The Magic of Making Lists

If you read my blog, you know I’m a major proponent of keeping a “List of Things to Paint.” I think it’s one of the best habits an artist can implement.

I’ve also been a longtime supporter of the classic to-do list, making one for each day of the week. However, it wasn’t until recently that I discovered the magic of making lists in other areas of my life.

I’m Catholic, and we give up something every year for lent (the 40 days leading up to Easter). This year, I gave up buying anything that wasn’t considered a necessity or business expense. I asked Ryan to be the judge what’s considered a necessity. I didn’t give up shopping because I had a spending problem. I gave it up because I realized how much space my desired purchases took up in my life. I would spend so much time agonizing over these decisions - making abandoned shopping carts, comparing products, and returning online purchases. I wanted to be free of that just for a bit.

So, instead of buying something immediately, I would add it to a “Things to Buy” list, which I could fulfill after lent. You can probably guess what happened. I got the same thrill from adding things to the list that I got from actually purchasing them. And most of the things I had on the list, I didn’t even want after lent. It made me realize I was making a lot of purchases simply because I didn’t want to forget about them, or because I was worried they would go out of stock. I realized how this urgency to buy things is deeply ingrained in our culture. What’s the rush?

Needless to say, this list pretty much changed my life. I’ve decided that I will always keep a “Things to Buy” list going forward. I’m going to keep items on there for several weeks before deciding whether to buy.

This experiment inspired me to make a “Things That Are Stressing Me Out” list. Another life-changing endeavor. I realized a lot of the things that are stressing me out have solutions. For example, I was stressed out about the fact that I hadn’t seen my Grandma in a while, and she hasn’t been doing great. So I visited her. And I feel a million times better. I was also stressed about a cavity I needed filled. So I got it filled.

There are very few things on the list that don’t have solutions. And even if I can’t fix them immediately, just writing these things down makes them feel a lot smaller. I know to discuss them with my loved ones and my therapist, so I don’t feel so alone. I can make a point to practice stress reducing techniques around these items.

Other lists I’ve been keeping are:

• Life Bucket List (separated into things to see, to accomplish, to experience, to learn, and to have)

• Career Bucket List

• Blog Ideas

• Life Lessons

• Healthy Habits to Keep

• What Makes My Illustration Style Unique

Just getting all of this out of my brain and onto paper felt amazing. And by paper, I mean digital paper. I like to use Evernote for my lists. However, a small notebook can work just as well if you aren’t a digital person. As long as you have access to it at all times.

So what lists do you keep and how have they changed your life? Let me know in the comments below!