This List Idea is How I Stay Aligned With Who I Want to Be
First of a 4-part series of simple list ideas for personal growth
Hi, my name is Ria. And I’m a glazomaniac.
I’ve been a compulsive list-maker for as long as I can remember. As a hyperactive student intoxicated by productivity, I inundated my planner with checklists (which feels like another life considering how allergic I am now to doing Too Many Things). At work, I would tame my anxiety by listing the crap out of my projects. As a newbie writer, I quickly put in my reps writing listicle after listicle. I’ve made comparison lists: pros vs cons, what works vs what doesn’t work, even my past self vs my present self. Through the sheer act of enumerating things, I’ve been able to systematically acclimatize to new jobs, be at peace knowing I’m traveling with everything I need, nail my grocery runs, and run my errands like a proper adult. (This last point is arguable, but let’s just go with it.)
Sure, it’s great to get stuff done, not to mention to trick myself into feeling a semblance of control. But here’s what I realized: I’ve made far more exciting and rewarding lists in my life — none made with productivity with the end in mind.
As you’ll see in a later post, it was a list that helped me rise from the ashes of burnout. I’ve…
