Lists vs. Lists

I’ve been avoiding a movie on Netflix called The Life List. It stars Sofia Carson and Connie Britton, and it’s based on the novel of the same name by Lori Nelson Spielman. The story follows Alex, the main character, who has to complete a list of goals she wrote as a teenager—found by her late mother—before she passed. One of those goals, of course, was finding love. And to receive a mysterious inheritance, Alex has to complete the entire list within a year.

Avoidance

I didn’t want to watch it at first because I thought, “No way, man! The Life List idea is my idea!” My inside voice kept ranting, “And my story would make a great Netflix show.” Meanwhile, inside-head Angie was spiraling: “What if my book and this movie are too much alike? What if it’s better than my story?”

My brain basically stirred up every flavor of resistance. I guess these moments of insecurity just make me a human who still has some work to do in the self-assurance department. But for no solid reason, I finally sat down and watched it. And, well…I was entertained. Turns out, the only similarity between my book and the movie is that both involve a list and a deadline of one year. That’s it.

The differences

My list wasn’t created when I was a teenager. It was made by a forty-something woman—me. No mysterious inheritance. No external push. I did it because I wanted to. Because I committed to it and shared it publicly. My credibility mattered, so I showed up, dug in, and got it done.

And when I finished my list? There was no love-interest reward. The only love affair that got stoked was the one with myself.

As my friend—and feminist—Megan said: this isn’t your traditional chick lit because it’s not about finding the guy and falling in love. It’s about finding yourself.

So, although I enjoyed the movie, I was deeply relieved that my book walks a different path within the “life list” genre. Honestly, I’m pretty proud of that year and the lessons I learned while completing 101 things in 365 days. And I’m doubly proud of how I tell that story. I am proud of this book.

Now, if any of you lovelies know someone who’d like to turn this into a movie, send them my way.

As always, thank you for reading, Lovelies.