List Writing For Pleasure - It Is Possible!

December is upon us, and the frenzy of festivities has begun.  My children have told me what they would like this year via lists that I found stuck on the fridge!  It appears my obsessive list writing disorder has rubbed off!

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without an array of lists.  There's one for the food shopping and one for the gift buying.  Then we have a name and address list for sending Christmas cards and even a packing list if you are lucky enough to be jetting off to sunnier climes this winter.

A list is a helpful tool to keep you on track with jobs, tasks and anything else that fills your brain on a day to day basis.

As a single mum who runs her own business and writes in her spare time (whatever that may be) list writing is what keeps me organised and calm.  If it's not on the list, then it doesn't get done!

I know many of my friends and customers who hate writing lists and roll their eyes to the heavens when I start chattering on about it.  Whether you love or loathe list writing, I hope the following ideas will spark a little bit of creativity, a fond memory or even a goal for the New Year. 

 
 

First of all I want you to put aside your Christmas shopping list.  Forget about frozen turkey's, parsnips and picking up the cranberry sauce. 

Now grab a pad and pen and give yourself the gift of five minutes to jot down a few things for each of the 'lists' I've added below:

1. List all the jobs you would have loved to try (yes, even astronaut)
2. List all the cities you've ever visited and underline your favourite.
3. List your five favourite books (Oooh this is a tough one!)
4. List the first three things you'd do if you won a million pounds.
5. List the five things you'd save if your house were on fire (don't count family - that's too easy My kids would have trampled over me to get out!)
6. List four people you would love to meet (dead or alive)
7. List the wishes you would like to come true.
8. List five nice things you've done for other people.
9. List your favourite things about your family.
10. List five things you would like to change in your life.

When I got my kids to do this exercise, I was amused to find a 'two-day school week, and five-day weekend' on my daughters wish list.  'More takeaways' made my younger sons list with no mention of mums cooking skills!  Their favourite cities were Barcelona and London, and I was very pleased to see my book on their favourite book list - not at all biased.

Read back over your lists.  Could you choose one of your favourite cities to visit next summer?  How about a de-clutter - if you would only save five things from the fire then do you need the 'stuff' in your house?  What action steps can you take in 2015 to make your wishes come true?  Remember all the favourite things you wrote about your family when you are all together this Christmas.  Can you turn list number 10 into a New Year Resolution?  Changes in your life only happen when you want them to - if they were important enough to write on a list, why aren't they important enough to do in real life?  Make it happen.

For me, writing a list is a hugely important part of my day, but why can't we have a bit of fun along the way - it is the silly season after all.

How did you get on with your list writing?  Pick one from each of your lists and write them in the comments.


Photo Credits: www.freedigitalphotos.net
Digidreamgrafix 'Festive Snowman'
Mister GC 'Christmas Wish List'