To Be or Not To Be

Many of us go through our daily lives with a To Do list. Each day we look at our list of things we want or need to do. We select those items that will get done and move forward to complete them.

But what about a To Be list?

Writing down the characteristics that we want to embody and each day taking actions in our lives to move forward as that person is the essence of a To Be list. For how do we know the type of person we want to be unless we really examine the qualities we want to have.

Some of the items on my To Be list are (in no particular order): role model for my children, compassionate, empathetic, peaceful, caring, loving, intelligent, well read, creative, passionate, self sufficient and the list goes on. In fact, the list is always changing. Just as with a To Do list, there are items that get added and items that get deleted. I look at the people I most admire and what conditions they operate from so that I can add them to my list. As I grow and mature I change my idea of who I am or want to be and some words fall off the list to be replaced with more refined ones.

This is your list. Write anything on it. Do not hold back, because you think someone else may not understand why you would want to be this person. On the flip side, do not write a characteristic down simply because you think you are supposed to be a certain way. I'll say it again, this is your list. You never need to show it to anyone else.

You might be thinking, then why should I even write it down. Why can't I just think about it? Simple . . .

The written word has power.

By writing down these characteristics you affirm the idea of becoming them. A written list is a reminder that you can look at and meditate on. With a written list you add and delete items intentionally, not just because you couldn't remember what you were thinking about yesterday. Finally, a written list is a guidepost; you can look at it and see where you have been and where you are going.

Put your list in a place where you will look at it each day. If you write in a journal this is a good place to keep it; earmark the page so that you can easily refer to it as you write past it.

Just as with a To Do list, take as much or a little time as you want each day to consider what is written in the list. Then put it aside and move forward knowing that you already are everything on your list.