To Be List

The start of a new year is always a great time to write out a yearly list of the things we want to achieve in the coming year. But over the last couple of days as I went about reviewing my year, I began to notice a recurring trend. So much of what I had achieved in 2011 was to do with work or external achievements. By writing in my journal and slowing myself right down I noticed that many of the things I was congratulating myself for having achieved were things I did and not about who I wanted to be.

With my 50th birthday only 5 months away I knew 2012 has to be different. So that’s when I came up with the idea of a ‘To Be List’ as an alternative to the usual To Do List.

Grab a pen and paper or a blank page on your computer screen. Write the words TO BE LIST at the top of your page and for 5 minutes freely write down all the things and ways you want To Be this year, instead of the things you want to do.

Your list might include being more of the qualities of kindness, compassion, fun, or more honest. Making it onto your To Be List might be the desire to be more rested and relaxed, have more moments of stillness, more connections with others. Think about how your To Be’s impact not only on how you feel but also on how others feel. How could more random acts of kindness resonate and impact on others around you?

As you move through your year keep adding items to your To Be List. This list is a great reminder of how you want to live your life in a way that feels authentic and meaningful. Living life from this place will be far more satisfying and rewarding than relying on external accomplishments and rewards. You’ll also notice that by generating and applying your To Be List you’ll also be activating and putting into practice many of your own core values, which often get pushed aside or overlooked in pursuit of other goals.