In my post titled SETTING THE FOUNDATION TO BUILD YOUR LIFE UPON, I asked you to look deeper into your balance wheels by creating more categories and identifying obstacles to achieving your desired life in those areas. I also suggested that if you wanted to get ahead of the game, to brainstorm in your journal regarding what it might take to bring each wheel area up to a ten. If you haven’t done that, I recommend you spend some time doing so before you move on to the following steps.
TIME TO DREAM
By identifying obstacles, you were working backwards into identifying solutions. Once you know what your obstacles are, you can find solutions for overcoming the obstacles.
Next Steps
Go back, look at your wheels, and choose four areas total from the three wheels. For example, you might choose two areas from the wheel of life, one area from the health wheel, and one area from the writing wheel. Or maybe you want to choose all four areas from your writing wheel of balance. This is your life, you choose. However, because the goal is to create balance in your life, I recommend you start with the areas that you feel are creating the most imbalances. For most people, this tends to be the areas with the lowest satisfaction scores.
Once you have chosen your four areas, it is time to use your journal.
- For each area, ask yourself the following questions. What do I really want? What would have to happen for me to feel fulfilled in this area? DREAM BIG. What would a ten look like?
- Brainstorm about your dreams or vision for each area.
- Make a bullet pointed list of steps you could take to achieve these visions. Be specific. Your list should be written in present tense. You may write in paragraphs if that works better for you. Write as though you are already living a ten. Write as though that area of your life is working exactly the way you want it to. Remember this is your time for dreaming. You are not making any commitments to anyone. Please give yourself permission to dream without judgment, fear, or negativity. Enjoy this time.
The following examples are very basic. I hope you will make your bullet points or paragraphs as grandiose as you wish. Have fun. Dare to dream.
Examples:
- My husband and I have date night once a week. We also have alone time every night between 9:00 and 10:00. We are more in love today than we were twenty years ago.
- I call my mother every Sunday and visit her twice a year, once in June and once in January.
- I have a closer bond with Jason. We work together cleaning his room every Saturday, followed by lunch and a movie. I have learned more about him, his refusal to do homework and his anger. Jason is doing much better in school and speaks to me with love and respect.
- My writing community is growing. I have made hundreds of writer friends and contacts online. I attend SCBWI events monthly. I meet with my local critique group monthly. I offer support and get support through these wonderful groups, and my writing has improved tremendously.
I will give you a couple of weeks before I post the next steps in this series. Come back next week to read about “The Chooser’s Remorse Clause: Reserving the right to change your mind.”
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