Self-Reflection Listing Exercises

This content is borrowed from M. Michelle Illuminato's site.

Create 10 lists that tell us something about you. Use the following ideas or come up with your own. Each list should contain 30 or more items and be on a separate sheet of paper. What happens when you are forced to keep writing when you think you have no more to add?

  1. A to Z List: Make a list of something from A to Z. It could be a list of things you want to do, or a list of things that inspire you.
  2. Words You Like List: What words inspire and motivate you or just plain out make you feel good?
  3. Favorite Movies:What movies do you love? Create a page inspired by your favorite movies.
  4. Favorite Songs: Make a list of songs that make you happy, songs that make you sad, songs that remind you of a person in your life.
  5. List of Places:List your favorite places to go, or places you would like to travel to, or places you have lived.
  6. List of Foods:What are some of your favorite foods to eat or cook?
  7. Clothes List:List everything in your closet, or just what you’re wearing for today or some of your favorite outfits to wear.
  8. Make a Currently List:What are you reading, watching, listening to, eating, needing, wanting, and missing right now?
  9. The To-Do List:Do you have a never-ending to-do list?
  10. Things to Try List:What are some things you would like to try?
  11. Goals List: What are your goals for this week? The next month? The next year? The next five years?
  12. Your Thankful List: What are you thankful for?
  13. Makes Me Happy List:What Makes you happy? Make a list of things in your life that bring you joy.
  14. Shopping Lists: What is on your shopping list? Once you write it is there any pattern?
  15. Childhood Memories List: What are some of the things you remember from being a child?
  16. Quotes List:What are some of your favorite quotes? Create a list of them.
  17. Best Decisions You’ve Ever Made List
  18. Things I’d Rather Be Doing List: What would you rather be doing instead of what you’ve been doing?
  19. List of Firsts: Your first job, your first drive, your first teacher, your first concert, the first thing you do in the morning.
  20. Rainy Day Ideas List: What can you do on a rainy day?
  21. Books List: What are you reading lately? What are some of your favorite books of all time? What’s on your “to-read” list?
  22. Wishlist: What things are on your wish list?
  23. Talents/Strengths List: Make a list of things you are very talented at or some of your strengths.
  24. If I Ruled the World List: What would you do if you ruled the world? Make a list of the things you’d do differently or change.
  25. Bucket List: What’s on your bucket list? What are things you’d like to do before a certain milestone in your life?
  26. Daily Life List: What do you do on an average day? Make a list of your usual activities you do each day.
  27. Someone You Admire List: Make a list of people you admire or make a list of the characteristics of someone you admire.
  28. Ways to Relax List: Make a list of what relaxes you and helps you feel calm.
  29. List of Things You Find Beautiful: What do you find beautiful? Make a list of things where you see beauty.
  30. Inside Your Bag List: What do you keep inside your bag you carry around with you each day? Or in your car or pocket?
  31. List of Advice: Make a list of the advice you’ve received over the years, or list advice you wish you could give yourself or others.
  32. List of Things You Are Proud Of: What makes you feel proud for accomplishing or doing?
  33. The Never List: What are things you’ve never done? Or things you know you never will do?
  34. Website Lists: Make a list of all your favorite websites and websites you visit the most often or sites you have bookmarked.
  35. List of Things You Collect: Do you collect items?
  36. List of Things You Own: What things do you own? Make a list of your possessions.
  37. List of Things In Progress: Do you have projects that are in progress or an aspect of yourself you are working on.
  38. List of Questions: Make a list of all the questions you have – they can be silly or as serious as you want them to be.
  39. List of Fears: What are you scared of?
  40. Reasons Why List: Make a list of the reasons why you love/hate something.
  41. List of Things You Are Looking Forward To
  42. List of Funny Things That Have Happened to You: What are some things that have happened to you that you can laugh about?
  43. Things That Remind You of Home: What reminds you of home?
  44. List of Things You Need to Survive: What couldn’t you survive without? What things do you need to have to live?
  45. Things You Know: Make a list of all the things you’ve learned or know.
  46. Packing List: What do you pack when traveling?
  47. List of Inside Jokes You Have:Have a joke only you and someone else understand? Make a list!
  48. If I Were a Zillionaire: What would you do if you had zillions of dollars and could spend money with reckless abandon?
  49. Fictional Places You Wish You Could Visit
  50. List of Names You Like: Whether you’re naming future kids, pets, or your household items…
  51. Pet Peeves: Make a list of some of your pet peeves. What really drives you nuts?
  52. List of Jobs You Think You Might Enjoy
  53. Things to Do When You’re Bored: Make a list of things to do when you’re bored.
  54. Favorite Games List:Whether it’s cards, board games, video games, or computer games, make a list of all your favorites.
  55. List of Things You Would Do If You Had More Time: What would you do if you had a few extra hours in the day?
  56. List of Colors: You can make a list of all your favorite colors, or list things that are a certain color (25 Things That Are Red).
  57. List of Smells: Make a list of 50 smells and then organize them in some way.
  58. List of Promises to Yourself
  59. List of Things That Changed Your Life
  60. Random Facts About Me List: Make a fact sheet all about you! List 10-100 random things about you that help define who you are.
  61. List of Places to Visit In Your City: Make a list of where you would recommend a visitor to visit
  62. Creativity List: Make a list of all the things that help you stay creative.
  63. Overheard Conversations List: Sit in a quiet spot and listen. Then make a list of all the conversations you have overheard.
  64. Favorite Artists List: Who’s artwork inspires you the most? Make a list of all your favorite artists.
  65. List of Words That Describe You: Ask friends to describe you. Make it into a list.
  66. List of Inventions You Wish Existed: What inventions do you wish existed that would make your life easier?
  67. List of Business Ideas that are not already out there
  68. The Worst Movies
  69. List of Things You Wish You Could Hire Someone to Do For You: Like to delegate? Make a list of people you wish you could hire.
  70. Most Embarrassing Moments: Make a list of the things that have happened to you that were embarrassing.
  71. Made Up Words List😕 Make up a list of your favorite made up words you use.
  72. What I Learned Today List: What did you learn today?
  73. Things You Didn’t Plan: Life is full of unexpected surprises.
  74. List of Things You’ve Searched Online: What have you searched online for answers for in the past few days?
  75. Events List: Make a list of special events, birthdays, anniversaries, or obscure holidays like Wear Brown Shoes Day.
  76. Flowers and Plants List: What are some of your favorite flowers and plants?
  77. Time Wasters: Make a list of your favorite ways to waste time.
  78. Manifesto List: What are some words and phrases to live by that are part of your life’s manifesto?
  79. Details of my Dreams List

Adapted from http://artjournalist.com/

Check out this work by Lenka Clayton and see how making a list can be important to art-making. People in Order  http://www.lenkaclayton.com/work/#/people-in-order-age/

Feel free to download the list here  list-love