 "Photo: Courtesy Photo")
Do you know what it is like to soar high above the world in a hot air balloon? Or feel the hot coals underneath your feet while you walk across fire? What about watching a pair of elephants play in Africa? Most people only dream of such experiences but Marci Nault has taken 101 of her dreams and is working to make them a reality.
“It’s really easy to live in fear,” Nault said. “[But] the more I walk through my fears and take the risks, the more I realize that life is amazing.”
Nault had been making lists of things she wanted to accomplish in her life since 2000. Then in June 2008, personal upheaval, including her brother’s life-threatening health scare and ending an 8-year relationship made Nault realize how quickly life could be taken away. So Nault walked to a park and made a list of the happiest times of her life.
“A list of 20 things came to me — mostly I was happiest when I was going after my dreams such as learning to figure skate or traveling the world. As I looked at those 20 things I realized that I had control over my own destiny,” Nault said.
Nault asked herself what she would do with her life if there were no limits and within half an hour, her list of 101 dreams was born. The list includes trips around the world, experiences like salsa dancing, swimming with dolphins and personal achievements like owning her house and sports car.
Her favorite accomplishment was when she lived in Italy for a month, eating luscious food, looking at art, watching sunsets while drinking wine and reading books in the Tuscan hills.
“For the first time in my life I spoiled myself. I think during this trip I really learned how to enjoy life,” Nault said.
Though Nault has many items on her list for herself, she is most excited about the activities that help others, like helping a friend and granting a Make A Wish.
“I’ve always admired the Make A Wish foundation. I can’t imagine what it would be like for a family to face a child’s sickness,” Nault said. “For a moment, I want to make someone’s life feel the way I’ve gotten to feel by going after my dreams.”
Inspiring and helping others realize their dreams has turned into an important part of Nault’s journey. On her Web site she offers meditations on how to focus the mind on goals and break free from limiting beliefs.
“This is the coolest part of my journey. People write to me on a regular basis to tell me they’ve started their own bucket list,” Nault said.
Unfortunately, even dreams have a price. But Nault has been able to do as much as she has with her success as a small publisher as well as profits from flipping two homes. Nault has avoided going into debt and saved as much money as she could for the future, until now.
“I’ve decided to not wait for the future. I’m using my savings to go after my dreams. I don’t have enough to accomplish them all, but I will find a way,” Nault said.
The next step for Nault is a trip to Europe in which she will see the Northern Lights and fjords in Norway, ski the Alps, go to Scotland and spend a night in a castle, spend a week in Paris and see Les Miserables in London.
“Since my journey began, there is nothing the same except the love of my mother,” Nault said. “I wake up every morning with the goal to figure out how to do things that make me the happiest in life. Each day is now an adventure.”
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