A Life Designed With Intention

I have a frenemy relationship with to do lists. Over the summer I purchased a Skylight calendar after hearing some friends give rave reviews on how it has helped organize their lives. Since I lack structure and organization on most days I figured why not give it a whirl. I eagerly set it up and developed to do lists for the kids and I. I accomplished so much that first week. I was cleaning pantry shelves, kitchen drawers, refrigerator doors and knocking things off left and right. I felt high on how productive I was being. However the novelty wore off and my old ways of indifference and distraction crept back in. I still use the calendar, I am just wiser to the limits of my expectations of the calendar being a total game changer. I am still me after all.

On some days, to do lists make me feel powerful as I check off my to dos. On other days, the unchecked to dos stare at me and I stare back in annoyance. Overall though I do think to do lists are valuable when used with expectations of small steps towards growth. For example, when I built my to do lists on the Skylight calendar I made my daily tasks things that make me feel good as a person. In the morning my schedule includes yoga, energy medicine, taking a walk, practicing gratitude and working on other sources of income outside of my 9-5. In the afternoon I have strength training three times a week and a Mindvalley module. In the evenings I have another outside walk, reading for 20 minutes and my using my vibration plate. These are all things that I have identified over the years as things that support my mental health or help me move forward in personal development. I then supplement and add tasks if I choose that are more task like, such as cleaning the bathroom or running an errand.

Using a to do list in this way has helped me keep on track with the things that I have identified as important in supporting my mental health. I can honestly say that it has helped build a daily routine of accomplishing at least a few of the things on my to do list. There are plenty of days where I don’t check anything off the calendar but I have at least done a few of the tasks on there and this feels really good. And there are days where I don’t do anything on the to do list and that is ok too.

Tonight I celebrated how far I have come in the past 4 months in my daily routine and I do think the to do lists on my calendar have contributed to this. Last night I was certain I was going to sleep well because I practiced a lot of self care on Sunday. However my hormones had other plans for me. A week before my period it usually hits me where I feel like I have a marching band going off in my body when I lay down to sleep and that marching band last night must have taken speed because the sleep just was wasn’t happening. I got out of bed discouraged on how my day might go but I powered through and I even happily accomplished many of the things on my to do list. Tonight I checked off yoga, energy medicine, reading, strength training, daily gratitude and my vibration plate. There was definitely a trickle down effect from supporting myself in a loving way today as I was able to have more positive interactions with my kids and not be as irritable as I may have been a year ago in the same lack of sleep situation.

Always celebrate your wins, no matter how big or small they are. When we recognize and celebrate them, the universe brings us more. I truly believe this.