fulfilling life that aligns with your spirit
Create A “To Love: List Rather Than A “To Do” List
Published on 11 Mar 2010 at 4:39 pm.
11 Comments.
Filed under Business Development,Feature Articles,Personal Development Strategies,Spirituality & Inspiration.
During one of the recent calls for my Aligning With Destiny program, one of the members talked about feeling overwhelmed by her never ending to-do lists and the challenges to stay committed to getting things done. My program partner, Anita Pathik Law suggested dropping the idea of a to-do list and playing with a “To Love” list instead.  I just loved that idea!
Think about this for a moment. Consider the energy associated with a to-do list. Typically we think of the things on the list as chores, tasks, and responsibilities we feel we have to get handled, right. You know, the stuff that goes along with life that you gotta do even if they sometimes feel like a drudgery. When we look at our life from the viewpoint of shoulds, need tos, and have tos, the things we feel we are assigned to manage don’t feel very inviting especially when we feel a lack of choice, which of course we always have.
Do you have a to-do list?
If you do, do you look forward to getting things attended to or are you focused on getting as much crossed off as you can? And when you do get stuff accomplished, how do you feel?
Now, imagine instead creating a “to love” list. You might create a daily or weekly one that has the things you are choosing to do for yourself , others, your business because you want to rather than feeling you have to. Without feeling like you have a choice invites resistance and the desire to say NO! I won’t! Remember how you felt as a little kid when you were told to do something you didn’t want to do and you parents made you do it anyway?
Feeling you have a choice invites the desire to want to say yes and follow through with your YES!
Reframing how you look at what you are doing can make a huge difference in your attitude and energy about the things you choose to do. Notice how I keep using the word “choose’?
Our innate nature is love. By choosing to look at the people and things in your life from the eyes of love can feel expansive and joyful even if it includes the most mundane task or something you just don’t want to deal with.
For example:
When I first faced my resistance to exercise and eating more healthfully, all the reasons why I should and have and to make these lifestyle changes were very logical and obvious. Even though my decision and intention was to prioritize my health, I was still sabotaging my efforts because I felt it was more of a should and have to.
Then I thought about the gains to committing to eating healthy. I saw it as loving myself by taking better care of ME. A healthier lifestyle invites more energy, focus and concentration, dropping extra lbs. feeling and looking great…… there are so many rewards we receive when we come from a place of love: when we show up for ourselves, others, and the world.
You might have several tasks for your business that feel important to put on your list. You might have some things you’ve been avoiding or postponing that keep showing up on your list. Now imagine if you looked at handling these things from a heart-centered space of choice and love. Imagine that you approached the business responsibilities as doing things because you love the work you do and the service you provide to others. Imagine if you looked at the tasks you do at home for yourself or your family as an expression of love and the environment you want to create rather than the stuff you gotta do when you get home.
Get the picture?
So, dump that tired old to-do list and create a new one by starting your morning and asking, “How will I love myself right now? How do I want to love myself today?” Then write down the loving things you choose to do including the chores, tasks, and responsibilities you want to show up for.
It’s up to you as to how you approach your life – as an endless experience of things to do or opportunities to express your love. You choose. Every moment you get to decide what you will do next and who you choose to be.
Such power you have. Claim it!
PS. Join me Compelling Conversation with Anita Pathik Law for a provocative 90 minute conversation about “Awakening to Your Soul’s Purpose; Untapping the Potential Within”. Wednesday, March 17 at noon EST. Learn more and register
Cheers,
Lorraine
www.isayyesnow.com
Irene on 11 Mar 2010 at 11:26 pm: 1
Hi Lorraine,
Excellent and wise idea. Thank Anita for me.
Something that helped me was realizing that some responsibilities on my to-do list were about taking care of others. So I let it come from my heart by feeling the love for them, and then the should would feel like a want.
Blessings
Irene
lorraine on 12 Mar 2010 at 9:12 am: 2
Beautiful Irene
Exactly my point. The shift to want and choose makes a huge difference in how we feel and view the things we commit to.
Paul B. Taubman II on 12 Mar 2010 at 10:49 am: 3
Greetings!
How wonderful that a simple shift in words changes everything so dramatically! It is a simple’ idea such as your post that reduces stress and make life more joyful!
Thanks for the wonderful post!
Be Well.
Paul.
http://www.AllAboutGratitude.com
lorraine on 12 Mar 2010 at 12:10 pm: 4
Amen Paul
Isn’t it amazing how making the smallest changes can dramatically shift our experience? Being in appreciation and gratitude is another way I reduce stress and experience more joy. Love your website theme
Terri Zwierzynski on 12 Mar 2010 at 12:22 pm: 5
I love this! There must be a theme today about shifting away from the “guilt” associated with procrastination: http://metromom.com/MetromomBlog/2010/03/12/ugh-is-it-possible-my-mom-is-right/#comment-39387501
Thank you Lorraine and Anita!
kim on 12 Mar 2010 at 1:00 pm: 6
I loved this thanks so much.A love list wow
Sheryl Schlameuss Berger on 13 Mar 2010 at 9:48 pm: 7
Framing our daily chores and tasks in a loving light is a beautiful idea! By choosing to do those tasks that express our love in some form, we feel as if we have true freedom in how we structure our days. Lorraine, you and Ani think up the most creative and uplifting ideas for living every day with a positive and joyful outlook!
lorraine on 14 Mar 2010 at 12:44 pm: 8
I love when that happens Terri. Must be something in the air and we are picking up on it. Imagine what the world would be like if we focused on “being love” every day? WOW
@ Hey Kim – have fun with the idea and experience your magic
@ Hiya Sheryl. Amen with all you said. Little shifts in energy and attitude can so powerfully transform our life experiences especially those we don’t really like. We all have so much more power than we realize.
And thank you for the compliment. It’s fun to let the creative juices flow and open to new ways to look at life. Ani is so brilliant, isn’t she? She continually inspires me.
Have a terrific day everyone
akushi on 15 Mar 2010 at 4:47 am: 9
wonderful. thank you love it love akushi. xxx
Donna Marie Castaner on 17 Mar 2010 at 6:07 pm: 10
I love this – it completely changes the perspective – wow
lorraine on 17 Mar 2010 at 6:12 pm: 11
Aint that cool Donna Marie?
Amazing how we can have a whole different response when we entertain a new perspective. I am continually delighted about how simple that can be and the amount of stress we can let go of – wow