I have a confession. I’ve been neglecting something I love. I have been reminded how much value it brings to my life. So this week, I’ve been thinking a lot about the significance of allowing yourself space just for you. For what you really want to do. Not what you HAVE to do. To find the courage to break away from your to-do obligations to include other things. For me, one of those “other things” is making art. I have so much creative energy and it’s been like building up because I haven’t been using it.

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But first I’ll backtrack and tell you how I realized I need more of it in my life.

Having been away for Thanksgiving week, having had time with family, without having any other plans, and not having a ton on my to-do list, something changed in me when I got back. I have been feeling different this week. Good different.

When we got home, we set up all of our Christmas stuff. We like to get that done right at the beginning of the month so that it is up for the full month of December. So we set that up as soon as we got back from New Jersey, and that’s always a lot of work. But then, that night, I had a quiet moment sitting on my couch, in the night glow of the beautiful Christmas tree. And I just felt comfortable. I felt cozy, I felt rested. Really rested. Not just in my body, but in my mind. The week that I was gone really helped me tune into that feeling, that realization that I think I do need to take more breaks and allow myself to feel that.

And feel more quiet.

During that quiet moment sitting by my Christmas tree, I just felt a call to maintain that quiet space going into the new year. And I think so many times we feel so obligated with what we’re supposed to do, that we get bogged down with our to-do list. We don’t have space for anything else. And we are never really truly able to focus on what we want to do, what we want to be — to build a life that will allow us to be who we want to be. Because we’re so busy just doing.

When you’re really busy, you don’t have any time to dream. You don’t have the chance to do things that fill up your cup. You’re too busy draining your cup. 

So, I say let’s focus over this next month on getting ready to have the best 2022 ever. It’s time to prepare for the new year… but what I’m suggesting is not what you may think. It’s not so much about goal setting this time, not about setting up new year to-do lists, but rather making space mentally for letting more of the things in that will set up your life to serve you better. It’s about taking inventory of your life so that you can see what serves you and your dreams, and what doesn’t.

That clarity doesn’t just happen though. You have to be really intentional about it. You have to intentionally slow down. You have to intentionally make space. You have to intentionally marinate on all the parts of your life and recognize what doesn’t serve you. Think to yourself, how can I shovel some of that out to clear space? What is not serving you, and who is not serving you? And starting to make changes to live the life that you want to live, rather than any feeling that you have to live a certain way. Or having something in your life just because it’s always been there. It’s about realizing that you have the ability to make change.

I don’t know if it’s because 2020 was so weird that I overcompensated in 2021 and put too many things on my list, but for me personally, this year had me feeling bogged down. But at least I can acknowledge that now and I understand that for me to live the life I want to live and have that clarity, I have to create space. I need time away from any to-do lists for time to just sit in the quiet glow of my Christmas tree. With nothing to do at that moment. And nothing to think about doing. 

The night after that first one sitting by my tree, I got really inspired by looking at an artist on Instagram. The artist’s style spoke to me. It was totally my vibe. This creative inspiration gave me the motivation to clean up my art room. Because I’ll admit. it’s been a hot mess. It was neglected. 

I got in there and spent some time organizing it. That first day, I spent 30 or 40 minutes down there. My intention was to kind of feed this creative juice that I have in myself that I’ve neglected for a while. Actually, it’s been over a year since I’ve done any type of creative art at all. To me, that’s so sad to admit.

A couple years ago, I went to a sort of abandoned wood store that had old doors and windows and stuff that could be upcycled. I bought a vintage-looking outdoor window that looks like really old wood. It’s very, very, like worn looking. But I had this vision for it when I bought it. I thought it would be really cool to do art on the glass — sort of mixed media and paints. But it’s sat for a couple of years without me even touching it. So the other night, I got that out and started working on it. When I go down there, something kind of just happens inside me. When you allow yourself space to tune into that inspiration, when you do something that you love, and you’re able to express yourself, something special happens inside you. 

A spark ignites.

When I’m down in my art room, I’m doing it for me. I am able to express myself in another way. There are no rules. I can’t do it wrong. Nobody’s keeping score. It’s not something I just need to check off of my to-do list. This is just something that I want to do.

I’d been neglecting that side of myself. I have so much creative energy and it’s been like building up, unused. By creating the space, I was able to feel inspired again. I really do think that the reason I was able to feel inspired again is the quietness I created last week. I was able to rest my mind.

I think maybe in life, we should have two lists. The to-do list is the essentials — the pay the bills, and pick up your kids from school, and all the things that actually you do need to do. But maybe we need to put more focus on a wellness list so life isn’t just the to-do list.

We need a Spark List.

We need to maintain an actual list of things that light a spark inside us. We need to create the space that allows us to fill up that list with things that inspire us.  

My list starts with including more art, and time catching up with my girlfriends. And I’m going to start living my life increasingly from that list, not only my to-do list. In a few weeks, we’re going to a drive-through Christmas light show. That is definitely something on my spark list.

I think the spark list is something to revisit every month too. To keep that spark inside lit up. So you may be hearing from me about it again. And so that art projects don’t sit undone, collecting dust on a shelf for another year.

Let’s commit to maintaining enough space to keep paying attention to that list.

When you sit in the quiet, what shows up on your spark list?