I am a list maker. Yes, there, I said it. I make a list for everything on anything I can find. I have a grocery list, a to do list, a work list, and a scheduling list to name a few. I even have lists inside of lists where I write on my to do list, a list that I might need to have for the next day, such as, make my 6 point action list for tomorrow.

Lists make me feel safe. They make me feel secure in thinking that I am going to get everything done that I need to get done on any given day. I’m a bit of an organization freak, so lists help calm my anxiety and fear of forgetting to do something.

However, the problem I have with my lists is often times I can’t remember to look at them. Yes, I know, it sort of defeats the purpose of having the list if I don’t use them. This is what adults would call irony. As an adult having to live in the “real world,” I find that I am never short of irony. It surrounds me to no end. I don’t feel irony is a bad thing. It actually helps me to smile at trivial things, and just breathe when I want to panic.

For instance, when I engage in a new writing project, I tend to panic because getting over the hump of getting started is the hardest part for me to overcome. I begin with a blank screen, then move to abject self-loathing, then something just kicks in and I become that writing machine that goes until the majority of the project is completed. Once that happens everything seems to fall in place. It’s a process. Everyone has their “process” and once they embrace it, know how to work through it, and accept the ironies of life, it will go much smoother. My list of action items to complete each day helps me to reach this goal in a much calmer way…when I remember to look at it ^_^

So don’t let those problems that are worrying you, keep you from living, and accomplishing things that you want to get done. Make that list, check off what you can get done, and transfer the unchecked items to another day. Life is full of things to fear, but living shouldn’t be one of them.