To-do lists; the all-so-familiar way to get things done. We have use them as far as we can remember and they’re written in meetings, or Post-It Notes, or we have an app for that; or multiple. Checklists are the common practice when we need to get ourselves to do stuff; be it calls we are supposed to make, errands we are to run or work to accomplish. They give us a feeling, euphoria of some sorts, when we get to check items off of our lists. We feel accomplished, useful, and productive. However, we seem to crave that feeling over and over again so our lists get longer. When caught in this never-ending cycle, when do we pause to be open to positive opportunities and wonder about what can be?
A To-be list is a companion that you should make part of your life. It will make you live fully while achieving your goals. This is in line with living a quality life because, by the end of the day, life is more about the person you are and not the things you accomplish.
Ladies and gentleman, meet the to be list:
As the mother of twins under four, a full-time employee and with a company to run, you could call me ‘busy’; I prefer to call myself a person with a full life. From school-runs to office work, I have the perfect definition of a full day. And remember I have a life of my own as a wife, friend, and daughter to live. So how do I cope with all that?
I need to find space for meaning. Sometimes that translates to watching Netflix, sometimes I need to declutter my physical space (this one is still mostly a chore so…), or sometimes it means taking on a project that fills my heart with joy. What I mean is that I let my mind wonder in search for positive possibilities. Have you ever had an amazing idea in the shower? Or started singing in there for no reason? It’s finding that time where you can be alone, can be yourself, and can let your mind wonder.
Getting Started
Getting started with and practising your own to be list is very simple. These tips can help:- Get a fresh piece of paper and write, ‘In 2018 I want to be (fill in the blanks). For example, “I want to be adventurous” or “I want to be a writer.” Start with a list of 3 things.
- Read your list out loud, say it proud.
- Put your list somewhere where you can see it easily and from time to time. You can put this list in your wardrobe door, refrigerator door or by your bathroom mirror or tucked in the 2018 gate-fold of your Ponderlily planner.
Throughout your day, ask yourself, “Is this what I want to be? Is it helping me be what I want to be?” By so doing, you will find that your actions will align with how you want to be. You will also find that you will intuitively engage in behaviours aligned with what you want to be.
In the long run, you will end up being closer to what was once an aspiration than you ever imagined. There’s still so much to explore and there’s still so much fertile ground for our own growth.
So, ask yourself, “What do I want to be?”
