Remember Alice in Wonderland? Most of us read it as kids. And like many “kids’ ” books, it holds some wisdom for us as adults.
There is a wonderful conversation in Lewis Carol’s classic between Alice and the mischievous and powerful Chesire Cat that speaks to the need we all have for a personal vision to guide us forward.
Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where–” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.
“–so long as I get SOMEWHERE,” Alice added as an explanation.
“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”
How true! We are all bound to get somewhere, so long as we walk long enough. But is this really what you want from “your one wild and precious life”? https://www.loc.gov/programs/poetry-and-literature/poet-laureate/poet-laureate-projects/poetry-180/all-poems/item/poetry-180-133/the-summer-day/
Very often our discomfort and discouragement in life comes the fact that unknowingly we have followed a path defined for us by others and we’ve ended up in a place it not at all satisfying or empowering. We are not living by our own ideas and beliefs, those that we know deep inside truly define us. We’ve traveled without an intention to live a life we want – that is personally meaningful and fulfilling.
And now you want more – want to do something with your life that excites and motivates you.
HERE’S HOW TO START
If you want something more than to just ‘end up somewhere’ in your life, then an important and self-supporting first step is to create a personal vision of the future you want to live.
Think of your personal vision as a description of the way you want to live when you think about the future you desire; a life lived with intention and purpose. Your personal vision is the one that resonates deeply within you – one you that excites you, that you understand as authentic and real. And because it expresses who you know you really are, it is clearly a life that you want to attain.
The good news is you can make your personal vision happen!
WRITE IT DOWN
So how do you create a personal vision? Grab a pencil and paper – or your journal if you keep one. Journaling for Mindfulness: 44 Prompts, Examples, and Exercises
What you want to describe is the life that is so important to you that:
- You will commit to changing the life you have now in order to obtain it.
- And you will commit to doing the work required to get there.
Start by identifying the principles you believe are most important to you in life. Decide what you value enough to lead your life today and every day, guided by these ideals. To arrive at a place where you can engage the world in an authentic and personally fulfilling way, it is important to identify and understand those beliefs that define you, at your core. https://medium.com/the-mission/the-difference-between-principles-and-values-789b95452422
- What principles do you live by?
- What are our deeply held values?
- What will your life be when you are living in full expression of them in a way that sustains you?
And when you decide to live your life guided by your principles and deeply held values you have started down a path of being highly self-aware, intentional and potentially self-actualized. https://www.simplypsychology.org/self-actualization.html
- Self-awareness Creating awareness is always the key to committing to a new way of living, creating sustainable change, and achieving the results you desire.
Knowing what you believe in, care most about and acting with understanding of the way you want to live your life and interact with others will allow you to create your personal vision.
Wherever you choose to go in life – however you choose to be – you will know that on your journey to this place is intentional and you will be expressing the values which are most important to you all along the way.
LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES. bradshaw@watersoverstone.com
I’d be glad to help.
Your Coach – Bradshaw
