Three Things Thursday No. 6: Life Lists & Courage
Hello, my friend!
How’s your January going? Are you managing to stay cozy and warm and enjoy the season? I hope so! (If you haven’t already seen it, check out my blog post Hygge in a Nutshell for some inspiration.)
Meanwhile, I wanted to dig in on this week’s things, so I’ll just jump right in.
Thing 1: The Power of a Life List
Because of the new goal setting system I’m using (more on that in weeks to come), I wrote a “life list” for the first time. You know this one, right? Where you right down everything you’ve ever wanted to be, do or have in your lifetime? Your big, audacious, hairy life goals? The ones that make you a little scared to say out loud? Those.
Guess what? So scary!
Writing those big goals down and then telling my family about them was surprisingly scary. And also? Super embarrassing!! One of my life goals is to be a bestselling novelist. Aaaaaand now my face is totally beet red because I just said that out loud. But getting it out there helps me to face that fear and do it anyway instead of just wishing I would and never taking action. That’s powerful.
I also found it unexpectedly clarifying.
Once I knew my life goals, my annual goals for this year were obvious. Which makes the monthly goals obvious and so on. Every single day I know that the tasks I am accomplishing are directly related to moving me forward toward the life I want to life. In fact, when my husband was struggling to choose his goals for the year, it became obvious it was because he didn’t have a life list. He wrote one and then his goals for this year because crystal clear. That’s powerful, too.
Finally, I found it profoundly freeing.
That bestselling novelist thing? Even thinking about trying to be “best selling” is intimidating. But I know it’s a long-term goal, a LIFE goal, and that there’s MANY steps to get there. For example, I need to actually write a book for the first time. This first one is probably going to be truly awful. But I’m excited! Excited to write a crappy first book because I know it’s the first step of many. I know where I am going and I have given myself permission to take the (sometimes ugly and messy) steps to get there. Incredibly powerful.
So, if I haven’t been clear yet: make a life list!!! Then choose goals that get you closer to what’s on it.
You won’t regret it. Really.
Thing 2: Word & Motto for the Year
Do you set a word for the year or find a quote for the year? I have never done those things before, but this year I did. I chose a quote first and that made the whole thing work for me.
This year for me is one with many changes and new adventures. In addition to my first step toward authorship, I am closing our long-time business of selling educational books online and starting a new business helping people with fun, creative projects they can use to make their homes (and lives) more colorful and expressive. I knew I wanted a quote that spoke to making your dreams come true. This is what I found:
“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
From there I knew instantly that my word for the year was COURAGE.
This exercise turned out to be much more impactful than I was expecting, and my motto for the year is a touchstone for me. Later this year when I focus on building a daily art practice I hope to hand letter that quote. If I do, I’ll be sure to share it with you.
Thing 3: What I Got for Christmas
Just a last quick one: I’ve never done this before, but I decided to share what I got for Christmas, especially since there’s several cute things I think you’d like, too!! (Yes, this adorable cookie jar is one of them. Isn’t it sooooo cute!???) You can find all the details here:
That’s it!
It’s all about getting clear, getting focused and walking that path one step at a time with both patience and determination. If I can do it, so can you!!
What about you? Do you have a life list? A word or motto for the year? Comment below and let me know, or come find me on Facebook or Instagram!
Much love,
P.S. A bonus blog post I hadn’t had a chance to share! It’s all about how our family updated the “Something You Want, Something You Need” gift-giving strategy to work better for us this year. Find it here: A New & Improved Version of the Four-Gift Rule.
Many thanks to the generosity of photographers whose work is shared for free on Unsplash: Andrew Neel and Danielle MacInnes.
