Ready For The Next Decade?
What if.....instead of doing the same thing at the end of this decade, we did something completely different?
What if we focused on gratitude first and then designing our lives based on our passions, our dreams and our deepest desires?
You with me?
Let's keep things simple with a three part process.
Part 1:
First, we build our foundation of gratitude. Here's what I suggest. I do think it's important to look back at the past decade with a lens of gratitude. How do we do this?
Start back in 2010. Find one event, person or activity that you are most grateful for. That's easy for me: I am truly grateful that our daughter was born.
Next, choose an event, person or activity that presented a challenge or difficulty and also write it as though you were grateful for it. I am truly grateful that my daughter was born more than 3 weeks early, and taking care of her for those first few months was really, really hard. I can actually look back with gratitude at this time. I didn't have to be pregnant for a full 39 or 40+ weeks. My family and friends came together to support us. My parents stayed with us for the first 5 weeks of her life.
Repeat this for each year in the decade.
Part 2:
Be. Do. Have.
This is one of my favorite activities! It's a great way to find clarity and figure out what it is you really want.
You can do this in a notebook, or on a bristol board or large Post-It Note to put up on the wall when you've finished this activity.
Here's how it works: turn your paper landscape (long edge up) and divide into three columns.
- What do I want to DO?
- Who do I want to BE?
- What do I want to HAVE?
Ask yourself these questions, out loud, and write down your answers (unedited). Keep moving between the columns until you're done. You'll know when you're done. You might not finish the page or maybe you'll need a second one.
Some of the things I wrote down when I did this exercise last month include:
BE: A kind, loving and grateful woman.
DO: Inspire my daughter to grow up to be the best version of herself
HAVE: Relationships that are strong, loving & reciprocal with my family and friends.
I've posted mine in my bedroom, by the door so that I notice it every time I walk out of the room.
Part 3:
Creating the future.
My favorite way to design the future is to write it in the present tense. That doesn't make any sense, does it? Here's what I do:
