List of 30 Lists

What do you write in your journal when you can’t think of anything to write?  Well you can always jump online and find some prompts.  However, an alternative to responding to journaling prompts is to write lists. 

List can be quick, thought provoking and not intimidating as you can write down bullet points without worrying about wordy prose and correct grammar.  List can also help you achieve your goals and monitor your progress.

So here are a few lists to get you started.

1. Books you’d like to read or books you have read
2. Shows/movies you would like to watch
3. Your favourite quotes or affirmations
4. Places you want to visit or places you have already visited
5. Qualities you like about yourself
6. Your goals for the next 30 days
7. Your goals for the next 12 months
8. Your goals for the next 5 years
9. Goals you have already achieved
10. Activities you would like to do
11. Things you love about your partner/kids/pet
12. Gifts you need to buy for others or gift ideas
13. A wish list for yourself
14. Favourite websites
15. 10 things you love
16. To do list
17. 15 things you desire in life
18. List of important contacts
19. Things I can do when I want to spoil myself or self care activities
20. Recipe ideas
21. List of journaling pages you want to do
22. Timeline of your life
23. Things that make you happy
24. Feel good songs
25. Thoughts that inspire you
26. List of things in progress
27. Favourite food, meals and restaurants or restaurants you want to try
28. Things to do when you’re bored
29. List of People you want to meet
30. List of topics you want to journal about!

Lists are a great way to keep important information organised and in an easy to read format.  They can help you categorise your thoughts, if you are doing a brain dump, writing things in list categories is a great way to do this. 

Lists are particularly handy if you have a special event coming up, such as a wedding or function.  A check list of what you need to buy, prepare and do will be beneficial, as will a list of invitees and RSVPs, so you know who is coming.

A list is also a good way to jog your memory, I can’t tell you how many times I have written a shopping list but forgotten to take it to the shops, but because I have written it down previously I remember what I need to get.  (Yes, I always forget one thing, but I can do that even if I take the list!)

Lists are easy to share with others, either at work or at home, a to-do list can be shared so work can be allocated.  Keeping a list of books or movies you have read, makes it easy to recommend entertainment to friends and family.  I list of activities you want to do helps you conquer those "what can we do" days and allows you to tick things off your bucket list.

You can order your list by priority, therefore making sure the important things on your list are the first things you see.  There is nothing quite as satisfying as ticking things off your to-do list.  Creating lists with things in priority order stimulate and encourage you to get things done, moving you closer to your goals.

If your to-do list is getting too long and you are beginning to feel overwhelmed, break it up into three smaller lists.

• Must do
• Should do
• To do when the other lists are done

Try not to put more than three things on your Must Do list per day.  You don’t want to set yourself up to fail.

Lists also let you get a bit creative in your journal.  Draw a bookshelf to list all the books you have read on it, or get a copy of an old fashioned library card.  Write the names of your favourite songs on small black discs that look like records.  (Yes, I’m old enough to remember records).  You can have lots of fun with your lists.  The only limit is your imagination.

Let me know which lists you keep in your journal.