ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME
How you can use simple list-making practices to track your favorite experiences and stay inspired!
Creativity loves multiple influences.
I am a firm believer that inspiration can occur when different sources begin talking to each other. Remember the pivotal scene from the 1988 film, WORKING GIRL, where Melody Griffith’s character has to prove how she got her “ big idea” for the company? She read the trades and she also read gossip magazines and the two sources inspired a connection that no one else had seen.
By setting up a simple collection system, you’ll also be priming the pump for new ideas and connections in your work and your life. You’ll be surprised at how easily you will recall events or activities from your life and be able to refer back to them -whether for your writing, creativity, or simply for pleasure.
At the very least, you’ll always have something good to share with friends. If you aren’t already, you might just become the go-to friend with all the great book, music, or recipe recommendations, simply because you are paying more attention and keeping track of what you enjoyed.
No matter what your work is in the world, this is a handy and effective process that takes little time and effort, but the personal rewards are great!
Let’s talk about the beauty of list-making!
I have always enjoyed making lists. They help me organize my thoughts, remember details, and keep track of what I need to do, want to do, or want to remember. In 2021, inspired by something I read by Austin Kleon, I started becoming more intentional in tracking certain activities through simple list-making.
I’m not talking about an elaborate workflow-tracking system or bullet journal habit-tracking for increasing your productivity. There aren’t fifteen boxes to check or 10 questions to answer at the end of each day. I’m just suggesting that you have a dedicated place to keep track of events and activities you want to reflect upon or reference at the end of the year, for your pleasure.
What was that great book I read last January? My favorite series of the year? The quote that shifted my perspective on my work or family? That insane tune I couldn’t stop listening to this summer? That quote or poem I don’t want to lose?
Simply set up a digital folder for your lists or use an old-school spiral notebook for keeping track of your learning and experiences this year. You can add to your lists in real-time, or make quick notes once a month at the end of the month. The key is deciding what you want to track and being READY TO RECEIVE the information. Just give your lists a place to live so that you can access them easily.
Here’s what I plan to track this year by simple list-making:
Books I read
Movies/ TV Series I watch
Music or Podcasts that resonate
New recipes I want to make again
My writing progress
Highlights from my studies
In addition to the lists above, I will continue tracking in these ways in my specialty journals:
Quote of the day journal
Logbook - my daily activities
Daily Journal - an invitation to journal, doodle, play and/or make a note daily
For more detail on which journals I use and how I use them, check this post.
How much fun would it be to look back at these at the end of the year?
I can tell you. A LOT.
If you are a creative, writer, or you just love the idea of more documentation of your own life experiences and influences - you’ll be amazed at how this simple process will inspire you.
Here’s to your happy list-making experiences in the new year! I wonder what new opportunities, connections, insights, and experiences you’ll discover and then be able to reflect on.
Comment below what you plan to track in this simple way in the new year!
xo Mary
3 THINGS WORTH SHARING:
My 100 THINGS LIST + How to give yourself more spaciousness in considering your 2023. You are NOT behind.
ONEING: The Cosmic Egg - from the Center For Action and Contemplation
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“Write what you know. Whether it’s a literal re-telling or wrapped within a childhood fantasy, your story, your truth should always be primary in your writing and filmmaking.” - Wes Anderson
This month I will be donating a portion of my paid subscriptions to :
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Thank you for the suggestion to keep track of our lives in simple list form - it seems much more manageable on a daily basis, especially when I don’t have as much time to write as I’d like. I have been keeping track of books read and those I want to read (there are a lot of them) on the Goodreads app, but I like pen and paper for other things, like quotes. I started a quotes journal several years ago, but haven’t taken the time to add to it consistently the last two years, so I appreciate the reminder.
I’m tracking the books I have read and want to read with the Goodreads app, and I keep a list of movies and TV shows I want to watch and then the ones I really love on my phone.