Many of us are familiar with the numerous lists that infiltrate our lives: our “To-Do Lists" focused on tasks that need to be completed; our “New Year’s Resolutions Lists" focused on embracing new commitments at the beginning of a new calendar year; and the infamous “Bucket Lists” focused on activities, adventures, or travel that we want to experience before we die, or “kick the bucket.”

But perhaps formulating and constantly monitoring these lists is actually leading us into despair. Perhaps we are trying too hard to control the conditions in our lives. Perhaps we are too focused on seeking pleasure even when we know that pleasure can be fleeting and can possibly lead to a greater sense of emptiness once the high of the experience wears off or when the experience fails to meet our expectations. Perhaps the creation of the “To-Do Lists” and “Bucket Lists” is actually contributing to our

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