Bucket Listing for Beginners with Laura Carney

Bucket Listing for Beginners with Laura Carney

What do you actually want to do with your life?

Not what you should do. Not what sounds impressive. Not what everyone else expects of you.

What do you want?

Join bestselling author Laura Carney for Bucket Listing for Beginners, an interactive workshop about intentional living, courage, authenticity, and discovering the things that genuinely matter to you.

After the untimely death of her father, Laura set out to complete the unfinished items on his bucket list. Over the course of six years, that journey changed her life and ultimately led to her bestselling memoir, My Father’s List: How Living My Dad’s Dreams Set Me Free.

Now Laura takes what she learned from that experience and helps others look at their own lives differently.

This isn't just an author talk.

Laura will lead attendees through a series of thought-provoking prompts and "dares" designed to help you look beyond the traditional idea of a bucket list.

You'll have time to write, reflect and, if you choose, share some of your answers with the group.

The goal isn't to create the biggest or most impressive list possible. It's to get honest about what you care about, what you may have been putting off, and what you actually want your life to look like.

Your ticket includes

• Admission to the interactive Bucket Listing for Beginners workshop with Laura Carney
• A copy of Laura's bestselling memoir, My Father’s List
• An opportunity to have your book personally signed by Laura
• Light snacks and nonalcoholic refreshments

A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® (KKAD25), a nonprofit dedicated to traffic safety and supporting families who have lost loved ones in traffic incidents through its Live Forward!® program and annual Pikes Peak Ascent weekend.

About Laura Carney

Laura Carney is a writer, public speaker, teacher and author of the bestselling memoir My Father’s List: How Living My Dad’s Dreams Set Me Free.

Her work has appeared in publications including Good Housekeeping, People, The Washington Post, Maria Shriver’s The Sunday Paper and Runner’s World.

Laura's story has been featured on CBS News Sunday Morning, NPR, BBC, Tamron Hall, The Drew Barrymore Show and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, among others.

My Father’s List was named one of Real Simple's Best Books of 2023, was optioned for television, selected by Melissa Gilbert for her book club, and chosen as the 2025 One City, One Book selection by Greensboro Public Library.

Why I'm bringing Laura to Littleton

Sometimes one person’s story can set things in motion you never could have predicted.

I first discovered Laura through a television interview about My Father’s List. Her story immediately struck something in me. I bought the book, devoured it, started following her journey — and eventually saw that she was planning to come to Colorado to attempt the Pikes Peak Ascent.

At the time, I was helping friends jumpstart Renoja Wellness Colorado Springs, a wellness studio focused on recovery, optimization and longevity. When I learned Laura was planning to attempt the race, I reached out and offered her complimentary services to help her prepare and recover during race weekend.

That one message ended up setting off a chain of events I never expected.

Laura introduced me to Tom Everson and, through him, to the Pikes Peak Ascent — a race I had never even heard of. Although Laura wasn't able to make it to Colorado that year, I got Renoja involved with the race, met Tom, experienced the event firsthand and left knowing one thing: I wanted to do it someday.

The following year, Laura returned to Colorado to attempt the Ascent herself, and we finally had the chance to meet in person.

Now, almost three years after I sent that first message, everything has come full circle. Laura is returning to Colorado for this year's race and KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 — and I'm preparing for my first Pikes Peak Ascent, running in honor of Laura's father.

That journey is a big part of why I wanted to bring Laura to Littleton. Her story embodies so much of what I believe about growth: do hard things. Do things that scare you, challenge you, transform you and elevate you — and the people around you. Think big. Do big. Go big. But most importantly, keep showing up.

You never really know where one decision, one introduction or one brave yes might lead.

— Julie Ragusa