lifestyle

Malaysians Share How They Did The One Ultimate Thing At The Top Of Their Bucket List

It's all about persevering.

Cover image via Farouq Johari

1. "I immersed myself with the dream"

Image via Judith Yeoh

Bucket list item: To travel to New York

"For the longest time, I've wanted to go to New York, so I plastered my room wall with posters of New York and put the Brooklyn Bridge as my phone's lock screen wallpaper. Seeing these reminders every day inspired me to keep saving up and make my dream a reality."

- Judith, 32

2. "It can sound kind of silly but telling people about it really helps"

Image via SAYS

Bucket list item: To spend a day at the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter

"Not only does it give you extra motivation, the people you tell will try to help you make it happen if they can. I pretty much never shut up about how much of a crazy Harry Potter fanatic I am lol. 

Last year, my boss ended up choosing me to go on a work trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Japan because she knew how much it would mean to me. I totally teared up as I sipped on my glass of Butterbeer and looked out at Hogwarts castle from across the Great Lake. <3"

- Gowri, 25

3. "I gave myself a punishment of sorts so that I'd be forced to stop putting it off"

Image via Darian Goh

Bucket list item: To skydive

"Every year I tell myself, this is finally gonna be the year that I go skydiving! But then I always chicken out and never do it haha. So I made it a rule that I had to give up fried chicken, my favourite food in the world, until after I've skydived. That definitely made me finally do it ASAP!"

- Darian, 27

4. "Sometimes, you just get lucky lol"

Image via Hazrul Railey

Bucket list item: To watch a live EPL match

"Growing up I was very much into football, especially the EPL, so watching a live EPL match has always been at the top of my bucket list. But I always thought it was one of those things that will always just remain a dream even while I was living in the UK 'cause tickets are difficult to get and quite mahal.

One day a friend suddenly called to tell me that he had an extra season pass for a live EPL match so of course I jumped at the chance to go. Got to watch Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspurs LIVE at Emirates Stadium in London, Arsenal's home ground! It was one of the greatest derby matches I've ever watched, can still remember every little detail until today."

- Hazrul, 27

5. "Don't give up on your dreams, even the tiniest ones are something we can hold on to and it makes life a little more fun"

Jenna is sitting in the middle, third from right.

Image via Jenna Chua

Bucket list item: To eat at a Jamie Oliver restaurant

"I've loved cooking since I was a kid and one of the first few chefs I watched on TV was Jamie Oliver. Over the years, he became one of my favourite chefs, I've cooked many of his dishes and have always dreamed of eating at one of his restaurants.

When I was studying in the UK, my dream to eat at Jamies was so close to coming true but I couldn't afford to on my budget, 'cause #studentlife man. But dreams do come true! A family friend from Malaysia visited me in London and took me there for a meal. It was so good, I was in food heaven!"

- Jenna, 25

6. "As cliché as it sounds, don't underestimate yourself"

Image via @nigellim

Bucket list item: To learn how to style hair

"I always looked at the people around me and thought that learning new skills was only possible for the super duper creative extraordinary people. I underestimated myself and my ability to strive for excellence and to work hard at something I had no background in.

I never thought that I would be able to teach myself a new skill - styling hair. If you had asked me a couple of years back, I would probably have told you I couldn't even do a simple braid... let alone make money from it."

- Tamara, 24

7. "Don't let being a newbie hold you back"

Image via Farouq Johari

Bucket list item: To hike the Annapurna Base Camp trek

“Due to my love for hiking and exploring, I decided to go on an adventure of a lifetime in 2016 – hiking the Annapurna Base Camp! I never thought that I would go on this journey so soon because I only started hiking seriously in 2015. So, as a relatively newbie hiker, this was a really huge thing for me.

But I'm so glad that I didn't let that hold me back because I got to witness the amazing landscapes of untouched nature of the Himalayas throughout the entire 11-day trip. They were scenic, beautiful, and mind-blowingly breathtaking, definitely the best views I've ever seen! I still remember every tiny little detail."

- Farouq, 28

8. "Constantly thinking about how much it scares you, doesn’t get you far. Do it anyway. Will it be hard? It might, but you’ll figure it out along the way."

Aqila is on the far right.

Image via Aqila Zainal

Bucket list item: To complete the Spartan Race.

"For the longest time, I’ve always aspired to be like Spartan racers who always seem so fit and made doing the race look so easy. Back then I was 20 kilos heavier, and the thought of even signing up for it would scare the heck out of me. I would always use my weight as an excuse and constantly think of all the unnecessary what-ifs that I could.

I’d say, just do it. Your time and energy is worth more than to have it spent overthinking. When I finally did it, I ended up doing all three levels of Spartan races within a year which got me the Spartan Trifecta. Every race became a learning experience for me to train better for the next. AROO!"

- Aqila, 31

Inspired to tick off something from your bucket list? Here's something to get you started!

Image via Hong Leong Bank

If you've been holding back on something you really want to do, experience, or try, Hong Leong Bank wants to encourage you to go for it with their ongoing #HelloHappy promo, that lets you live out your wildest dreams!

Whether you wanna jump out of a plane or visit a cafe halfway around the world, this is your chance to make it happen without it having to cost a bomb.

From now until 30 June 2018, all Hong Leong Mastercard credit cardholders will be able to enjoy 0% interest free 18 months Installment Payment Plan. This means you won't have to worry about the cost of fulfilling your bucket list!

All you have to do is spend a minimum of RM500 on anything, anywhere with your Hong Leong Mastercard credit card. Then call 03-76268899 to convert your spending and enjoy the 0% interest 18 months Installment Payment Plan. 

So go out there and take those guitar lessons, run that marathon, fly to Paris, or whatever else your heart desires!

Image via Hong Leong Bank

Plus, if your bucket list involves travelling overseas, you should still keep spending with your Hong Leong Mastercard credit card while you're there, because you'll be able to enjoy 8% unlimited cash back on any overseas spend.

Apply now if you're not already a Hong Leong credit cardholder!

Terms and conditions apply. Click here for more information on the #HelloHappy promo.

What have you accomplished on your bucket list? Let us know in the comments section below :)

Did you know these things about using credit cards?

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