A Gratitude List

Have you ever started to feel sorry for yourself and gotten in a real funk? That happened to me this week and it’s so unlike me. I’m not an unhappy person! I’m usually very upbeat and spunky. I put other people in a good mood. So when I found myself slipping into a foul mood I stopped myself immediately. What’s my problem? I have so much to be grateful for!

1. My job: Just today I had a wonderful shoot at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx with the Medicine Hunter, Chris Kilham. Chris travels all over the world looking for medicinal plants and medicines. I joked with him today that being in the Garden with him was the closest I’d get to going to the Amazon with him. I’ve worked with Chris for nearly 3 years and have featured him here as a fellow list maker. Read more

Checklist for the Gym

I’ll be the first to admit — I’m not a gym person. I’m not really a workout person unless typing counts. But I do like to walk and I really love yoga when I can get to a class. I wish I was better about fitting it into my schedule and making yoga a habit.  I’m adding that to my self-improvement to-do list.

But if you are a gym person it’s important to know what to bring with you! Melissa Paris is a trainer in New York City and she compiled this list so you’ll always be prepared for your workout.

Checklist for the Gym

by Melissa Paris

Like you I am always on the go! My day is never the same and my outfits may vary depending on if I am working out OR if I am training a client. I live out of my gym bag and have lists for lists for lists! I am a personal trainer, fitness competitor, blogger, you name it…I think I may do it.

There are 5 things that I never leave home without:

1. Extra Socks: Have you ever worked out and either forgot your socks and had to go barefoot in your sneakers OR had to wear the same socks you left in your bag from the previous workout? I don’t know what is worse! I always pack an extra pair of socks so I can have a great workout without sliding around in my shoes and my bag doesn’t smell! Read more

Outsource Your To-Do List

I’ve been raving about the movie “Limitless” since Jay and I saw it in the theaters. If you haven’t seen it – you need to! Not only because Bradley Cooper is easy on the eyes but also because it’s a highly-entertaining thriller. It’s also set in New York City and I love movies where I can point out my favorite streets. I guarantee by the end of the movie you’ll want the drug they’re pushing called NZT.

NZT allows you to access 100% of your brain instead of just 20%. It’s like being your best possible self but then times that by 100. Bradley Cooper’s character Eddie learns languages in a fraction of the time and recalls memories and information in a flash. He’s able to write a novel in just days and quickly becomes rich by learning the ins and outs of trading stocks.

Talk about crossing off everything on your to-do list! Wouldn’t it be nice to whiz through all the things you need and want to do? Well you actually can – even without NZT.

It’s called TaskRabbit.com. It’s a new service launching in New York City today where you can pay someone to do the things you’re too busy to do! Isn’t that just perfect for New Yorkers?! You can save time, money and be less stressed. For a small fee you can ask a TaskRabbit to do just about anything like:

  • Put together Ikea furniture (isn’t that the worst task ever!)
  • Pick up groceries
  • Research a trip (my personal favorite – you know how I love research)
  • Stake out a picnic spot in Brooklyn
  • Visit a family member at the hospital Read more

Parents’ Checklist for Back to School

Back to school time can be just as tough on parents as it is on kids. I created a “Back to Campus Shopping Checklist” for GetButtonedUp.com and just about now grade school students are getting supply lists sent to them. But what about a checklist for parents? For that I turned to my mother-in-law, Irene Berman. She shares my love of lists and stationary.

She has taught public school for over 30 years in New York and Chicago. This past June she retired and I’ve never seen anyone so upset to leave a job. She really loves finding creative ways to teach kids things for the first time. It’s an amazing trait – I could never do it.

Here’s her Back to School Checklist for Parents:

  1. Take advantage of back to school clothes sales in July and August.
  2. Organize closets to help kids get ready faster in the morning.
  3. Get back to a school time bed routine. You might want to practice with an alarm clock.
  4. Try to get your child’s supply list and shop during sales because Halloween items come out soon.
  5. Update your calendar with school holidays and events.
  6. Check your immunization and medical records to make sure they are up to date.
  7. Make your sure you have emergency phone numbers and contacts for the school to reach.
  8. Create an IN/OUT box for school notice and forms.
  9. Get your home ready by organizing a quiet place for your child do do his homework.
  10. Create a homework box-with all supplies needed for homework…NO EXCUSES!!!! Also, if your kids are a little younger and need a helping hand with a certain area of learning, you could visit somewhere like Little Thinkers Center to get them back into learning!

Happiness Seeker Gretchen Rubin is a List Maker

Have you ever wished you were happier? I think a lot of people think about this but do nothing about it. Author Gretchen Rubin did something about it and spent a year focusing on ways to be happier. The result is a fabulous read called The Happiness Project. If you haven’t read it — you must. It’s funny, cute, insightful and thought provoking. She also has a blog by the same name.

It has changed the way I think about a lot of things and it has even altered my morning commute. Instead of stuffing myself onto the packed L train — I opt to walk to Union Square through a lovely park. I get a little exercise and I get some time all to myself.  Happiness found!

As you’ll read in the book — Gretchen is a list maker.  I’ve asked her to share some of her list-making secrets as my featured “List Producer” this month. Read more