Gooood morning and welcome to Letters from Emery—a regular shot of perspective written to wake up a more fulfilled and empowered you.

Thought of the day:

Most of us tend to run on a to-do list…

We have one for the day, one for the week, maybe one for the month.

It’s useful of course, mainly for keeping track of what needs to be done, but…

Let’s face some facts here:

* A to-do list almost never gets fully completed anyway, which usually leaves us with more anxiety over what’s left than sense of accomplishment for what was done.

* It’s a decent boss, but a poor inspiration. By that I mean, it’s a helpful tool to keep you on top of your tasks, but it absolutely sucks at inspiring you anywhere beyond doing the bare minimum.

* It’s generally only for what needs to be done, not for what’s actually important. For example, you normally won’t find on your to-do list: breathe, embrace the moment, pray, give yourself some frickin’ credit, etc.

Alas, here’s where the to-not-do list comes in…

And before you write it off as silly, or trite (or just another damn list), the key thing to remember here is this:

Your to-not-do list is NOT a replacement for your to-do list.

It’s actually your to-do list’s ultimate superpower…

Why?

Because, done tastefully, it:

* Illiminates negative distractions, patterns, and behaviors that are ultimately holding you back from achieving a higher version of self

* Sets clear guide rails for what you want to avoid on a day-to-day basis, which is equally if not more important than what you want to point yourself towards

* Puts your values, morals, and that which you find generally fundamental to your ideal of “the good life” in a simple, daily exercise that you can actually put to work for you

All that’s to say…

Your to-not-do list will help you focus on the bigger picture, while you to-do list will help you conquer the little one.

Here’s an example to-not-do list I’ve been sticking to that’s helped me lead a more meaningful, and purpose-driven day-to-day:

Emery’s To-Not-Do List

Don’t…

* Overthink it

* Beat yourself up

* Forget to pray

* Forget to smell the roses

* Compare yourself to others

* Judge others too harshly

* Complain… you have it so good!

Hope you found this wee exercise & shot of perspective helpful, give a shot whydontcha and let me know how it goes…

Cheering for you always,

-Emery

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