Tis the Season.
It’s December! Once again, Christmas and gift giving are front and center. As you think of your shopping list this year, I invite you to put your name at the top. Why? Because I have a treasure that you can give to yourself. The best part of this gift is that it is free. It costs nothing but your imagination and willingness to live a life that truly lights you up. Warning- accepting this gift will benefit others too. What is this “mystical gift?” The power and template for living a vision-based life. “Where there is no vision, people perish. Proverbs 29:18-19
Having a vision, a sense of passion and purpose, is what gives us life.
"Research is demonstrating the importance of having a purpose-vision. It is the theme of sermons and the subject of self-help books for good reason. Studies show that those with a purpose live longer, sleep better and have a more robust immune system, lower stress levels and better cognitive function." Mayoclinichealthsystem.org
As you navigate your daily life, your vision or purpose for getting up, makes many of your life decisions easier. A sense of purpose fosters persistence and supports emotional resilience, especially when you are dealing with a challenging situation. Awareness of your vision or purpose helps you to connect with the INIFINITE side of your nature, and removes confusion that can arise when you are deciding what to do next.
So, what if you don’t know what your purpose is, then what? Remember, we all share a universal purpose that can be said this way… When we put our head on the pillow for the last time, we all get to leave a beneficial footprint or presence for having walked this earth. You are as unique as your thumbprint, AND there will never be another person just like you. Feel the power of who you truly are! By creating your unique vision for a life that you love, you can gain clarity, focus, and a reason for being.
You can create a powerful vision, by following these three foundational steps:
1. Begin with an assessment of your current life in all the areas that matter.
As you look at the areas of your life that matter, on a scale from 1-to-5 where would you rate yourself? (1 as very dissatisfied and 5 feeling of happy and fulfilled),
· Health and Well-Being
· Love and Relationships
· Career or Vocation- how you share your gifts in the world.
· Time and Financial Freedom
Remind yourself that taking this assessment is for the purpose of your growth, and not to shame or berate yourself. Life dynamic, it is always calling you to grow! You are not the same person you were 10 years ago.
Two more powerful questions to consider are:
How long has it been this way?
What is it costing you to not change?
An honest assessment of your life, takes AWARENESS and courage. So good job, You!
Now, I invite you get to ASK this most expansive question; “What would I love?”
If this feels selfish, reflect on the powerful quote below by Howard Thruman:
“Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
This aliveness is your light!
I believe that we all want to live a life that feels rich, purposeful and satisfying. This is how we live into our mental health and wellness. Sadly, many people (including me before I knew differently) are conditioned to look at their current life circumstances to determine what they “think” they can or should be doing.
2. To begin creating your VISION, start with what you do know:
If you’re not happy with your current results, what would you love to experience for your health and well-being; love and relationships; vocation (how you share your gifts with the world, even if you are retired) and your time and money freedom?
If anything were possible, what would you love? I invite you to tap into your imagination and have fun with this.
The universe does not distinguish between big or small, so why not DREAM BIG!
NOW “IMAGINE”, it is three years from now -It is December 2026, and your dreams have all worked out.
Next WRITE down- and describe the pictures of what you are seeing, as the person who is living in this dream realized?
As you write, begin each sentence with GRATITUDE, as if it has happened.
Example- “ I AM so happy and grateful that I feel so vibrantly alive and I sleep soundly each night I wake rested and ready to embrace each day.”
Now its your turn to write what you’d love for each area of your life- health and well-being; love and relationships; your vocation- and time and money freedom, starting each sentence with…
I am so happy and grateful now that….
As you see and feeling yourself inside this new reality… (as the person who is living into this vision) you begin to upload these pictures into your subconscious mind. Elite athletes know the power of visualizing to reprogram their subconscious mind, to create new results; They understand the message in Albert Einstein’s quote:
“Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.”
Our feeling state creates our frequency. Our naturally frequency is joyful and expansive…just think of young children. Sadly, we un- hook from that state, because we let our habituated ways of thinking drive our natural frequency down. We get stuck at lower levels of energy and forget we are each powerful positive forces of nature.
Staying connected to your vision and the expansive feeling states it generates, is what activates the law of attraction. This is what draws the reality of your vision to you.
3. The final part of my gift to you is the 5 questions below.
These questions will help you to determine if your vision and dreams are worthy of your life energy? This may be a new though for you. Sometimes we come from the thinking,” Am I worthy of this dream?” Now as you step into your light, you want to align your vision with the INFINITE POWER AND INTELLEGENCE that is breathing you…your soul force?
In early November, I created a new vision. I’d like to share how I used these 5 powerful questions to discern if my next level vision is worthy of my time, energy and soul force.
VISION- I am so happy and grateful that my book “What if You could?” is travelling into every country in the world (all 193) It is impacting children everywhere to listen for their inner voice of love to guide them. Then I tested my vision by asking:
Q. Does this dream give me more life? Absolutely, I feel inspired and I am fueled by my passion to see this happen. I want to create and leave this legacy in the world.
Q. Does my dream align with my core values? Yes! I believe in being the change I desire to experience in the world. I love to travel and learn about other countries and cultures. I believe that every act of kindness creates a ripple effect. I believe in supporting others to live with mental health and wellness.
Q. Does my dream require me to grow? Yes! To live into this larger vision, I AM willing to put myself out there, leave my comfort zone, let go of my what if I fail thoughts, and let my vision be stronger than my fear.
Q. Does my dream require help from a Higher Power? Absolutely, I cannot do this alone, the HOW this will happen is beyond me. I have NO idea of how I will get my book into every country in the world. And because everything about my book feels inspired, I am willing to be guided by a POWER much bigger than me. I am listening for the inspired action steps I can take and I am willing to trust that the way will be revealed.
Q. Does my dream have good in it for others? A resounding YES! I believe my vision will benefit everyone who decides to share my book through a photo- video and a post. I envision this uplifting energy will inspire others. My book’s travel will create awareness and support of other organizations around the world, and the good they are doing. Through my book sales and donations to www.jack.org/whatifyoucouldtour, I am supporting youth mental health world wide.
Five yes's, this vision is a GO for me!
As you prepare for Christmas this year;
May you put yourself at the top of your gift-giving list.
May you choose to live a life that lights you up.
May you “be that light” for others.
Sending love and light, xox