We all know how to get stuff done, we do it every day. We have work stuff, family stuff, basic needs of the everyday, errands and appointments, and that’s just for starters. Where we get stuck getting it done is with the soul stuff, self-care, and tending to the dreams we have for ourselves that don’t have anything to do with money or status or accumulating more things we think we can’t live without. These subtler dreams tend to go on the back burner and eventually get lost in the shuffle.
But in reality, it’s not that complicated, all we have to do is get ourselves on the to-do list. I’m not talking about a holiday in Aspen or a new car, I’m talking about the deep-down stuff that only you can give yourself. These end up being the things that make you feel most like you and you are the only one who can answer the questions about what’s most meaningful, what gives you a sense of purpose, or makes you feel whole. Even all of these hidden and more subterranean answers still start with a list.
In order to know where you’re going or figure out your next move you need to have a plan, a means of navigation so you can get from where you are to where you want to be. This is where list making comes in and it’s a tremendous, although often overlooked, tool to get things done. We use it in the everyday so we’re not making five trips to the grocery store, missing our dental appointment, or backtracking to stop at the cleaners, so why not use it to remind ourselves about what we want to be spending our time and energy on. Making a list can help clarify the things that make a difference and define our soul needs.
Let’s say you want to read more or hike more, eat healthier, garden, or take a long hot bath at the end of a busy week. Put yourself at the top of the list and schedule what it is you need. It sounds so simple, but we can easily get distracted when it comes to the follow through. The things we want for ourselves tend to get pushed farther and farther out so we can make time to do for others, but if we’re not taking care of our own dreams, who will. If you’re anything like me, when it’s on the list it’s got to get done and that includes the intangibles that may seem weird to others but that soothe my soul.
The good news is once you start checking off the first few things that come up, you’ll find a rush of other ideas and desires rising to the surface that you never even realized were inside of you. Maybe you want to take piano lessons, or teach a class, go on a silent week-long meditation retreat, hike Annapurna, or sky dive. Often when we begin taking action on what matters to us, no matter how small a step it is, what’s been pushed to the side or completely forgotten comes back around to make an appearance. It’s important to honor what comes back to you, these are important soul pieces that want to be seen and lived.
The truth is we have to make time for the life we want to be living and a list offers us a shortcut. It’s a physical reminder to do the things that matter to us on a soul level. My list includes things like puttering around the house, laying on the lounge chair watching the stars, time in nature, more rest, and slowing it down. These are things that don’t get the house cleaned but they do refresh my soul and deepen my perspective. They are things that make me feel connected, create a sense of wholeness, and help me ground into the present moment. Often what we need is a little more time to let the life that is going on all around us sink in and be savored instead of just flashing by in a blur.
Even though it may start as a simple little list it ends up having the power to transform your life. That’s because it’s pointing you to what you love, want more of, and want to fill your life with. And once you arrive at the place where you are living your more, doors you never imagined existed begin to open. That’s when everything really starts to change.
Get what you want out of life at the top of the list.
kb
