Making lists is a fantastic mindfulness tool. Taking the time to sit and write things like this down can really help your wellness, self-esteem and mood. It can refocus you, make you appreciate things more and help you move forward.
I’m a big believer in making lists. Here are five that I think everyone should take 30mins to sit and write…right now!
What You’re Grateful For – It’s quite easy to forget about the good things we have in life. We often forget just how many amazing things we have to be grateful for and the negative can quite easily command too much of our attention. This list will help to refocus your mind and help you always see the good you have in your world no matter how hard things may get.
What You Want – Write down your dreams, your hopes, your goals and everything you want from life. This list helps to motivate you and understand which of your dreams you prioritise the most. When you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed you can look at this list and cut down on activities that aren’t actually helping you towards your goals which is great for de-stressing.
What You’re Proud Of – We’re very good at putting ourselves down but not so great at praising ourselves. What have you done recently that you’re proud of? Think of the big things like buying your own house, or landing your dream job all the way down to the little things like hitting your workout goals this week or making it into the office an extra 5 minutes early every day this month. Self-praise is an important part of a healthy self-esteem.
Happy Things That Have Happened This Year – I’ve spoken before about the power of my ‘happy lists’ and this is still something I do. Everyone seemed to be seriously hating on 2016 with all the bizarre and sad events that happened but there was also a lot of good that took place in those 365 days. Write down all the parts of your year that have made you smile and keep adding to it as the months go by, this way if anything bad happens you won’t let it consume your entire year as you’ll see that it’s just one negative point in a sea of happy!
Things You Like About Yourself – This is a list for every day and one you should read aloud. Think of at least three things you like about your personality and three things you like about the way you look. Write them down and say them aloud to yourself in the mirror every day. You’ll feel like a prize idiot the first few times you do this and it might be difficult to find anything you like at all, but self-affirmations are a great way to keep that self-esteem high and healthy. And you know what, you are pretty great, so own it!
Do you write lists? What are the most useful lists you find to help mindfulness?
xax