I’m all about bucket lists these days. It probably means I am getting old, but I refuse to admit to something as boring as aging, so I’m going full speed ahead on this bucket list thing. I was able to cross two things off that list last week when I abandoned all responsibilities and headed off on vacation.

Growing up in Florida, I was able to do a lot of hot weather activities. I didn’t really have a choice in the matter. But a couple things I never got around to were going to Key West and doing one of those awesome swamp boat tours in the Everglades. Since I’m a grownup now, and can choose my own vacations, I decided to do both of those things, along with a visit to the House of Mouse, in eight, scorching days.

My vacation was brutally hot, but so much fun. I got up close to a gator! It was no episode of “Swamp People,” though I really wanted to yell “Shoot it, Lizabet!” and see what the other tour takers would say. I sat on a pier as far out into the ocean as the southernmost point would allow and watched the moon rise over that blue, blue ocean, and I walked barefoot down Duval Street after a poor (though adorable) choice in footwear, left my feet in ridiculous amounts of pain one night. I rode a jet ski and hated every minute (my legs are still bruised), I got a sunburn, a little dehydrated, blistered my feet, spent $100 on drinks at Sloppy Joe’s, sweated profusely every single day and walked roughly 20 miles in less than two weeks.  But I scratched a couple big things off that list, which makes every single uncomfortable thing completely and totally worth it.

I still have quite a few things on that list, including zip lining, skydiving, a ride in a hot air balloon, and a trip to England (and everywhere else I’ve never been). My goal is to get to all of these things. Some of them are super pricy and might take until I’m 60, but that doesn’t mean I won’t make it happen.

And you should too!

What people don’t realize is that bucket list stuff doesn’t have to be a big deal to everyone else in order to make it important to you. Not many people care too much about riding in a noisy boat, in the scorching heat in search of alligators, but it was on my list and I’m happy I did it. Riding a jet ski wasn’t on my list, and I hated every single second of it, but I would have never known that if I didn’t try it. You might hate things on that list that you are sure right now that you’d love, but you’ll never know until you suck it up and give it a try.

If you’ve got a hankering for hang-gliding or have always wanted to try sushi, then make yourself a bucket list and scratch those things off one by one – you’ll be happy you did. Plus, just think of all the stories you’ll have to bore your grandchildren with one day.