January 28, 2026
Venerable Wuling

Let’s view our Must-Do List 

as an  Opportunity-List.

I don’t know about you, but my To-Do List seems prone to taking on a parental or boss-like tone. It becomes a long list of must-dos. Little wonder the list manifests an adversarial tone rather than a we’re-in-this-together-so-let’s-get-going tone. 

But what if the next time we look at our list, we view it as an inventory of opportunities waiting eagerly for us to join in? 

That task to answer an email can become a chance to strengthen a friendship or help someone check off an item on their own list. 

The task to write an article could provide an opportunity to help others learn a new skill or maybe gain a new perspective on a social issue. 

The task reminding us to run the protection app on our computer can prevent it from shutting down just when a yearly deadline looms. 

If we could view tasks as helpful rather than demanding, they might even become enjoyable. 

Article originally appeared on a buddhist perspective (http://www.abuddhistperspective.org/).
See website for complete article licensing information.