"The" List

OK, OK... Enough already with the semi-idolatrous, borderline adulterous revelry of the weekend. Throw those paper hats away. Keep one of those stupid little horns though so you can announce your arrival at some distant party in June. Just think, you'll be the only one with a horn. My God, won't that be special?

And now for the other matter - the list. What list, say you? Come on!!! You know the one. Every sentence on it begins with I wish or I want to or I'm going to... Or maybe you are one who has the stark impersonal list filled with just nouns and verbs. It merely says diet, smoking cessation, less drinking. And it's typed. No harm done there in case it's seen by prying eyes. Ah yes, it's the New Year's Resolution List. You sit there doing your very best Bambi in the headlights impersonation. (You're not very good at it, by the way.)

Well, I outsmarted myself this year. It was the first time in a very long time I didn't even bother to make a list. I decided to revert to an old plan I have for lists, except I was never so bold as to use it for the New Year's List before. No, no. That New Year's List is no everyday, mediocre, run-of-the-mill list. No, Sir! It's unique, nearly sacred, the Lists of Lists, and is to be treated as such...

Until this year, that is. I am reducing it to child's play. I am taking the bogeyman out of it. I am exposing it, once and for all, for what it really is - just one more curve that life throws you that helps you to feel bad about yourself.

I RESOLVE TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT ME THIS YEAR... 2010... PERIOD!!!

So here's the plan...

My last post was about having a clean slate... each day, each week, each month... you pick the increment. (Personally, I like month. It gives me a good time span to really forget about the list - and that's a good thing, you'll see why.)

What I do is send myself an email from the calendar in my email to remind me to check the list... on the fifteenth of every month. I avoid the first of the month so that it isn't lost in the bill paying fiasco. By the time the middle of the month comes around, I'm looking for a lift.

Now you can go out and get yourself a slate, (the symbolism won't be lost on it), but, quite frankly, I find that paper works the best for me. (I have this new thing now. I'm obsessed with index cards for some reason... hoo hoo... there's my list!)

You can give it any caption you want. You can state what it actually is - The New Year's Resolution List, or you can have fun with it and name it George for all it matters. Just give it a name that suits YOU. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about it. Mine simply says "Accomplishments." (You'll see why in a bit.)

Don't number it. In fact, don't write anything on it at all because here comes the tricky part. Let's say your goal is to lose 25 pounds. In your first week (if that is your increment) you have lost two pounds. On your list you would write... 'Lose two pounds.' If you have other ideas about what you would like to accomplish this year, then every time you accomplish one segment of it, whether it's losing a pound or being smoke-free for one day, write it on the list.

When you consult the list at the ordained time chosen by you, you will see a list of accomplishments rather than failures. In fact, if you write the list correctly, you can honestly say that you have done everything on your list and that you are succeeding in whatever your goals are.

It's an uplifting and encouraging exercise, a kind expression of love to yourself. Now who couldn't use a little of that in the coming year? Happy Listing!!!

p.s. everything on my list is done so far... except for that one thing... dammit!