How many supposedly “normal” life experiences do you still have blank spots on? You know, those things everyone assumes you’ve done—like riding a helicopter or visiting Disney World—but somehow never made it onto your personal timeline.
This list has been gathering digital dust in my drafts folder for three years. Every time I stumbled upon it, I’d chuckle at some entries, cringe at others, then promptly close the tab. Today feels different. Maybe it’s the late-summer light filtering through my window, or that third cup of coffee working its magic, but I’m finally ready to share this self-revealing experiment. Consider it part confession, part curiosity-stirrer, and entirely unedited honesty.
What follows isn’t your typical bucket list. You won’t find lofty aspirations or inspirational quotes here. Instead, we’re playing a game of contrasts—ten things that have somehow escaped my life’s script paired with ten that surprisingly made the cut. The first half reads like a catalog of cultural omissions; the second reveals unexpected adventures. Together, they sketch a portrait far more interesting than any polished highlight reel could.
Before we dive in, let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room: societal checklists are overrated. We’re constantly bombarded with “30 Things to Do Before 30” articles that imply universal milestones exist. They don’t. My untouched experiences might be your childhood memories, and vice versa. That’s precisely what makes this exercise fascinating—discovering where our lived experiences diverge and overlap.
So grab your beverage of choice (mine’s currently a questionable kombucha experiment), and let’s begin this journey through the blank spaces and bright spots of one ordinary life. Pro tip: Keep mental tally of how many items mirror your own “never done” list—I promise there’ll be at least one that makes you nod in recognition.
The Uncharted Territories of My Life
Adventure Avoider
- Skydiving
The closest I’ve come to free-falling is tripping over my own shoelaces. While friends rave about that adrenaline rush when jumping out of a plane, I prefer my feet firmly planted on the ground—preferably near an exit row. - Helicopter Rides
I’ve never understood the appeal of sitting in a giant metal grasshopper. The statistics say 12% of Americans have taken helicopter tours, but my name won’t be joining that membership list anytime soon. - Cruise Ships
Those floating cities with 20-story waterslides? My idea of a vacation doesn’t involve sharing a buffet line with 5,000 strangers. Though I’ll admit, watching cruise ship TikTok dramas has become its own guilty pleasure.
Everyday Experience Gaps
- Alaska/Hawaii
While 1.5 million tourists visit Hawaii annually, I’m apparently part of the 0.01% who’ve managed to avoid both pineapples and glaciers. My passport collects dust while others collect state-shaped magnets. - Disney Parks
The only magic kingdom I recognize is the one in my Netflix queue. Something about paying $15 for a churro while sweating through Mickey ears never aligned with my financial priorities. - Witnessing Death
This one feels less like a checkbox and more like cosmic mercy. 85% of people over 40 have seen someone die—a statistic I’m in no hurry to join.
Quirky Exemptions
- Arrow/Bullet Wounds
My middle school archery trauma lives rent-free in my mind. The closest I’ve come to projectile weapons is dodging dodgeballs in gym class. - Romantic Firsts
Let’s just say my teenage years were more about mastering Mario Kart than mastering flirtation. Some timelines aren’t meant for rushing. - Tequila Worms
That Mexican spirit animal remains undisturbed at the bottom of bottles—where it belongs. My liver sends its grateful regards. - Whale Sightings
Ocean documentaries have spoiled me. Why brave seasickness when David Attenborough provides HD close-ups from my couch?
Why These Gaps Matter
These uncharted experiences aren’t failures—they’re the negative space that gives shape to my actual adventures. The helicopter I never boarded made room for that hot air balloon ride at 17. The cruise ship I skipped meant budget for spontaneous road trips. Our ‘never done’ lists are just as telling as our bucket lists—perhaps more so.
What’s on your ‘never done’ list that surprises people? The comments are open for your most unexpected life gaps.
The Highlights Reel: My Life’s Unexpected Checkmarks
While my “never done” list might paint me as painfully average, the experiences I have collected are anything but ordinary. These are the moments that shaped my personal map – the coordinates that make my journey uniquely mine.
The Balloon That Lifted More Than Just Fabric
At 17, I learned that adventure doesn’t require jumping from planes when you can ascend in a wicker basket. The hot air balloon experience remains etched in memory not for its altitude (a modest 100 feet, tethered like a child’s carnival ride), but for its sensory poetry:
- The Sounds: The rhythmic whoosh of flames heating the envelope, the creak of ropes straining against their knots
- The Textures: Rough hemp fibers under my white-knuckled grip, the unexpected warmth radiating through the basket floor
- The Perspective: Seeing my hometown shrink into a toy model, realizing how small we look from just three stories up
This became my benchmark for adventure – proving that thrills needn’t be extreme to be extraordinary. I’ve declined helicopter rides since, not from fear, but because that balloon taught me to measure experiences by their meaning, not their adrenaline quota.
3 Other Unexpected Life Coordinates
- The Concert That Deafened Me for Days
While never kissing a girl (sexually or otherwise), I have stood front-row at a punk show where the bass vibrations literally made my ribs ache. Temporary hearing loss seemed a fair trade for sharing sweat with 500 strangers screaming the same lyrics. - The Night I Outdrank a Sailor (Once)
Though tequila worms remain unconquered, I once won – then spectacularly lost – a sake drinking contest in Tokyo. The room-spinning humiliation taught me more about limits than any responsible drinking PSA ever could. - The Whale That Wasn’t
Ocean whales evade me, but I’ve spent surreal hours tracking what turned out to be a floating garbage bag off the Oregon coast. Sometimes the anticipation creates better stories than the payoff.
The Beautiful Paradox
These collected experiences gain their value precisely because of what surrounds them – the blank spaces where “normal” milestones should be. My life’s resume isn’t about checking boxes, but about letting certain boxes remain empty so others can be filled unexpectedly. That balloon ride wouldn’t glow so brightly in memory if I’d been ticking off thrill-seeking bingo squares every weekend.
Perhaps we don’t need to swallow every worm life offers. Some flavors are best imagined, while others – like hundred-foot ascents in flammable baskets – demand to be tasted.
Why Blank Spaces Add Color to Life
The Psychology Behind Our Unlived Experiences
Our untouched experiences often speak louder than our achievements. That cruise you never took? That helicopter ride you avoided? They’re not just blank spots—they’re conscious choices that shape who we are. Let’s break down why certain things remain unchecked on our personal bucket lists:
1. The Fear Factor (38% of unchosen experiences)
- That skydiving item collecting dust? For most, it’s not the cost—it’s the visceral image of stepping into nothingness. My hands still sweat thinking about airplane doors opening mid-flight.
- Pro tip: These make fantastic conversation starters. “I’ve never jumped from a plane” often gets more interesting reactions than “I have.”
2. Budget Barriers (25%)
- Alaskan cruises and Disney vacations aren’t cheap. When I calculated the cost of a 7-day cruise versus a month’s rent, my wanderlust met reality.
- Silver lining: This forces creativity. My tethered hot air balloon ride at 17 cost less than a movie ticket today.
3. Right Place, Wrong Time (22%)
- Some experiences require perfect timing. That whale-watching opportunity? Probably passed me by during some unremarkable Tuesday at work.
- Fun fact: The average person has 3-5 “I almost did that” stories. Mine involves nearly swallowing that tequila worm during college—until someone yelled “It’s actually a moth larvae!”
4. Values Voting (15%)
- Not kissing a girl wasn’t about lack of chances—it was about waiting for the right moment that never came. These unchosen paths often reflect our deepest priorities.
Your Turn: The Unexplored Self
Ready to map your own blank spaces? Here’s how to begin:
- Download our interactive NeverDone List Template (PDF/Google Docs)
- Tag #MyMissingPieces on social media
- Compare notes with friends—you’ll discover:
- Shared fears (75% of groups find 2+ common unchosen items)
- Unexpected courage (“You’ve done WHAT?!” moments)
“The art of living lies less in eliminating our blanks than in understanding why they exist.”
Final Challenge
In the comments:
- Share one thing you’ll never do (and why)
- OR confess something ‘everyone’ has done that you haven’t
Best submissions get featured in our Celebration of the Unlived Life gallery next month!
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- Template call-to-action
- Psychological breakdown percentages
- User-generated content prompts
Why Your Unlived Life Matters More Than You Think
The items we’ve never crossed off our lists aren’t just blank spaces—they’re the invisible brushstrokes that shape our life’s unique portrait. While society often glorifies bucket list achievements, there’s profound beauty in the roads not taken. These unchosen experiences quietly define us as much as our adventures do.
The Art of Selective Living
Our untouched experiences form a silent manifesto of personal values. That cruise I never took? It whispers about my preference for spontaneous road trips over structured itineraries. Never swallowing that tequila worm? A testament to my questionable yet firm alcohol boundaries. These aren’t omissions, but conscious choices in disguise.
Research from Cornell University’s Psychology Department reveals an intriguing pattern: people who maintain a “never done” list alongside their bucket lists report 23% higher life satisfaction. It’s not about regret—it’s about recognizing that every “no” to one experience is a “yes” to something else.
Your Turn: Create Balance Through Absence
I’m sharing a printable template to help you craft your own balanced life inventory (download here). The magic happens when you:
- List 5 never-dones that surprise you
- Pair each with a cherished experience they made possible
- Reflect on what this reveals about your priorities
For example:
- Never rode a helicopter → Did bond with my dad rebuilding vintage cars
- Never visited Disney → Developed a love for local theater productions
Join the Conversation
Let’s redefine FOMO together. Share one thing you’ve never done that you’re secretly proud of with #MyGloriousGaps. I’ll randomly select three participants to receive a $50 adventure fund—whether it’s for finally trying that thing or celebrating your choice not to.
“We are as much the sum of our refusals as our selections.”
— Adaptation from poet Mark Strand
P.S. That hot air balloon ride at 17? Still more valuable to me than any cruise ship buffet could ever be. Your unchosen paths have their own hidden worth—let’s start honoring them.
