The Don't Do List

While I was away on retreat last week I started reading a new book about

Recovery and creativity. The book is called “The Artist’s Rule—a 12 week

Journey” and the author is Christine Valters Painters.

Christine who is a spiritual director and a Benedictine Oblate

and an artist. In this 12-week course she uses spiritual

teachings from the Benedictine Tradition to look at

spirituality and creativity.

While it’s designed as a “course” this is a book you

 can open anywhere And just dip in as needed

—or to be inspired.

The lesson I read this morning gave the suggestion of

making lists. I love lists so I jumped in.

Then I read that instead of making another

“to-do” list as is my habit. We are to make

a list called “Stop Doing List” and then another one

called our “To Be List”.

The game is to do these  quickly without a lot of thought

and see what you have to say for yourself.

My To-Be list included:

Writer

Still

Quiet

Happy

In love

Ayurvedic

Dancer.

My Stop-Doing list included:

Worrying

Rushing

Racing

Competing

Comparing

Bragging

Give these lists a try. Do them fast.

Do them three mornings in a row.

See  what comes up.

Then make your regular to-do list.