224. The Five Lists

At the threshold of a new year, I often find myself ruminating about the things I didn’t get done, what I wish I had accomplished, where I need to improve.

At the threshold of a new year, I often find myself ruminating about the things I didn’t get done, what I wish I had accomplished, where I need to improve. It’s the voice of my inner critic, a voice I know all too well. To drown out her chatter, I crack the spine of a new journal and reframe the concept of New Year’s resolutions by writing my way through a series of lists.

I start with an inventory of things that I’m proud of, big or small, to savor and celebrate all that unfolded in the last year.

I move on to a second list—of what I’m yearning for. Often in the process, I uncover desires not yet known.

The third list is a tough one but a cathartic one. I write down all the things that are causing me anxiety, from the most mundane inconveniences to looming existential dreads.

My fourth list is a toolkit of sorts. I reflect on all the hard things I’ve gotten through and jot down the resources, skills, and practices that saw me through and that I can return to and rely on in the new year.

My fifth and final list is my favorite: my wild ideas list. I set a timer for five to ten minutes, and in a completely unedited stream of consciousness, I jot down every wild scheme, every grand plan, every creative idea that comes to mind, no matter how harebrained or unrealistic.

These lists are celebratory, energizing, exorcising, reassuring, and motivating. They quell my inner critic and remind me that I’ve accomplished so much, that I know what I want, that I can face it all, that I have everything I need, and I can dream as big as I dare.

Prompt:

In place of resolutions, journal your way into the New Year with five lists.

  1. What in the last year are you proud of?

  2. What did this year leave you yearning for?

  3. What’s causing you anxiety?

  4. What resources, skills, and practices can you rely on in the coming year?

  5. What are your wildest, most harebrained ideas and dreams?

Growth & Transformation, New Year, Craft & CreativityAlex Gaertner