Dodging DBRs

First, let me say, it’s great to be back. As I said in our announcement email to all our members, COVID affected us in two, completely opposite ways. On one hand, our message about the preciousness of life suddenly became a mainstream topic of conversation. On the other hand, our philosophical approach to mortality was hard to separate from the fact that people were dying. A lot of people. For this reason, we chose to hit pause on our content to avoid appearing tone-deaf or insensitive.

This pause gave us time to think about our mission and how we could articulate it in a way that would sync with this new, “life is short” mentality that the pandemic had awakened in so many. It was while thinking about this that we realized that we could put a finer point on what The Bucket is all about — helping people eliminate death-bed regrets.

We shared this idea with some readers, advisors and even critics of The Bucket and found that the idea of eliminating death-bed regrets, (or DBRs as we soon started calling them) was something that people grasped instantly. Not only that, they got excited about it. As I hope you will, too.

So what exactly is a DBR? We define it as a missed opportunity or unfulfilled experience that leads to regret when looking back on one’s life. Common DBRs include:

• Failing to pursue that passion project
• Letting a relationship deteriorate
• Putting off health priorities
• Not taking that dream vacation
• Not switching careers when young enough

The Bucket will continue to offer a wide range of content that can help you dodge those potential DBRs with coverage on topics like:

• Identifying personal DBR warning signs
• Finding time for what matters most
• Overcoming fear and excuses that hold you back
• Preparing financially for dreams like extended travel
• Prioritizing emotional and physical health
• Strengthening strained relationships

You’ll also hear directly from fellow Bucket readers in our new DBR Diaries column. These first-person narratives detail how real people faced down near-miss regrets and course-corrected. Their stories are both riveting and inspiring. Prepare to shed a tear or two. And if you have your own story to tell about staring down a DBR, we encourage you to share it so your experience can inspire others.

Finally, I want to thank everyone for their patience during our pause and I hope you enjoy all the new content coming your way.

David