Ronald Reagan Was A List Maker!

I take copious notes while doing just about anything.

1. Phone Calls: I jot down keywords and phrases so I don’t forget details and can go back and reference what was said later.

2. Magazines & Books: I write down ideas or websites I want to check out as I skim through the pages.

3. Movies & TV: I’ll get a thought and have to write down a note or two about what I’m watching.

My husband thinks it’s a colossal waste of time but it turns out I’m not alone in this obsessive little habit. Former President Ronald Reagan did a similar thing!

A book called “The Notes: Ronald Reagan’s Private Collection of Stories and Wisdom,” is a collection of Reagan’s personal notes. He jotted down his favorite quotes, jokes and proverbs on 4-by-6 index cards and kept them locked away in the Oval Office. The only other person who had seen these lists was his beloved wife, Nancy.

The book says that Reagan picked up list making while he was working as a spokesman for General Electric in the 1950s. He would read during long train rides and write notes on what he thought was most important. Read more

List Maker Creates Career Success

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Have you ever wished there was someone to help you answer the question, “what do I want to do with my life?” Alex Cavoulacos is the Founder and COO of The Muse, the site that helps you do just that.

She uses lists to help herself be more productive and organized, and to assist others reach their potential – that’s why she’s a featured list producer!

Check out Alex’s “musings” on list making:

Q. What do you make lists about?

A. Anything I can think of can be a list. I of course keep track of my to dos using a list, but I make also lists of product ideas, travel destinations, present ideas (for myself and others), design inspiration for The Muse and candidates I’m excited about. That and many more!

I’m a big believer in having a single to do list for work though.

Q. How often do you make lists?
A. Making lists is part of my day to day. I don’t start new lists every day (I think it would be counterproductive at that point) but I do add to and re-visit lists near daily. I find that writing down and capturing ideas or thoughts instead of keeping them in my brain helps me increase focus and avoid that nagging feeling that I forgot something.

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Fab Find For Good: Nick’s Picks

Most Fridays I feature a product or app that I think is totally fabulous. For the month of December, I’m taking it a step further and featuring Fab Finds For Good – because what good are fabulous things if you can’t share them AND help others?

Meet Nick Wallace, a teenager who is the founder and CEO of the growing charitable organization, “Nick’s Picks.” Nick was born with a liver disease that resulted in tons of visits to the hospital in his early childhood. He even had a liver transplant when he was 13. When a friend was hospitalized with cancer, Nick wanted to give him a backpack full of all of the things he loved in the hospital. So he made a list (love that!) of his favorite things and “Nick’s Picks” was born!

Today, Nick hands out backpacks full of the items on his list to hospitalized children with transplant issues, chronic illnesses, or in hospital isolation. These bags include all of the items on Nick’s List including: Read more

How to Live a Life Full of Gratitude

I’m all about having a gratitude list — I find that it really helps you focus on what’s important and all of the things you have in your life. It’s a great motivational technique and Miria Kutcher, professional life coach, says it will help you live a happier life. Here’s her list for ways to live a life full of gratitude:

How to Live a Life Full of Gratitude

by Miria Kutcher

The main difference between the rich and the poor is that the rich carries a list of what they have and the poor carries a list of what they need. Which list are you focusing on?

Being grateful for what you have is a powerful place to start.

With a heart full of gratitude, there’s no space for need, unhappiness, stress and or conflict. When we decide to see the positive things that life has to offer, we help life to bring us even more of what it has to offer.

There’s nothing better than gratitude to raise your energy level and bring you happiness. With gratitude in our heart, we attract more pleasant situations and people around us seem nicer and easier to deal with.

No secrets here… here are some simple steps to live a more grateful life.

1. Every morning or end of the day write at least 5 things that you are grateful for starting with: “I am grateful for…”

2. Pay attention to areas in your life that you want to improve. If it is your health, write things that are you are grateful for in your body and get focused on that. “I am grateful that I can easily walk.” “I am grateful that I drink water effortlessly.” “I am grateful that my teeth are strong.” etc…

3. Is the appearance of your body annoying you? Look into what you like about your body and write down a list of qualities that you are grateful for – be grateful for the body you have. Do the same with your financial wealth or your relationships. Being grateful will help you to see that miracles can and do happen.

4. Try to find different things every day to stimulate yourself to explore even more reasons to be grateful.

If at this moment of your life it is impossible to write a gratitude list, honor your feelings and write down all the problems that are challenging you. Be specific, realistic and honest with yourself.

Doing that, you are developing an awareness of yourself and from there you can choose to take responsibility for your involvement in the situation. Being grateful for all that you have will help in many unexpected ways in the New Year!

Miria Kutcher is a professional life coach and EFT practitioner who helps clients embrace who they really are. Through Emotional Freedom Technique she teaches individuals how to find their passion and live a happy, healthy, balanced and fulfilling life.

“List Makers Hall of Fame” Contest Winner!

Attachment-1 (1)A few weeks ago I created a contest for my fellow list makers to strut their bucket lists for all to see! I asked you to take a photo with your bucket list and send it in.

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