Having acquired our map and our compass, we can now set about planning our eventual destinations far ahead into our journey. We can lie back, close our eyes, and allow ourselves to drift off and dream about the future we truly, deeply, desire for ourselves, unhindered for now by any current constraints or obstacles and aligned to our Core Values and our Core Purpose. We can learn about ourselves and find out what journey might make us truly happy and fulfilled.
Remember, it’s all about you! What you want your life to look like and, most importantly, who you want to be!
We’re going to guide you through an exercise to discover, uncover, or confirm your dreams for your future. Be prepared to let yourself go and to dare to dream of your perfect life, the one that aces the “rocking-chair test” – you’re 90 years old, sitting in your rocking chair, completely happy and fulfilled with your life, knowing you gave it everything and were rewarded with a life in which you achieved your Core Purpose in a way that was aligned to your Core Values.
Don’t limit yourself by judging the possibility of achieving your goals and dreams at this stage, just let it go! What if you could have everything you wanted? What would it be? Don’t worry about the “how” at this stage, it is likely to inhibit us finding out what we can really do!
Give yourself permission to dream up your best life…to envision your best self…to imagine the best legacy you can leave behind for your family.
“You’re 90 years old, sitting in your rocking chair, completely happy and fulfilled with your life”
“How do you feel about the person you have become? Are you smiling? Are you happy?”
For this exercise, find yourself a quiet, comfortable place where you can let your imagination flow. It may help to put on some relaxing music, perhaps even some meditation music. Put yourself in an environment where you won’t be disturbed and can completely relax. Turn your phone off. Turn the lights off. Turn the TV and the computer and the tablet off. Sit down, or lie down. Relax. Let go.
For now, free your mind of all that occupies it – your burdens and concerns for today, your worries for tomorrow, any limitations you feel that might block you before you even start, your past, other people, or anything else denying you of your blank imaginary canvass. We will address all of those things later in the process, but for now allow your mind to be free, ready for you to create your own masterpiece.
Now allow yourself to drift off into the future. Not just any future, but the one where you are truly living your dream. You are extraordinarily happy. You have lived and are living in accordance with your Core Values and are achieving your Core Purpose
Where do you live? How do your spend your time? What work do you do? Are you debt-free? What do you do for leisure? Where do you visit? Who do you spend your time with? What sort of relationships do you enjoy? With your immediate family? With your extended family? With your closest friends? With your wider friends? With your colleagues? Within the wider community? What have you learned? What are you learning? How do you contribute to a better society? How is your health? How do you feel about the person you have become? Are you smiling? Are you happy?
Crystallise the image of each area of your life in your mind. See all the colours vividly. Hear all of the sounds. Feel every sensation – your emotions, the air, the feel of your surroundings. Drift off and let your imagination run wild…
And now we will break it down and take snapshots of your journey…