Unlimited Life Lists

Last week, prior to the New Year, the suggestion was to ask a variety of questions, rather than making (easily broken) resolutions for 2009. Continuing with the premise that New Year's resolutions often create more anxiety than satisfaction, another interesting, concrete and fun alternative is the Life List.

Wishes, goals, dreams and things to accomplish, from the mundane to totally life-changing endeavors, can be compiled at an on-going basis. Popular goals seen repeatedly on Life Lists are: learn to cook, have a baby, get a dog, move out, plant a garden, take dancing lessons, visit every continent, stick to a budget, save money, be my own boss, lose weight, write a book, quit smoking, run a marathon, exercise regularly, get a Ph.D, learn to become a gourmet cook, learn a foreign language, take piano lessons, meditate, make a movie-the list is literally endless.

What will you put on this personal itinerary, which places to go, people to meet, and things to see and do?

• Include only the goals you WANT to achieve, not those you think you SHOULD do.

• When starting your Life List, be sure that there are one or two objectives that you can immediately accomplish-this will give the necessary momentum to add more tasks and tackle the "biggies".

• Put goals in a positive light and be specific- i.e. rather than, "be more environmentally aware", how about, "use cloth rather than paper napkins".

• Be sure they're varied (noble, wacky, very personal, chancy, etc), fun and that they don't conjure up drudgery.

• Flexibility is key- objectives are not etched in stone, so add and subtract over time to keep them relevant and meaningful to your life.

• Involve friends and family- adds immediacy, vibrancy and inspiration to the objectives on your list, as your support system will come up with great ideas, keep you on track and cheer you on.

• Focuses on the big picture- clarity gained about what's really important to you and a sense of satisfaction as you check off those things on your Life List which you've accomplished.

• Gets you past those "blah" times- knowing you have purpose, much to learn and dreams awaiting fulfillment proves to be very uplifting and exciting even when experiencing a less than optimal time in your life.

And remember, taking action is the catalyst for change!