To-Be List

To-Be List

Gail Boushey

October 2, 2014

October 3, 2014
Issue #324

Gail Boushey

I am a list maker: a two-column, to-do list maker. One column holds work tasks, the other is for tasks I need to accomplish at home, and sometimes I even squeeze in a third column of things to purchase at the store (coffee and chocolate are usually at the top of that list).

To-do lists help me remember my priorities, my promises, and my commitments, and help me to feel a sense of accomplishment.

I have added a new column to my list titled "To-Be." I heard a friend describe her to-be list as a way to be the person she wants to be every day, and she says it actually helps her enjoy going through her to-do list.

A simple way to start a to-be list is to ask yourself, “What do I want to be today?" Do you want to be happy, loving, peaceful, grateful, balanced, kind, or strong? Put on a mind-set of seeing things through the lens of what you want to be, and practice.

I jumped in and tried it with gratefulness today. When I got to a meeting early, I was grateful I had time to grab a cup of coffee before the meeting started. Our meeting lasted longer than was planned, so I practiced by being grateful that I didn’t have a commitment afterward. I know it is just a start.

The to-be list is a reminder of how we might positively see and respond to circumstances and events in our lives.

Perhaps it is a way to help students see the world and their lives in a positive way. What if we taught our students to ask, "What do I want to be today?" and taught them how to use that lens to create positive outcomes in their learning and lives?

What do you want to be today?

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