make it happen, I’ll help you.
Go on then, you’ve got a life to build!
– Dan Davison, Nottingham, UK 