Shake It Up with your Own “Can’t Wait to Do List”

January has a bit of a branding problem. The glittering lights of December are packed away, the weather (for many of us) turns grey and biting, and we are suddenly burdened with the heavy expectation of self-improvement. We are told to detox, to budget, to organize, and to hustle. We set “New Year’s Resolutions,” which often feel less like promises to ourselves and more like punishments for enjoying the holidays. It’s no wonder that by the third week of the month—often dubbed “Blue Monday”—motivation has evaporated.

Why Not Flip the Script?

But what if we flipped the script? What if, instead of focusing on what we need to fix or restrict, we focused on what we want to experience? This is where the “Can’t Wait To Do” list comes in. It is the antithesis of the standard resolution list. It isn’t about guilt; it is about joy. It isn’t about discipline; it is about anticipation.

Creating a list of things you genuinely look forward to can shift your entire mindset for the year ahead. It transforms the looming twelve months from a marathon of obligations into a landscape of potential adventures. If you are tired of setting goals that fizzle out before February, it might be time to try a different approach. Let’s explore how you can build a list that keeps you excited all year long.

Brainstorming Ideas for Your List

The beauty of this list is that it is entirely yours. It doesn’t have to be impressive to anyone else; it just has to excite you. However, staring at a blank page can be daunting. To help get the gears turning, here are several categories and specific ideas to inspire your own “Can’t Wait To Do” list.

Micro-Adventures and Travel

You don’t need to book a flight to the Maldives to have something to look forward to. Often, the best adventures are the ones that break up the monotony of a standard weekend.

• Be a Tourist in Your Own City: Visit that museum you always drive past but never enter. Take the architectural walking tour. Go to the top of the tallest building.
• The “One Tank” Road Trip: Pick a town or park within a two-hour drive that you’ve never visited. Pack a lunch, make a playlist, and go exploring for the day.
• Camping (or Glamping): Even one night sleeping under the stars (or in a rented cabin) can reset your circadian rhythm and lower cortisol levels.
• A Solo Date: Book a table for one at a fancy restaurant, go to a movie alone, or visit a gallery. Enjoying your own company is a skill worth cultivating.
• The Sunrise Challenge: Pick a scenic spot and wake up early enough to watch the sunrise with a thermos of coffee.

Learning and Creative Growth

Learning shouldn’t stop when we leave school, but as adults, we often only learn things out of necessity (like how to fix the dishwasher or use new accounting software). Put something on your list that you want to learn purely for the fun of it.

• Take a “Just for Fun” Class: Pottery, mixology, salsa dancing, or watercolor painting. Look for one-off workshops if you can’t commit to a full semester.
• Master One Signature Dish: Decide that this is the year you learn to make perfect homemade pasta, a complex curry, or a bakery-style sourdough loaf.
• Read a Genre You Usually Avoid: If you only read non-fiction, try a sci-fi novel. If you love thrillers, try a biography.
• Learn to Identify Local Plants: Get a guidebook and go for a hike, trying to name the trees and flowers in your neighborhood.
• Attend a Lecture or Talk: Many universities and bookstores host free author talks or lectures on fascinating niche topics.

Connection and Community

Social connection is one of the strongest predictors of long-term happiness. Use your list to create intentional moments with the people you care about.

• Host a “Low-Stakes” Dinner Party: Forget the three-course meal and pristine house. Order pizza, buy cheap wine, and invite friends over for board games. The goal is connection, not perfection.
• Reconnect with an Old Friend: Send a text to someone you haven’t seen in a year and actually set a date for coffee.
• Volunteer for a Day: Find a local cause you care about—a food bank, a park cleanup, an animal shelter—and spend a Saturday helping out.
• Start a Tradition: Whether it’s a monthly brunch club, an annual tubing trip, or a quarterly movie marathon, traditions give us recurring events to anticipate.

Pure Indulgence

Sometimes, the best things to look forward to are simple pleasures that require zero effort.

• The “Do Nothing” Day: Mark a Saturday on your calendar where you are forbidden from doing chores or running errands. You can read, nap, binge-watch TV, or stare at the wall.
• Book a Professional Massage: If budget allows, scheduling this in advance gives you weeks of looking forward to that hour of relaxation.
• Attend a Live Performance: A concert, a comedy show, a play, or a sporting event. The energy of a live crowd is unmatched.

Turning the List into Reality

The danger with any list is that it stays on paper. To ensure your “Can’t Wait To Do” items actually happen, you need to treat them with the same respect you treat your work meetings and dentist appointments.

1. Schedule the Big Stuff First
   Look at your year at a glance. If you want to take a weekend trip in May, block those dates out now. You don’t need to have the hotel booked yet, but you need to secure the time. If you wait until May to find a free weekend, the calendar will likely already be full.
2. Use the “One a Month” Rule
   Aim to knock off one item from your list every month. This ensures a steady drip of excitement throughout the year. At the start of each month, look at your list and pick your adventure.
3. Budget for Fun
   Some items on the list will be free, but others will cost money. Start a specific savings fund for your “Can’t Wait To Do” list. Putting away a small amount each week specifically for “fun” makes spending it feel guilt-free when the time comes.
4. Keep the List Visible
   Don’t hide it in a notebook you never open. Pin it to your fridge, save it as your phone background, or keep it on your desk. Seeing the list is a visual reminder that life is meant to be enjoyed.

Curate Your Year with Intention

We often drift through our years, reacting to what happens to us rather than curating what we want to experience. A “Can’t Wait To Do” list is a declaration of intent. It says that you value your own joy and curiosity enough to plan for it.

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**Article originally published on the website of Smart Strategies for Successful Living at: CLICK HERE.