Life is full of ups and downs, and sometimes the downs can feel overwhelming and often. During these tough times, it's easy to forget about our achievements, our strengths, and what we mean to other people. This is where a "Hype List" or "Attagirl List" or “Attaboy List” comes in. This simple but powerful tool can be a beacon of positivity and a reminder of our worth and accomplishments.

I started one for myself a few months after closing Override Health’s first financing round in 2022. Suddenly, it went from my dad and me starting a company without pay or anyone else depending on us to having a Board of Directors and investors watching me closely as founding CEO. Override quickly acquired a small coaching company, and with that, about a dozen employees. Override then hired its own employees. I quickly learned that while I was responsible for managing so many, very few compliment or boost the CEO, yet the expectation was to do everything right and not show weaknesses. Especially when things were not going well with the company – and startups are full of highs and lows – it was easy to take things personally and feel down about myself. 

Every so often, though, I received a text message from a friend or my mom saying how proud they were of me for what we’ve built. Or maybe it was a random LinkedIn message from someone saying that I inspired them through the work I was doing and my personal story of chronic pain. Or the virtual birthday card that my team arranged for me one year where everyone said what they appreciated about me as a leader. 

I started saving these in a document. Over time, this became my hype list.

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What is a "Hype List"?

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A "Hype List" is a personal collection of positive affirmations, achievements, compliments, and proud moments. It's a list that you can turn to when you're feeling down, doubting yourself, or needing a boost of confidence. The list can include anything that makes you feel good about yourself, from small daily victories to major life accomplishments.

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 Why You Need One

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1. Boosts Self-Esteem: When you’re feeling low, looking back at your Hype List can remind you of your worth and capability. It’s like having a personal cheerleader in your computer or pocket.   

2. Counteracts Negative Thoughts: Our minds can sometimes be our own worst enemies. A Hype List can help counteract negative self-talk by reminding you of your positive qualities and past successes.

3. Provides Perspective: In challenging times, it’s easy to lose perspective and feel like things will never get better. Reviewing your list can remind you of other tough times you’ve faced and overcome, providing hope and perspective. 

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4. Encourages Gratitude: Reflecting on your achievements and the good things people have said about you encourages a mindset of gratitude, which has been shown to improve mental health and well-being. This is a little bit like keeping a gratitude list, although it’s different.

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 How to Create Your Hype List

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1. Start Small: Begin with a few things that you’re proud of or that have made you feel good. This could be a project you completed, a compliment you received, or a personal quality you like about yourself.

2. Be Specific: Instead of writing “I’m good at my job,” write something specific like “I received praise from my boss for my presentation skills” and copy over what your boss emailed you! Specific details make the memories more vivid and impactful.

3. Include Various Aspects of Life: Don’t just focus on professional achievements. Include personal milestones, positive feedback from friends and family, and any other moments that made you feel proud or happy.

4. Keep It Accessible: Whether you choose to keep a physical notebook, a digital document, or an app, make sure your Hype List is easily accessible. You’ll want to be able to turn to it whenever you need a boost. You’ll also want to be able to add to it whenever something pops up that is appropriate to add.

5. Update Regularly: Life is full of new experiences and achievements. Regularly update your list to keep it current and reflective of your ongoing journey. Record the dates to help jog your memory as to what an item was about.

6. Any Format is Fine: This doesn’t have to be a neat and tidy list in a singular format. You can paste in screenshots of nice text messages you received, voice recordings, your own accounts of things that happened, photos, etc.

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 Using Your Hype List

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When you’re feeling down or going through a tough time, take a few moments to review your Hype List. Reflect on each entry and remember the feelings of pride, happiness, and accomplishment associated with them. This practice can help shift your mindset from a negative space to a more positive and empowered one.

You might consider making it a habit to review your list regularly, not just when you’re feeling low. Regular reflection can help reinforce your self-esteem and keep you motivated.

So why not start today? Your future self will thank you.

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How a Hype List Might Help with Chronic Pain Recovery 

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Pain science (or pain neuroscience) has a lot of research on the need to lay new, more positive neural pathways in order to override old, negative, and painful neural pathways that have caused you to live in a sustained period of chronic pain. These pain neural pathways are difficult to break. Purposely focusing on gratitude, joy, humor, play, and what is right in your life are some of the ways recommended to start laying these new neural pathways. A Hype List can help. 

Of course this isn’t simple, but small things like a Hype List, in combination with a lot of other approaches, intentionality, and hard work – including treatment by a team of chronic pain specialists like at Override Health – can add up to make a bigger difference.