An older woman with gray hair closes her eyes and presses one hand against her forehead, her expression suggesting worry or exhaustion. Feeling overwhelmed by everything standing between you and your Bucket List dreams is something many people can relate to.
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So you’ve created your new Bucket list, but so far, nothing is happening. Are Bucket List Barriers getting in your way? What’s stopping you from taking the first step?

There can be hundreds of reasons and hindrances and obstacles and complications and hurdles and stumbling blocks to achieving your Bucket List Goals. Whew – that’s a lot of negative words!

I’ll share here 9 common Bucket List Barriers, and give you potential solutions to overcome each of them. This is will give you the motivation and skills to start making progress towards your Bucket List goals.

You can use the Table of Contents below to search for particular Bucket List Barriers, or you can read through the entire post to learn more solutions that you can apply in any life circumstance.

#1 of Bucket List Barriers – I’m Afraid of the Unknown

Most of the time, Fear is rooted in a lack of confidence or worry about unknown things.

You might not feel confident about traveling alone or going to a place where you don’t speak the language, or figuring out how to navigate on a train from Point A to Point B.

Even something more local like signing up for a course to learn a new skill – I think we all have insecurities wondering if we will be able to successfully do that new thing or if other people in the course will be way more skilled at it than me.

A silver-haired woman wearing a white blouse and dark jacket sits in a chair, resting one finger against her lips while looking thoughtfully to the side. Sometimes the hardest part of trying something unfamiliar is getting past the doubts we've created in our own minds.

Potential Solution:

If your fear is holding you back, start small with baby steps. Do something nearby for just an afternoon. Then next week, try something a little farther away or more out of your comfort zone.

If you make a mistake, that’s okay. You’ll learn from it and know how to handle it next time. But I predict you will grow more confident with each baby step you take!

I’ve learned a lot about overcoming my own fears, which I share in Travel Anxiety: How I Went From Anxious to Confident.

#2 of Bucket List Barriers – I Have Too Many Responsibilities at Home

Kids, parents, volunteer work, grandchildren – all of these things sometimes prevent us from feeling like we can get away and do our own thing. Does it feel selfish to think about your own goals when so many people are counting on you?

But when you give and give and give, without taking time to recharge and relax, burnout and exhaustion can happen quickly, affecting your mental health.

Potential Solutions:

Instead, reframe thinking of your Bucket List items as Self Care for you. Doing something that excites you and rejuvenates you is really important for your positive mental health.

Find someone to cover those responsibilities while you go away.

  • A sibling or neighbor can help take care of your aging parents.
  • Your parents or a good friend can come stay with your kids if they are young enough to need supervision.
  • Someone else on the committee can take care of details for the upcoming volunteer event.
  • Just leave detailed notes so they don’t have to call you all the time with questions.

And really, will the world stop spinning if you take 1 or 2 or even 3 weeks away to go do something you’ve always wanted to do? Nope, it won’t. You’ll come back refreshed and recharged and ready to tackle the next item on your Bucket List.

If taking time for yourself feels selfish, read Travel Guilt: Is It Selfish to Take That Bucket List Trip?

#3 of Bucket List Barriers – My Other Projects are a Bigger Priority

Often, I hear people say that they will start working on their Bucket List goals once they achieve a specific milestone. Such as: they get a promotion, remodel the house, buy a cabin, buy a boat, turn 65, retire, or some other high-priority project. Yes, all of these goals are important, if they matter to your family’s well-being.

But as cliché as it is, tomorrow is simply not guaranteed. Quite a few of my parents’ friends worked hard their whole lives and then just when they were set to enjoy their retirement, one or more health conditions popped up. A terminal cancer diagnosis, the onset of dementia, an ALS diagnosis, a major stroke, etc.

Or a tragic accident takes away a life or the ability to navigate independently.

I myself had a near-death experience a few years ago with a run-away boat that almost crushed my legs into a million pieces. I was where the red arrow is!

A large white tour boat with a bright blue canopy rests at an angle in a grassy roadside ditch, with an orange arrow pointing toward the ground beneath its hull. The arrow marks where I was trapped when the runaway boat nearly crushed my legs in Costa Rica, an experience that profoundly changed my priorities.

This is why I now choose to prioritize travel and experiences, over owning and acquiring things.

Read Life Can Change in an Instant: Don’t Put Off Your Bucket List for the full story of my terrifying encounter with a runaway boat and how it changed our approach to travel.

The Solution:

Do NOT wait. Start working on your Bucket List Goals and Plans TODAY. And start doing things in big and small ways.

  • Take a trip every year to some place you’ve always wanted to go
  • Start learning one new skill every year
  • Plan one new experience a month in your local area
  • Make a new recipe every week or month
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#4 of Bucket List Barriers – I Don’t Know Where to Start

Sometimes, we get stuck because we just aren’t sure what steps to do next to start making our goals happen.

It can feel really overwhelming and honestly, it can be rather intimidating.

A close-up of an open spiral-bound notebook shows blank, lined pages ready for someone to begin writing. Every Bucket List adventure starts somewhere, and sometimes putting your ideas on paper makes a distant dream feel more achievable.

The Solution:

Research is the #1 Key to uncovering next steps and you can Google just about anything.

For Non-Travel Goals:  If your goal is to learn a new skill or experience near home:

  • Google “Asian Cooking courses classes near me” or whatever your interest is.
  • Post in your local Community Facebook Groups a question along the lines of “Has anyone ever taken a great local class on making pottery?” or “Who is your favorite Yoga Instructor for a beginner?”
  • Use the Meetup App to find other people in your community who are interested in the same hobbies. Note, this is not a dating app, just a way to find people who like the same things you do. They often plan events that you can choose to go to.
  • See what your Community Education program is offering for courses, or the Extension Program at the local college (these might be called something different in your town)
  • If it’s something you don’t need to be in-person to do like learning a new language or starting a writing career, there are tons of on-line courses you can take.

For Travel Goals: Start with creating a basic Framework for an upcoming trip.

  • Weather: if your dates are flexible, I’d first search on the weather at different times of the year to determine the best time of year to go to that destination.
  • Best Things to Do in XXX: Check out travel blogs or Google to see the highlights and decide what areas of the country you want to be in and for how many days.
  • Navigation: Then look at how you will get from place to place. Will you rent a car? Take a train? Take a bus? Fly? Build in some extra days for those transitions.
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  • Accommodations/Lodging: Finally I’d research accommodation options to get some ideas of what’s available in each area at the time of year you plan to go.

Ready to turn that dream into a real trip? Start with Bucket List Travel: 7 Steps to Finally Make It Happen.

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– Best Lodging site: Booking.com
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#5 of Bucket List Barriers – How Will I Pay for it?

For many people, the money part is a huge perceived barrier, but it doesn’t need to be. If you don’t have a million dollar bank account, you can still travel and check things off your Bucket List. You just have use your savings wisely, and be a smart traveler.

Take me for example. Frugal is my middle name and I am always looking for ways to save us money on travel whenever and wherever I can.

A man wearing a tan jacket writes in a notebook beside an open laptop while seated at a table in a dimly lit workspace. I've found that a willingness to research and compare options can make experiences that once seemed unaffordable surprisingly attainable.

Potential Solutions:

  • I often look for accommodations that are a little more “out of the way” to save money. As long as it’s safe and clean, Bill and I don’t need a lot of high-end amenities.
  • There are tons of Free guided walking tours, where you tip the local guide at the end for the value of what they shared.
  • At tourist destinations, we try to do self-guided tours instead of paid ones (when it makes sense).
  • Google “Free or Cheap things to do in XXX” – lots of travel bloggers write great posts about this topic (including me!).
  • We can amuse ourselves for hours by wandering around towns, exploring down streets and alleys. Hang out in the town square and people-watch. Hang out at the waterfront and watch the boats come in and out. Or we go to a park to look for new birds, usually for free.
  • We also cook a lot of our meals at the accommodation instead of eating out at expensive restaurants.
  • Lastly, many prices are negotiable. For our Safari to Tanzania, I talked the business manager down from $3500/per person to $2900/per person. We sometimes negotiate lower car rental rates by going with local companies or renting from a private party.

Yes, it takes (a LOT) more effort and research to find these affordable options, but it can definitely be done.

For more money-saving ideas, read How to Travel on a Budget: Where We Save & Where We Splurge.

#6 of Bucket List Barriers – I’m Just Too Busy to Plan

This barrier is similar to being #4 Unsure Where to Start, but sometimes life just keeps you so busy (work, family activities, social activities, volunteering), that you feel like you just don’t have time to plan your next steps. When I was working full time, running the PTA and parenting 4 active kids with all their activities, I never felt like I had a moment to myself.

Potential Solution 1:

I recommend carving out an hour of time, put your phone in a different room, turn the television off, close the door so you’re not interrupted, and open up your computer or tablet. Pick your number one goal and start researching it.

If it’s something you can knock off quickly (like taking a class to learn a new skill or a quick weekend get-away), then research it, read the reviews and BOOK it.

Potential Solution 2:

But if it’s something that requires a lot more detailed planning and time (such as big trip), then you might consider letting someone else do the research and planning for you.

  • Hire a Travel Agent to do the research and booking for you. It shouldn’t cost you any more than if you booked it yourself, but the agent will save you tons of time and have access to tools that you don’t have.
  • Taking a multi-day guided tour means you don’t have to research accommodations or transportation or what to see and where to go. It’s all taken care of for you. We did that for our Tanzania Safari, and it was so nice to not have to think about it. We just sat back and enjoyed the trip.
  • Start auto-transferring money regularly into a separate back account called “Vacation” or “Jamaica” or wherever your destination is.

Short on time? How to Plan a Trip: 7 Simple Steps for Busy People breaks the planning process into manageable tasks.

#7 of Bucket List Barriers – I Can’t Get Time Off Work

If you are still working and only have a limited amount of PTO (Paid Time Off), it can be more challenging to plan say a longer trip to the other side of the world. But you know what? It never hurts to ask your boss or your company if it’s possible to arrange something. Giving them plenty of notice helps too.

Potential Solution:

I once said to my boss – “I’d like to take 4 weeks off next summer to go to Africa and explore. When my 3 weeks of PTO is gone, I’ll take the remaining days unpaid.”  She responded, “That sounds great! We’ve got time to figure something out!”

#8 of Bucket List Barriers – I Have An Unwilling Partner/Spouse

If your spouse/partner doesn’t share the same passions as you do, that can be tricky.

Maybe you have some interests in common, but some that are different?

Or maybe they are a homebody who really doesn’t have any desire to go out and try new things.

Maybe one of the above Barriers is holding them back? Listen carefully and without judgement to their concerns.

An older man leans toward a seated woman and gently holds her hands while she looks away with a serious expression. When two people have different priorities, finding common ground may require some difficult but worthwhile conversations.

Potential Solutions:

  • Search for common ground – are there any things that you both want to do?
  • Start with small steps: Is your partner willing to try a 3-4 day weekend trip with you Or take a 1-2 session class? Or go to a new restaurant one town away? Gradually build up to medium and bigger steps.
  • Suggest supporting each other’s goals: If I come play golf with you on Saturday, will you come hike with me on Sunday? If you each take small steps to support your partner’s passions, you may discover that you like what they do too. That gives you more things to do together.
  • When Bill and I travel, we do most of our activities together. But sometimes, we split up for a day to pursue different interests. I might go on a guided bird-watching tour while he explores the village we are staying in. Then in the evening, we each share stories about our adventures.
  • Go Solo. If your partner really has zero interest in your passion and is unable to muster up any enthusiasm, then you’re better off doing it alone. You’ll be free to really enjoy your time without worrying about whether your partner/spouse is happy or not.

For more ideas about compromise and pursuing different interests, read Traveling With a Reluctant Partner: When You Love Travel More.

#9 of Bucket List Barriers – Health Challenges

Sometimes, we have health challenges or conditions that make us think that achieving our Bucket List Goals will be too hard. I am a Type 1 Diabetic also living with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I take quite a few medications for my conditions, several of which need to be refrigerated.

But I don’t let that stop me from achieving my Bucket List. I plan and adapt to make sure I can still travel.

My Arthritis is pretty well controlled right now, but I’ve had many times in my life where my mobility was limiting or even painful.

An older man with gray hair lies against a golden upholstered headboard, resting one hand on his forehead while another person leans toward him. Having lived with Type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis for years, I understand why health concerns can make Bucket List goals feel more challenging.

Potential Solutions for Medications:

  • It’s possible to get a “Vacation Override” through your drug insurance plan to take larger amount of medications with you. Different plans have different requirements, but it’s worth a call to find out.
  • Sometimes, you can purchase your medications at Pharmacies in different countries for way less money than in the USA, with or without a prescription.
  • We purchased a medical-grade backpack cooler that we use on our longer trips as a carry-on luggage item. With ice packs, it kept our meds chilled for 3 days. And we always made sure we had a refrigerator available in our accommodation.
  • Check out my detailed “How to Travel with Medications” Post

Potential Solutions for Limited Mobility:

  • Choose activities with less walking. When it’s hard for me to walk a lot, we do more driving tours, bus tours, van tours.
  • We take pictures from scenic overlooks along the road instead of hiking 2 miles to the waterfall and back.
  • Hire a golf cart, a wheelchair, or a scooter to use while on vacation or at a specific venue.

Potential Solutions for Other Health Conditions:

  • Ask your physician for advice about traveling with your condition
  • Hire a nursing aide or Personal Care Assistant (PCA) to travel with you
  • Research where all the nearest medical facilities are located at your destination
  • Consider shorter or less ambitious trips that still give you a taste of reaching your Bucket List Goals

Conclusion: Remove the Bucket List Barriers and Achieve Your Goals!

I hope this post gives you some great ideas about how to overcome obstacles that are blocking your path to achieving your Bucket List goals. Focusing on Solutions instead of problems is a fantastic first step.

If you come up with any other great ideas, please contact me so I can add them to my list of solutions to share with readers.

Happy Exploring!!

More Bucket List Resources

Here are some more posts to help you create your Bucket List, overcome the barriers holding you back, and finally start achieving your dreams!

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