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Since 2020 is *gestures vaguely in every direction*, a lot of us have had, uh, interesting sleep routines. And as someone who has always had trouble sleeping, I'm the first one on every sleep hack bandwagon — which is why I love this 52 Lists For Happiness book so much.
Part of this is because, as both a Hufflepuff and an anxious bean, I love myself a list. Grocery lists, budget lists, lists of lists I want to make. Give me a color-coded Excel sheet and watch my soul sing.
At first this book almost made my brain a little 🥴, because I'm not used to writing lists that aren't for work or for personal goals. And this book is full of lists like "List The Things That Made You Happy As A Child" or "List The Compliments You Want To Give Others," which are not as utilitarian as, say, a list of how many yogurts I need to buy this week.
But once I got over that hurdle of "this isn't productive!!", it has actually been very soothing to write in on nights when I'm having trouble sleeping. It sort of feels like a gratitude journal with training wheels, because someone is giving you prompts.
In fact, it feels like something I might have enjoyed casually a pre-quarantine, but is much more meaningful to me now. We're all struggling with things that we miss, and journaling through these lists gives you an opportunity to focus and reflect on the things that actually matter to you.
What I especially like is that each list ends with an action item inspired by the list that you can incorporate in your life for the short- or long-term, or at least keep top of mind.
And while it hasn't been, like, a mystical insomnia cure, I do notice that it streamlines a little bit of the chaos in my brain that seems to get especially loud just when you're trying to fall asleep.
Plus, if you're looking for an even *more* chill vibe, the author, Moorea Seal, has a 52 Lists For Calm (available on Amazon for $10.42 and Bookshop for $15.59) full of soothing prompts and exercises.
In fact, Seal has a whole SERIES of 52 list books, planners, and postcards, so feel free to blaze through your first one — there are plenty more lists where that came from.
Anyway, if you're looking for something to do in quarantine that might help reframe some of your thoughts or explore some untapped parts of yourself, 52 Lists For Happiness is a good place to start. You can snag it on Amazon or Bookshop and join me in the glorious list-making abyss.
