I’ve listened to the Creativity Matters Podcast for years + years. Back when it was still the Creative Mom Podcast. Back before I was even a mom + didn’t know if I could call myself a creative. My whole family knows Amy’s voice + taglines!
So when she wrote about making a birthday list, I was game! I’ve been proactive about my birthday for years. Some might even call me a bit directive! I like to fill the month with good things. But the idea of marking this birthday with FIFTY things that I wanted to do—that took some thought.
And that was part of the appeal. Making a list required thought and contemplation. Nothing on my list was especially extravagant. But taken as a whole, it created a spacious, nourishing celebration. I built my list over a few days with these categories:
things to eat
to listen to
to watch
to do
to read
to make
Then I sorted the list into morning, noon, and night. That way I could see the outline of the day and where things might fit.
I wasn’t worried about the time element. I would rather savor things instead of rushing them. I sent Poetry Postcards all over the world. This took way longer than just a weekend, but I still counted it as part of my list. My list also included some things that might in another context be a chore. Clean off my desk was one of my 50. But this sort of chore made space for more creative work to happen.
And in the end I did all 50 things. Except relax in a hot tub and eat eggs benedict. But we are traveling to see Macbeth in a few weeks + I may still have the chance to finish my list!
Journal Prompt:
Do you make lists?
What seasonal celebrations are coming up for you?
What about this weekend?
What will you choose to eat / to listen to / to watch / to do / to read?
I’m the queen of catch-up so Happy belated Birthday. I hope you had a wonderful time; it sounds lovely. I love that you made a list for it 💕 - productive and soul soothing. I love that!!
Lists are great, although my lists are never pleasure-lists, more like “do these things or fail at your day” lists 😆
I do make lists of places I want to go occasionally although I’m trying to intentionally be present in now so am curbing those dreamy notions somewhat. Thankyou for your poetry postcards, I do appreciate the time taken for each, and love getting happy mail! 📫🧡
That first paragraph made me really emotional. Thank you. That’s been a lot of years. — I hope you had a fantastic birthday, and I love how you approached a long project leading up to your birthday as well as a to-do list for the birthday. Have you written about your poetry postcards? That sounds like a wonderful project. Here’s to a good new year!