Saving for retirement is great and responsible, but if you're too old to take advantage of all the wonders the world offers, you will be sorely disappointed. Some of these are obvious, others are not, but it's time to seize the day. What are you waiting for?
1. Make a bucket list if you don't already have one. First and foremost to make every moment count, it's time to start planning so you don't miss out.
2. Relax at the beach. If you've never seen the ocean or tasted the salt water, you're in for a real treat. The undertow of the waves and the softness of the sand are unlike any small river or pond.
3. Hit the Slopes. Similarly, if you've been avoiding cold-weather destinations, it's time to let the crispness of the air take you away to another place and time as you feel the rush skiing or snowboarding down the hills.
4. Take a trip just because. Don't wait for a special occasion, birthday or anniversary, just go. Surprise a loved one with a special weekend away.
5. Take a spontaneous trip. Throw a dart at the map or just get in the car and start driving. The freedom of not planning is exhilarating to give-up control.
6. Take a language class and test your skills. Is there a bigger confidence builder than holding your own in a foreign land? Simply put, no.
7. Disconnect. Go completely mobile and internet free for a week. It's refreshing to have authentic face to face conversations.
8. Spoil yourself in a 4-star hotel. Rough week? Treat yourself to the ultimate spa retreat. Sometimes you just need to unwind.
9. Live like the locals. Spend a night doing a home stay or sleeping in a traditional yurt under the stars to be whisked away to a different age and time.
10. Forgo taxis. The best way to experience a city is to intentionally get lost; you'll discover hidden neighborhoods you never would have found in the guidebooks.
11. See the Northern Lights. Mother Nature's most impressive display of power, the beautifully illuminated sky will make you feel small and full of wonder.
12. See the Midnight Sun. Another natural phenomenon, being up 24 hours a day is a unique and marvelous experience, pondering the greatness of it all.
13. Go skydiving or bungee jumping. The adrenaline rush of plummeting towards earth will certainly make you appreciate every minute you have left.
14. Take a flying lesson. Flight is the ultimate freedom. Does it get any better than being able to pick up and go?
15. Climb a mountain. Going on an organized trek pushes yourself to the physical limit and tests your endurance at any age.
16. Defy gravity. See the world from a hot air balloon or from the viewing platform of a sky-high building.
17. Collect something. I bring home a piece of wall art as a souvenir from every country I visit to make sure every piece of my home decor has a story and becomes a talking point. Some people prefer smaller items like patches, shot glasses or magnets.
18. Backpack Europe. A rite of passage, Europe holds the keys to ancient civilizations as you walk the same lands as monarchs and rulers from centuries past.
19. Go to the theater in a foreign country. Try to understand the drama simply through visual cues to test your understanding of universal body language.
20. Learn to Scuba Dive. The undersea is a world brimming with marine life and flora and fauna unknown to most of mankind.
21. Spend the holidays somewhere else. Explore the culture and traditions of Christmas overseas or New Year's around the world.
22. Try exotic foods. Whether it be horse meat, shark, kangaroo, what have you, open your mind to the delicacies of foreign lands. Bugs in Thailand anyone?
23. Take a cooking class. Learn to make local specialties with regional veggies and spices you've never tasted before fresh from the neighborhood market.
24. Write it down. Keep a journal or a blog so you'll always remember your crazy escapades. It'll be great to share with the kids one day.
25. Invest in a really great camera. You'll want to document your adventures to tell the grandkids, and a picture is worth 1000 words.