A few years ago, on a trip to the Smoky Mountains, I wrote down 29 practices to help guide my life. Later, I added four more. Here’s the list as it is today, in no particular order:

1. Generosity

2. Listening

3. Gratitude

4. Presence

5. Mindfulness

6. Calm

7. Laughter

8. Sharing

9. Usefulness

10. Solving

11. Patience

12. Creativity

13. Purposefulness

14. Bravery

15. Intentionality

16. Persistence

17. Curiosity

18. Questioning

19. Reflection

20. Kindness

21. Acceptance

22. Respect

23. Relaxation

24. Partnership

25. Consistency

26. Distance

27. Planning

28. Peace

29. Organization

30. Celebration

31. Clarity

32. Inventiveness

33. Humility

Admittedly some of these practices are similar, almost to the point of being repetitive. But to me, there’s something slightly distinct about each one. As I consider the practices, individually and collectively, I expect I’ll continue to revise and maybe even add to the list. Revisiting the list and studying on it keeps each practice top of mind as I consider how I may apply it in real ways to my life.

In this way, the list will always be a work in progress. The actions and behaviors associated with the list, always a work in practice.