Nearly everyone has some sort of to-do list. Sometimes it’s neatly organized, sometimes it’s scattered across sticky notes, notebook margins, and reminders on your phone. We keep lists because life is full, and there’s a lot to remember. Our to-do list is full of things we have to do—pay bills, answer emails, schedule appointments, and finish projects.
But recently I realized something: If I have a Have-To-Do List because those things are important, why don’t I also have a Want-To-Do List? The things I want to do are important too. They just tend to sit quietly in the back of my mind—right next to my New Year’s resolutions.
A Want-To-Do List is different from a bucket list. A bucket list holds big, rare experiences—traveling the world, running a marathon, seeing the Northern Lights. Those belong, but what really matters are the smaller, meaningful things you want to experience regularly in your life.
A Want-To-Do List might include:
Getting outside every day at lunch
Reading for 10 minutes before bed
Calling old friends more often
Starting a weekly walk with someone you care about
Giving more compliments or recognition at work
Dancing, playing a sport, or picking up a hobby you used to love
Exploring new neighborhoods or trails near your home
Attending talks or events on topics you know nothing about
Trying foods from different cultures
Taking time to sit outside and look at the stars
These are the things that make life feel interesting, meaningful, and joyful. They are the things we say we wish we did more of, but never seem to get to. Not because they’re difficult, but because we don’t plan for them.
Life is short. And it has a way of slipping through our fingers if we’re not intentional.
So today, create your Want-To-Do List. Not someday—today. Write it down. Add to it. Look at it. Schedule it.
Happiness isn’t something we stumble into. It’s something we make room for.