Are you working on your bucket list?

A number of years ago, Dave Freeman, 47-year-old author of the travel guide, "100 Things to Do before You Die," passed away at his home in Venice, California. Freeman, an advertising exec, co-wrote the book with his running partner at the time, Neil Teplica.

"This life is a short journey," the book says. "How can you make sure you fill it with the most fun and that you visit all the coolest places on earth before you pack those bags for the very last time?"

Sadly, Freeman didn't visit all of the places in the book - his father said he made it to roughly half.

Freeman and Teplica recommended everything from attending the Academy Awards in California to running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain to taking a voodoo pilgrimage in Haiti.

I've had a list like this since I was a teenager, but it's too easy to let time to slip by. I'll do it when I have more money or when the kids are grown or when...Is there ever a right time to travel, to experience something new, to step off the ledge and just live?

This year I pass a milestone birthday (nevermind!) and it startled me how many years are now in my rearview mirror. Have I done everything I set out to do by now? Seen everything I said I'd see?

Not a chance - I'm miles away from even denting my Bucket List.

But Freeman's life (not his death) is confirmation that every day is a journey. And if I'm committed to never saying "no" because of fear, then I'm living my list.

"He didn't have enough days, but he lived them like he should have," Teplica said in an interview.

I'd love to have enough days in my life to do everything - and see everything - but even more than that, I want someone to say something like this about me - even if I die at 100!

This 100 Things to Do franchise has grown strong over the years, what better reason to instill this in our friends, family and children enabling them to live life to the fullest, harnessing fears and looking those fears in the eye (yes, dear, like my zip-lining adventures - but I did it - twice!) and saying "I got this"!

What's in your Bucket List? Encourage everyone to have one. Have you started stroking things off? What's your favorite so far? Drop a comment below and join our community on Facebook and Twitter.