Storytime

Recently, listening to a pod cast, the host asked, “Are your thoughts in harmony with your vision for the future?” I will admit, as is reflected by one of my posts this month, my thoughts haven’t been nearly as positive or productive as I’d like. The question gave me the realization that not only were my thoughts not helpful lately; but also: I had lost sight of my vision.

Unfortunately, doubt started to creep in. The thought of settling for something less than what I wanted seemed like an okay answer. My typical upbeat nature was knocked off its ladder wrung. My energy was focused on the wrong thing (such as the news); instead of my personal dreams and desires for myself. Can you relate to this feeling? It is not one that I like, and certainly not one I invited to stay. But after all, we are human and it happens from time to time. The important thing is snapping out of it and realigning on our vision.

Do you have a vision for the future?

Let’s dive into this for a second. First of all, do you have a vision? Meaning, do you have a vision for how you want your day, your week, your month, your entire next year to look? Or maybe you have what I think of as nostalgia for the future?

No matter the timeframe you create your vision for, whether it is just today, this hour or as far as as thinking of how you want to feel while you are on your deathbed. Having a vision is the first step, which is what we will go through today.

In future blogs, we will discuss, aligning your thoughts and actions to that vision. While, continuously allowing the vision to unfold. As well as, being aware of your specific reasons ‘why’. Tying your values and your personal needs/wants into your vision will keep you on a path aligned with you, personally. This is helpful since there can be thousands of ways to get to the same result, staying true to yourself will become even more important.

Goodbye 2021, Hello 2022

This might be a good time to create a vision for 2022 specifically and we will use it as a basic example. So, get cozy, make a cup of tea and give yourself a few minutes to think on the following reflection questions or maybe even journal them out. Let yourself dream big, let your mind drift toward what your heart truly wants. Do not worry about anything but what your ideal version would look like.

Once you feel cozy, picture in your minds eye, waking up on December 23rd, 2022. You look at your phone, get up and do your morning routine. From this perspective reflect on the following questions.

Reflection questions to consider:

The big stuff

• This time, next year, when you look back over 2022, what will you want to be thinking about, feeling and be proud of?
• Have you accomplished the bigger things you were hoping to during the year? What are the top 10 things you are grateful for from 2022. Do you feel you personally grew as a person? Whether that be as big as healing trauma, or as kind to yourself as relaxing more often?
• Can you picture the favorite places you travelled to, and new experiences or hobbies you’ve started? Are there places where you want to go back to? Or places you finally crossed off your bucket list?
• Socially, did you get to see the people near and dear to your heart this year? Did you get to spend time with old friends and make some new friends? Are there any particular people you are happy to have grown closer to? Are you hesitant to think about family gatherings or worried about how some conversations will go? Or are you excited to be reunited with loved one’s you haven’t seen in years?
• Emotionally, how are you feeling about your year, your life? Does your heart feel heavy with another year passed? Or are you overjoyed thinking about the future? Are you excited to watch your children celebrate? Are you looking forward to kissing someone special under the mistletoe? Have you given yourself the space to take a deep breathe every now and then and truly relax?

Daily Life

• As you wake up the other people in your household, how will you move about your home? Are you in the same home as you are today, or have you moved into your dream home? Are there additional people in your family? Any that you’ve had to say goodbye to?
• What sounds do you hear each morning? Perhaps, the garage door open as your loved one leaves for work? Or the sound of coffee brewing and your pets waking up and doing their little morning shake? Maybe you hear your teenager turning on their music and belting a song in the shower?
• When you look in the mirror, what will your body look like? Have you made the progress you wanted to over the year toward becoming more fit, healthy or toned?
• As you sign on to check your email, what is your title at work? What types of work are you finishing up before the holiday’s? Have you decided to pivot your career and start something new or have you finally made it with a solid income from your side gig?

A starting point

This list isn’t meant to be complete, but it is meant to be a starting point. Answering even a few of the questions, hopefully, started the visions of 2022 flowing and maybe even beyond next year. Doing this from the perspective of your entire life is also a great way to check-in with yourself on what you truly want.

Remember, if you choose to do this, let your heart speak from the ‘future’ you, looking back over life. Don’t cloud your visions with “what if’s” or “that won’t happen for me” or any other type of limiting thought. Let the visions come into your mind easily and without judgement.

Revisit these visions often, and if you have written them down, read them often. I’ve also known people to draw their visions, paint them, express them through music or create a vision board using pictures from the internet.

The idea is to keep these visions close by your mind, and of course in your heart. Allowing yourself to adjust them as necessary. In a future blog we will discuss allowing these visions to unfold, giving yourself grace and you trip and let yourself settle and how to keep your thoughts in harmony with your vision.