196/365: The Art of List Making

"The Art of Brain Spilling" - a stamped and illustrated collage of sorts

Today I made:

my master to-do list and a picture of my brain spill...

Ah winter break- I'm blessed with a little extra time off from teaching and I'm going to use it to my advantage. As the year comes to a close, I'm feeling extra motivated to tackle my to-do list and set some goals for the new year. But there are so many things I'd like to do that I don't know where to start. So before the overwhelm and unproductive state sets in again, I've decided to make one of my epic to-do lists. I am an expert list maker you know...have I mentioned that before?

Today's list is an absolute brain spill (a very long one). It includes every little thing I want to take care of or set in motion, from the "do- nows" to the new year goals. Over the next few days, I will organize my list by categories: home, work, creative, personal, etc. I will prioritize the items, delegate those that others are better equipped to do, take on what's really important to me, and begin the process of scheduling goals and action steps into my weeks and months for the coming year. I know this all sounds like way more fun than a gal should be having during winter vacation, but in all seriousness, I really want to make some things happen for myself in 2013, and this is the best way I can think to manage all the brain clutter that keeps me from starting.

My husband thinks I make lists to procrastinate actually having to do the things that need to get done. Maybe that is a tiny bit true, but my list making is the most cathartic way I can think of to recall, organize and prioritize all the actions that need to happen to help me feel peaceful and productive. It helps me clarify my intentions, get a vision of the things I want to accomplish in a set amount of time and get those nagging to-dos out of my head. Once they're down on paper, I can tackle each item one at a time and break it down into doable itty bitty action steps.

Sound like a grand plan that will fall through mid January? I'll admit, it has happened before, but this time I have much more clarity of what I want to accomplish, better tools to make it happen and the determination to see it through. I've gotten a small taste of what I'm capable of and I want to see how far I can actually take my dreams. That is why I'm not setting a resolution this year. Instead, I will make an affirmation:

I am committed to myself and capable of taking control of my personal, financial, and creative well being in order to create the life of my dreams.

I feel lighter already.