A little over 6 months ago, I began a new way to do my to-do
list. You see I had just recently hosted the Texas Gathering, a weekend full of
art and friendship. I had planned and
prepared for this event for months. I
anticipated a great weekend, I planned a great weekend and I prepared a great
weekend…My anticipation, preparation and expectations were greatly surpassed by
the love, laughter and friendship that we created that weekend, let alone some
amazing art!! However, no amount of
planning, anticipating or “to-doing” would have predicted how much of a lull
came the morning after everyone was gone…I had forgotten what the end feels
like, when all the hard work, the gathering and the sharing are over…So when I
began my morning with quiet time, I knew it would end with my “to-do” list
which would involve putting away, taking down and cleaning up…ugh!! So, at the top of my list, I wrote
To Do -Day 1
And then the page sat
blank…the lines were there, the endless tasks were there, but my pen would not
write them there… I didn’t want business as usual, diving into chores, swimming
upstream through the waters of daily life.
I began to think that my list
needed to start differently- to reflect the day in which I was presently in, to
honor the gathering of just days earlier, the feelings I wanted to capture… and
from those thoughts began a new way to start my list…It went like this
-Breathe in and out, slow, to catch up
-Be Grateful
-Enjoy the moment
-Reflect on the memories
-Smile at the sun
-Hear the water
-Savor the coffee
-Let my heart be filled.
As I wrote those words, emotions came quite differently than
the usual thoughts from my usual to-do list such as… “Oh today’s already taken.
I’m already running behind with all the chores, errands, emails, calls,…”. Instead of frantic, frazzled and finished –
my day began with this…” Breathe
(just saying it brings calm…try it, say it slowly, breathe in and then out), Be…Enjoy…Reflect…Smile…”. What a difference
my day and my list looked and felt like.
Ever since that day in October, I
have begun my lists this way and I can see where my heart lives in each day, my
focus on first things and to know that there will always be enough time for
what truly needs to get done…seeing others and savoring moments, delighting in
today and letting go of yesterday, embracing the daily and encouraging the
soul. Lists have a funny way of finding
out what is in our hearts and on our minds, what needs to get done and what can
be left behind, what is our purpose and what is living life on purpose. I hope that in sharing a few of my lists
(feel free to make them yours), your “to-do’s” will let you catch your breath
and begin to breathe with a new-found way to start you day. Here are Days 2-5
of my journal just as I wrote them. And just to let you know after my first
things, the list began to look like this…make beds, get ready, empty
dishwasher, etc…Just want to keep it real.
The fascinating thing was (and is) each time I went back to my list to
cross off a completed task, I read and re-read my firsts list…how it changed my
days! I hope it will change yours...
Until next time, let your list light your path to a breathing-easier,
loving-deeper, gratefully-living “to-doing” kind of a day. Let's savor the coffee and begin a new list...
To Do- Day 2
-Breathe in
and out, slowly, deeply, restfully
-Pray faithfully,
honestly
-Enjoy this
moment of renewal
-Embrace this day
-Focus on
just today, the needs and cares of this day
-Give Grace
to others and to myself
To Do- Day 3
-Breathe slowly,
meditate
-Be thankful
for all I have
-Live in
the present
-Do not
worry about the future
-Be forgiving
to one another
-Let go
of what I can’t change
-See the
beauty all around me
To Do- Day 4
-Breathe take
my time
-Remember it doesn’t
all have to get done today
-Find time
to create
-Be thankful
for all that is around me
-Take time
to listen
-Know that
I am enough
To Do- Day 5
-Breathe to
find calm
-Be present to meet the needs of others
-Listen to the words being spoken and, in
the silence, too
-Believe I am
enough
-Pray for
my “to-do” list (the Lord can handle it)
-See the
blessings in each day.
© 2018 Chantal Johnson
