To-do lists are nice, but my problem is not so much what I need to do as actually doing it. And, for the most part, that arises from self-critical perfectionism (i.e., internalizing my mother's continual criticism). What helps to break the cycle and make me feel better is to congratulate myself for all the things I've accomplished. Rather than dwelling on what I haven't done, I occasionally need to stop and, yes, rest on my laurels for just a little bit.
So, in addition to the to-do list, I've been making a... been done? list. And, of course, I had to give it a clever title, because it's silly and that also makes me feel better. So it says:
JUST LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS YOU'VE DONE TODAY you handsome and clever person you
I think I really need that on a letterhead. Or at least a notepad. It's a lot to write every day, even if it does make me giggle.
