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“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
This month, you’ve begun something beautiful — a Life List that’s part reflection, part wish list, and entirely your own. You’ve listened to your teenage self, let creativity lead the way through doodles, and rediscovered small moments that make you feel alive.
Now it’s time to gather what you’ve created and carry it forward.
Practice: The Life List Letter
Find a quiet corner, a cup of tea, and your Life List pages. Take a few moments to look back through everything you’ve added this month — your one-line dream, your teenage whisper, and your doodled possibilities. Notice what stands out.
Then, write a short note to your future self — six months or a year from now. Let it be gentle and real, a message you’ll be grateful to open later.
Here’s a simple structure you can follow:
Dear Future Me,
Here are the things that make me feel alive right now…
(list or describe what lights you up — even the smallest things)
These are the dreams I want to carry forward…
(a few you hope to nurture or protect)
May I keep listening to what calls to me.
May I trust the small steps as much as the big ones.
May I never forget how it feels to dream.
With love,
(sign your name)
Tuck your letter somewhere meaningful — in a journal, between book pages, or inside a keepsake box. If you’re feeling creative, seal it with a doodle or symbol from your Life List.
The Kitchen Table
At The Nest Retreat Center, The Kitchen Table is where creativity and conversation meet. During our October gathering, we doodled our Life Lists to a specially curated playlist—letting imagination take the lead.
From the Table: Member Spotlight
This week, I’m sharing a Life List doodle created by one of our Kitchen Table members. Her page beautifully captures how simple doodles can express what we want to manifest in our lives — a visual language for our dreams and desires.
If you’d like to learn more about The Kitchen Table, I’d love to connect with you.
You can reach me anytime at gatherandpause@gmail.com.
Closing
Your Life List doesn’t need to be perfect or complete — it’s a living, breathing reflection of who you are becoming. Let it grow with you.
Take the final two weeks of October to gather your pages, reflect on what you’ve created, and let it settle into your heart.
Your teenage self — the dreamer, the doodler, the believer — would be so proud of how far you’ve come.
