Love Letter From Paris: Why Your Bucket List Should Be a To-Do List

A Love Letter From Paris: Why Your Bucket List Should Be a To-Do List

Dear Friend,

Paris has taught me a lot over the years.

Yes, there were croissants and carousels, fashion and fountains—but more importantly, there were life lessons tucked into every street corner and every spontaneous moment. And the biggest one?

Your bucket list isn’t for “someday.” It’s for NOW.

So many of us treat our dreams like museum exhibits: beautiful to look at, but never to touch. We create Vision Boards. We say “someday.” We wait for the kids to grow up, the job to get easier, the bank account to get bigger.

But here’s the truth: Life doesn’t wait.

Ten years ago, I was in Paris on a “once in a lifetime” trip, looking out at the Eiffel Tower. Chatting with friends on Messenger. Saying, “Gosh, I wish I could do this again.”

My friends said, “Well, why can’t you?” (We ALL need friends like this!)

I rattled off a million reasons: family obligations, work obligations, finances…

And then I realized: I was putting limitations on myself.

In our industry, we do planning backwards. We start with business planning—and then try to squeeze our lives and dreams around it. When it should be the other way around.

I see so many people dive into goal planning each fall without ever doing any dream planning. And I don’t mean daydreaming—I mean intentional, mapped-out, unapologetic dream planning.

Here’s what most people forget: Your career is not a destination. It’s a vehicle. A vehicle for success, joy, freedom, and purpose.

But a lot of people have lost sight of where they’re going… and why. They’re stuck in the daily grind, driving in circles.

That was me, ten years ago. Until I realized—it doesn’t have to be that way.

So I did the dreaming. I did the planning. And voilà—I’ve been to Paris for a month every year since. I just returned from Trip #13 to France. Now, I want to share that process with you.

I created Vision Your Future: The (Fun) PREQUEL to Business Planning—a unique and engaging workshop designed to help you reconnect with your purpose, reimagine your future, and rewire the way you plan.

Whether you want to travel more, launch something big, get healthier, find more joy in your day-to-day—or just get unstuck—this is where you begin.

We get intentional.
We get bold.
We turn “maybe one day” into what’s next.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE VIRTUAL CLASS ON AUGUST 13! (

(Or join us IN PERSON in North Carolina Sept 17!)

And in the meantime—need a little more inspiration before you hit that sign-up link?

Here are a few of my Parisian travel tips from one of my trips that double as life advice (and some pictures that illustrate):

18 TRAVEL TIPS & LIFE LESSONS FROM PARIS

1. Always bring a tiara. If you’re ever going to wear one, it’s in Paris. (Or whatever dream location you’re headed to.)
2. Bring your favorite fun accessory AND buy a new one. Mine this trip was a hat—great for fun, warmth, and hiding bad hair days. I also bought cheetah print sneakers that became my go-to.
3. Take rainy day pictures. It rained on our last day, and those are some of my favorite photos.
4. Crossbody for your phone. Saved me from dropping or losing it multiple times.
5. Always ride the carousel. You’re not too old. The one in Parc Monceau gave me so much peace and joy.
6. Look up. Look down. You’ll see carvings, mosaics, historic markers, teddy bears in windows, AND avoid stepping in “le poo poo.”
7. Walk through open doors and gates. Discover hidden courtyards, gardens, and surprises. Also—be aware that you might accidentally get locked in. This happened to my hubby, who does not speak French, but luckily one of the few words he knows from riding the Metro is “Sortie” (exit). That, combined with pantomime and pointing, got him out.
8. Use Google Translate on posted signs. We didn’t do that one time and got in trouble for putting a wine bottle in the recycling. Apparently the building owners voted to require residents to take glass to the corner bins due to noise. Another sign warned about plumbing work—if we hadn’t translated it, we could have flooded our downstairs neighbor!
9. Don’t pack honey in your carry-on. Rookie mistake. My hubby waited in line on the one day a year they sell honey made by the bees in Luxembourg Gardens. TSA tossed it because it was considered a gel.
10. Global Entry = SO worth it. We breezed through customs in under 10 minutes.
11. Change shoes before dinner. Even great shoes feel better swapped out after a long day of walking.
12. Get a loyalty card. Coffee shop regulars = free cappuccinos.
13. Be spontaneous. Our best moments weren’t planned: Renting a car to drive from Paris to a jazz club in Switzerland, Counting Crows concert at Folies Bergère, Dancing ’til 5 a.m. with new restaurant-owner friends after helping them close up
14. There are always two chairs open at Medici Fountain. It looks crowded, but if you walk toward the fountain, there’s space. Sit. Breathe. Recharge. (Also—avoid chairs with pigeon poop. Don’t look up. Ask me how I know.)
15. AirTags for the win. Peace of mind for luggage and backpacks.
16. If you love fashion, visit Galerie Dior. Even my jeans-and-tees hubby was wowed.
17. Layers, layers, layers. Perfect for indoor/outdoor transitions, changing temps, and seasonal shifts. 
18. Be yourself. My fave jacket is a cheap faux leather one that’s warm and backpack-friendly. I wear boots year-round. My over-the-knee boots were perfect as the weather changed. I also brought pink plaid boots and sneakers. I wear bright colors. I don’t care what’s “in.” I’m quirky. I wear what I like. I’m just me.

Bon Voyage et Bonne Vie. Vision YOUR Future. Like A BOSS!

Are you ready to dream big and actually do something about it?

What’s on your bucket list that you’ve been saving for “someday”? And what would happen if you stopped waiting?

Maybe your version of Paris isn’t a plane ticket. Maybe it’s a business you’ve been afraid to start. Or boundaries you’ve been afraid to set. A beach house. Or a change you’ve been putting off until it felt “safe.”

Whatever it is, this is your sign. Make your bucket list your to-do list.

And if you’re not sure where to begin? Let’s map it out—like a boss.

Because dreams are not reserved for “one day.”  They’re for this day. 💜

👉 Vision Your Future Like A Boss

Love,

Your friend Christy