Rediscover the Joy of Life With a “To Be” List

You are a human being, not a “human doing”. Yet I will bet that you focus a lot more on what you are doing rather than on who you are being. We all have to-do lists, but I have not heard of people having a “to-be” list, even though I think that a “to-be” list might be more useful.

You will never get through all the items on your to-do list. The better you get at delivering on your tasks, the more tasks you will end up getting handed. Simple fact of life that we might as well accept.

I don’t remember where I heard of the idea of having a “to be” list; I had heard it quite some time ago on a podcast. The idea really resonated with me and I took the time to prepare one. I took some time to reflect on the type of behaviours that my “ideal self” who have. How would they act? What would they prioritize? How would they treat the people that they encountered? What factors would influence their decision-making?

I ended up boiling it down to 5 key ways of being that I wanted to strive for.

1. Be mindful. Pay attention to the manner in which I communicate, thoughtful of what others need and want, and conscious of how they may perceive things. Basically, be aware of others and show empathy.
2. Be wise. Make choices that bring me more into alignment with the life that I desire…