Making Lists

We make lists all the time – grocery lists, books to read, Spotify music lists, to-do lists. Mentally, written on a piece of paper or post-it notes, or entered into our phones, it’s common practice to make a list when you’re trying to remember things.

What if we took that habit and made lists for fun too? Instead of just listing the everyday tasks to accomplish, what if we incorporate list making in a more personal, reflective, and explorative way?

·      Things I would do if I had a day off, or spare afternoon.

·      What has made me happy today?

·      Places I would like to explore.

·      Things I want to grow.

·      Things I would like to learn.

·      Quotes I love.

·      What I do to relax.

·      My favorite memories or proudest moments.

·      Little things that bring me joy.

·      Ways to nurture my well-being.

·      Words I like.

·      My dreams.

Lists like this make prioritizing self care and joy simple and easy, shifting away from the endless to-do lists and focusing on the present and individual happiness. A list of what you want to do rather than what you have to do makes it easy to start doing things that bring you joy and make some new memories instead of constantly putting them off for a later date.

Not only that, but imagine having a journal you could look back at and see snapshots of your mind at that point in time. How the younger you saw the world around them and what brought them joy. Being able to look back could also spark some old loves back to life, reminding you of past hobbies or activities that you could pick up again.

There’s no doubt that to-do lists or reminder lists serve their purpose in organizing our day-to-day tasks, but there’s nothing saying that organization is limited to what you have to do versus what you want to do or what makes you happy. Making fun lists is a whole new aspect of self-care and prioritizing joy.