Hi, my name is Melissa and I am a listy list lister

That’s right. I write lists.

Grocery lists

Medical lists

Reading and book lists

Cleaning lists

Ideas of what to do when I am bored lists

To-do lists*ok maybe 3 or 4 to do lists at a time

Assignment lists

Sometimes I spend more time writing lists than I do actually doing the things on them.

What I’d like to do is stop writing lists of things I need to / shoulda-woulda-coulda type lists and start writing more positively focused lists.

Have you ever written a ‘gratitude’ list? A ‘done’ list? An ‘amazing stuff I’ve done list’?

I haven’t.  And realizing that I focus so much of my energy on what is empty or waiting is quite depressing, because I have so much to be grateful for I forget it all in the mess of to-do’s.  By forgetting them, I am not even enjoying them – which is usually the reason I’ve got them in the first place.  Like an old shirt at the bottom of my closet, I’ve got so many things just waiting to be celebrated!

So here, I will write my very first ‘gratitude list’:

1. I have a lawn, and I love lying in the grass!

2. I have a drawer full of white socks (my favourite)

3. I am healthy and can go about my daily tasks without issue

4. I have a little sister who I love and a grandma I connect with so well!

5. I always have apples in my fridge J

6. I am returning to school to be a social worker which is something I’ve always wanted

7. I have a job that I enjoy

8. I LOVE drinking water!

9. I have a dog that is more than excited to see me every day when I wake up or get home

10. I am thankful that I can sit outside on a sunny morning with a coffee and a book and I’m content

11. Silence is not uncomfortable for me

12. I enjoy sharing and learning new perspectives on life

13. I am able to live peacefully amongst my fellow beings and the earth and am confident I am not destroying more than I create.

Oh wow.. That felt amazing, I feel great. If only I could express through text how that list really changed my perspective, in less than 10 minutes.

Challenge to you – create your ‘gratitude list’ and share it with us here!

I think this is a direct example of the Powers of Positive Thinking!