‘Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’

[Sadalot90]

Posting here for traffic:
Not a resolution in the traditional sense but I want to do something epic in 2026. Something that will make my toddler son proud in years to come but not sure what. I’d love some inspiration and to hear about your own wonderful plans.

Unless you start shitting toys, I doubt your toddler will care at all! So if you want to do something epic, it needs to be something YOU want to do. Even when they are older, you might find they are underwhelmed with your achievements. Maybe as adults they will appreciate...
I guess you probably want to think of what is possible. Some things might take more time and/or preparation than you have. Eg, if you want to run a marathon, you are going to have to spend a lot of time training. If you want to walk the Inca Trail, it is going to take a lot of money and time away.
You could do a skydive?
Or maybe do something more inspirational like commit to volunteering at a community project or something.

I wouldn’t be trying to impress a toddler. I write novels for a living and people are always saying on Mn that publishing a novel is one of their dreams and a generally impressive and inspirational thing to do, but my DS thinks it’s the dullest possible job and basically involves typing. 😀

One of my friends does extreme ultramarathons and has done seven marathons in seven days on seven continents, and his children think he should get a life and do fun stuff.

Do what you want to do, OP.

I would ask what you value in life - is it the work done by charities or voluntary groups? If so, you could volunteer or fundraise.

Is it challenging yourself to beat your own limits? Plenty of physical challenges to attempt. Which you could also do for charity.

Is it to improve your education and career? I know many mums who have gained professional or educational qualifications - a great achievement.

I think you need to think about who you are and what you want- good luck!

It's very hard to do "epic" things when your dc are so young and need you so much. Everything costs time and money.

I agree with the above poster that your dc won't care, do something for yourself.

Maybe I'm too boring and practical, but I'd say investing time and effort in your career is probably the thing that's going to most benefit your dc.

I'm hoping to get a project off the ground that will make a big difference to the lives of some very vulnerable women. There are a lot of challenges to overcome. It won't be 'epic' as its small scale, but it matters and gives me a sense of purpose.

Stand for elected office?

I read it that the op wanted to do something that her grown up son would be proud of her, not the toddler he currently is.

@Sadalot90 I don't really have a suggestion, but I have been impressed by friends and relatives who have retrained in a profession, mainly into teaching after being a TA for a while, or even in a completely different profession in the case of my cousin.
I would just say do something you want to do.

Have you read the whole poem that quote comes from? Not to diminish your ambitions, but it's not about doing epic things at all, quite the opposite:

The summer day by Mary J Oliver - Famous poems, famous poets. - All Poetry

Yeah, the answer to this is, do whatever you want. We’re here for a good time not a long time. Nothing matters so just do it, as long as it’s not harming anyone.

But my point is that you can’t second-guess what someone else is going to be impressed by, especially your children. My teenager thinks my novels are ‘weird’. My friend’s teenage and twentysomething children think his ultramarathons are a slightly embarrassing eccentricity. Another friend’s mother ran a pioneering family planning clinic at a time and place when this was rare and valuable, and my friend and her siblings grew up calling it ‘Mummy and her condoms on bananas stuff’ and rolling their eyes.

Do what you think is valuable. Don’t try to second-guess what anyone else will be impressed by.

That quote is so irritating. My life is neither wild nor precious. It's just life, like any other form of life.

What could your mum have done that would make you proud of her? I think it's a bit of a strange way to think about things, really - YOU matter as a person, not just as a mother and I think it's really important to hold that in your mind. Do something that is meaningful to you. You don't even know what kind of person your son is going to be and what will make him proud, so it seems a bit pointless to try and second guess that.

I'm an accountant - and realised a few years back that all my outside work things were basically more work:

• school governor
• charity trustee
• scout leader

I've given them all up now (did them for over 10 years) and trying to prioritise "fun". I've probably spent too much of my one life being "worthy"..

I have literally never had a time when I haven't had obligations outside work. Previous ones being things like president of regional societies etc.

Your kids will always think you are mind numbingly dull - and that is how it should be :)

I always find asking other people for ideas about this sort of thing odd. People who generally do epic things do them because it's their passion and something they believe strongly in.
What in your life do you have a burning passion for?

Well, I agree it’s irritating out of context , and am not a Mary Oliver fan, but that line in the context of the rest of the poem is all about how a perfectly valid use of your ‘wild and precious life’ is lying around in the grass watching insects. I think her whole point is that you don’t have to be doing things conventionally considered laudable or worthwhile.

Out of context I agree it’s as irritating as LIVE LAUGH LOVE signs, or that annoying perfume ad where Natalie Portman jumps off cliffs and cavorts prettily and says ‘And you — what would you do for love?’

Excellent…I wish you every success!

Thank you for posting this. It's not a poem that I had come across before and I really like it.

I was going to say exactly this 😂 Not “epic” at all!

That’s an admirable aim ignore the misery guts on here!!

I always think starting something up ticks that box; so being able to then step back but have left a legacy that continues beyond your own physical effort.

Volunteering groups would be where I’d start -
focussed on your passions. Helping at grass roots for kids / sport / hospitals / drama groups / elderly care / mental health etc / local park etc

Think of what would be useful as a long term support and set up the framework, get the initial volunteers, set up socials, launch it etc etc.

2 good examples near me are a litter picking organisation that now operate in many different local spots across the town and also a charity that visits cancer patients and takes small gift parcels.

The 2nd one has grown so much the founder has left her corporate law job, just moved into a huge warehouse to mange all the donations and care packs and won lots of awards.

In the nicest possible way, your son is unlikely to spend a lot of time thinking about what you were doing when he was a toddler. He won't be awed that you did a sky dive or ran a marathon, most people see their parents as an overview of who they have been and how they have lived their life rather than by individual achievements.

Do something that makes you proud, happy and fulfilled. If one day he is impressed thats a bonus.

"Unless you start shitting toys, I doubt your toddler will care at all!"

"Have you read the whole poem that quote comes from? Not to diminish your ambitions, but it's not about doing epic things at all"

"That quote is so irritating. My life is neither wild nor precious. It's just life, like any other form of life."

Why is Mumsnet like this?!

Good thread OP, I've nothing useful to add but am taking inspiration from the thoughtful replies.

Apparently endless rounds of fucking laundry.

I think that does sound epic 😊

I know someone who does 'extreme' challenges and I just think 'oh, get a grip' and feel sorry for his wife for all the time he spends away from his family training and preparing. Yours sound much better.

I did give a thoughtful reply. But trying to do something to impress others (especially your own children!) is likely to only end in disappointment that you don't get the reaction you want. OP needs to do something they feel proud of and to hell with anyone else.

Do you know how to impress your toddler @Sadalot90? Spend time with them. Listen to them. Give them your love and time. They dont care about anything else.