Do you know exactly what your path looks like? Are you a 100% clear on where you want to go?
An important reason why we don’t reach our goals or intentions is because we aren’t clear about what it is that we actually want. When we’re not clear about what we want, we’ll quickly lose our focus, and end up making choices for the short-term – not with our dreams in mind.
After we’ve been reflecting on 2020, it is now time to imagine the future!
In today’s post, I’ll show you how you can use visualisation to create a clear image of your own path, in order to set yourself up for the new year ahead.
postponing dreams
When we don’t know or are not clear about what we want, it is difficult to make the right choices.
For example, you’d like to move to a different country. As expected, in order to make the actual move, there are many actions to be taken. You have to find a job, figure out where you want to live, check if you can afford it, etcetera.
Now imagine, it’s weekend. You planned some time to figure all this out, and then when you get to it you notice an enormous pile of washings. Ok, let’s do the washings first. Then you get a call from a friend, “Coffee? Yeah, sure!”. Once you’re back home it’s already late, time to cook….
Life sometimes gets in the way, and that is totally fine. However, if we don’t do the actual work and remain in the ideas phase, we will never shape our reality to get closer that which we dream about.
what is visualisation?
Visualisation is an effective tool to help you form an image of what it is that you want to achieve, whether that’s starting a business, exercising more often or moving to another country.
With visualisation you’re using your imagination to form a mental picture of your dream or goal. As Walt Disney so accurately stated: “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
Using your imagination to shape an image of your future, can serve as a guide in creating change and remaining motivated.
Returning to this image on a daily basis is like watering the seeds you’ve planted – you know what you’d like to do or where you’d want to be in the future, making it easier to take further action.
imagining your future – a visualisation exercise
Now it’s time to give this thing a try!
step one: define your intention
Find a quiet place where you can lie down or sit without being disturbed. Once you’re comfortable, close you eyes.
We first want to define the intention of your practice. What is it that you want to achieve, what dream do you want to come true?
Once you’re clear about your intention, we start using our imagination.
step two: create your future environment
Let’s go back to the example again of moving to a different country. Ask yourself, what does my life look like after I’ve made the move?
Visualise the specific city you’ve moved to, and perhaps the house or apartment you want to live in. Imagine the job you’re doing, the people you’re with, and the places you want to visit.
step three: going a little deeper
After you’ve gotten the general outline of things, you can go a little deeper. Visualise yourself in the image you’ve created. How does your future self look? What are you wearing? How do you feel? What’s the expression on your face telling you?
Now imagine you’re using all of you senses. What other things do you see in your image, what can you hear or smell? Try to make the mental image as clear as possible.
setting yourself up for a meaningful and adventurous year
2021 is around the corner. If you – like me – love to plan for the year ahead, this visualisation exercise can help you set yourself up.
After you’ve done the exercise, take some time to close the visualisation practice. Capture the energy and emotions you have created in your mind, and use them to create a plan for the upcoming year.
You could write your imagined future down, or you could create a collage or vision board with inspiring images. Write down your goals or action points, and plan them into time.
Whatever you do, make sure to visit your imagined future frequently. Returning often to this mental image, we remember why we want to change. Our why, our motivation is that which will drive us to make the difficult choices that will get us closer to our goal, instead of the easy options that are not getting us anywhere.
