I have a newsflash about that to-do list of yours: You’re NOT going to finish it! The truth is - you’re not supposed to. At least, that’s the word from M.J. Ryan, life coach and author of This Year I Will. She says most people suffer from the chronic illusion that, “Soon, I’ll get everything under control!” After the holidays are over, after I get a new job, after football season is finished.

Ryan says that mythic place of peace, where you finally have all your emails answered, your pictures in albums and your books read – simply doesn’t exist. Inevitably, something else pops up that puts a crimp in your plans. So, what’s the secret to finding that peace? By not basing them on the number of items you can cross off your to-do list! You have to let things go. Here’s how Ryan suggests you do that, courtesy of Health magazine.

• Give yourself a break. Be like famous chef Julia Child. Pulling out a fallen soufflé in front of millions of viewers, she would exclaim, “You can’t win ‘em all!” So what if your presentation didn’t go well because you didn’t have enough time to prepare? Quite simply - you can’t win ‘em all and that’s OK.
• Write a “have-done” list. Match every “to-do” with an accomplishment. Noting everything you get done during the day is a great way to get some satisfaction. Plus, tracking your success helps you create more of it.
• Look back to go forward. What’s worked when you’ve really felt overwhelmed in the past? Exercising, taking a hot shower, listening to your favorite CD? Post a rescue reminder where you can see it for those times when you feel a meltdown coming on.  
• Do an airplane view. At the week’s end, take a few minutes to create your priorities for the week ahead. That “big picture” view will help free you from getting caught up in the trivial things that surface.