I love to read and I love my book club we get together once a month to discuss the book we chose the month before so its really hard for me to pick just one book., right now we are reading "THE NEXT THING ON MY LIST" BY JILL SMOLINSKI
June's life and her job have become a bit boring. She offers a lift home after a Weight Watchers meeting to Marissa. But on the way to drop her off the car is involved in a car accident and Marrissa dies. June finds a list that Marrissa had made that involved making some things happen before her twenty-fifth birthday. Out of guilt and out of obligation after talking to Marissa's brother, June decides to complete Marissa's list, with some funny twists and turns. The tasks before her range from inspiring (Run a 5K), to daring (Go braless), to near-impossible (Change someone’s life), and as June races to achieve each goal before the deadline, she learns more about her own life than she ever bargained for. I really think you will like this book.. Have you ever made a life list? This book has encouraged me to do so.
I found this while searching on Jill Smolinski's website on how to write a life list Do's and Don'ts..
Life List Dos & Don’ts
A life list—a list of things you hope to do before
you die —can be a great tool for helping you get more out of each day.
Here, some dos & don’ts:
DO put your life list in writing. Experts say the very act of writing down goals increases the chance you’ll achieve them.
DO aim for a good number of goals. Between 10 and 50 is typical. Too many, and you may feel overwhelmed—too few, uninspired.
DON’T include a goal because you think you “should.” Yes, many people dream of climbing mountains or visiting exotic locations, but if those types of things don’t appeal to you, they’ll only get in the way of what does.
DON’T include a goal because you think you “should.” Yes, many people dream of climbing mountains or visiting exotic locations, but if those types of things don’t appeal to you, they’ll only get in the way of what does.
DO include different types of goals: ambitious
(write a novel, tour Europe, start a business), crazy (dance in your
underwear, audition for American Idol), fun (go on a roadtrip,
make a mud pie), self-improving (get organized, lose 10 pounds),
skill-based (learn French, take a cooking lesson), world-changing
(volunteer, buy a hybrid car), personal (get married, get a tattoo),
risky (skydive, speak in front of at least 50 people), or even give
yourself a quest (meet a celebrity, find the best taco stand in town).
DON’T worry if you can’t come up with a lot of
ideas for your life list at first. Momentum is an amazing force. The
more you do, the more you’ll want to do. You can add to it as you go.
DO involve other people. Together, you can
brainstorm ideas and tackle any shared goals. Plus, with friends
checking in on your progress, you’ll be less likely to lose steam.
DON’T be vague. If you say, “be a nicer person,”
it’s hard to know when you can check it off your list—one grumpy day can
throw the whole thing off. Try instead, “do a kind gesture for someone
I love” or “go a week without yelling.”
DO be realistic. If your goals seem beyond your
grasp, you’ll stop reaching. Sure, it’s great to dream big—after all,
if no one envisioned the impossible, we wouldn’t have space travel or
cures for diseases. But a list you can do is a list you will do.
DON’T etch your list in stone. That was fine for
the Ten Commandments, but a life list will serve you better if it
remains a work in progress. Some things are beyond our control. If you
lose your hair, for example, “grow a Mohawk” will not only seem
ridiculous, but maybe even depressing. It’s okay to drop goals when
they’re no longer relevant to you.
DO consider giving yourself a deadline, at least for some of your items, i.e., one year to check off five things.
DON’T stress yourself out. A life list is supposed to be a catalyst, not a chore.
DO jump-start your life list with at least one
task you can do immediately. Try a new food or restaurant. Cuddle
puppies at a pet store. Call an old friend. Crossing off a task right
away will put things in motion and give you the impetus to keep going.
And lastly, DO have fun with it.
You have to check out her BLOG AND WEBSITE full of ideas on how to write a life list, I need to have mine completed or at least started before our next meeting the end of this month, Maybe I will share some of it with you..For starters I have a couple already like:
GO TO THE DALLAS COWBOY'S STADIUM AND LAY ON THE STAR ON THE FIFTY YARD LINE AND GET MY PICTURE TAKEN ON IT, I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THIS....AND WILL ONE DAY I MIGHT HAVE TO TALK TO JERRY JONES FIRST SO I DON'T GET ARRESTED!!! :-) YOU THINK I AM KIDDING BUT ONE DAY YOU'LL SEE MY PICTURE RIGHT HERE!!!!
FLY I HAVE NEVER DONE THAT BECAUSE I AM SCARED OF HEIGHTS BUT I AM GOING TO TACKLE IT SINCE THE NEXT THING ON MY LIST IS TO GO TO ITALY AND TRY ALL THE GOOD FOOD THEY HAVE AND SEE ALL THE SIGHTS!!
So do you have a life list and do care to share any of it here??? And what is your favorite book?
Hi Pam, its so early in the day here I will be back with some answers to your questions here, but wanted to stop in and thank you for visiting and you are entered in my surprise giveaway.
ReplyDeleteWe will need to share stories of our grandbabies, this little one is our first grandchild!
Have a great day!
Barb