People have embraced or resisted the idea of a “new normal” but what if…what if…we took this time to reinvent ourselves and the image of who we are and what we want our lives to look like?
Dave Ellis, my go-to-expert in reinvention, wrote a fabulous book called Falling Awake. I trained under someone who trained under Dave and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE his approach. If you are ready to reimagine your life in a bigger, newer, more breathtaking way, I challenge you to try the “Reimagine your Life” exercise below. I do this exercise about once a year to see how I have changed and shared it with you back in February 2018.
It’s TIME to take a closer look. If you were not ready back in February 2018, maybe NOW is the TIME! As a wise theologian once said,
“If I am not for myself, who will be?
And when I am for myself, what am ‘I’?
and if not now, when?” Hillel
This is my rendition of the Design Your Life exercise developed by Dave Ellis in his book Falling Awake. Give is a whirl!
This is a fabulous and fun exercise to share with that significant someone you love or with your kids or as a family.
Here You Go:
- Set aside a space and time that you know you will not be interrupted.
- Get a stack of unlined 3 x 5 index cards and select your favorite colored pen or sharpie. If you don’t have any cards or don’t have a favorite pen, treat yourself to one. You might want to buy several packets of index cards to have ready.
- Go to a that quiet space with your cards and pen, pick a comfortable chair, and settle in.
- Begin by taking a few long, slow deep breaths. Be aware of yourself in your surroundings. Relax and breathe. Close your eyes.
- Holding your cards vertically in one hand and your pen poised in the other, ask yourself, “What do I really have to have, be or do in this lifetime?”
- Let that question sink in. Breathe in and out, be still.
- As thoughts, ideas, goals come to mind write each one down in the middle of the card, one idea or thought to a card.
- This is not the time to save on cards, be economical or worry about putting more debris into the landfill. Use as many cards as you need for as many thoughts and ideas as come to mind.
- Keep writing. If you feel stuck or don’t know what to write, write that down and go to the next card. It’s a bit like free association…when you get one idea or block out of the way more ideas will surface.
- Write down everything that comes to mind, no matter how small or seemingly outrageous or grandiose. This is not the time to edit or decide you can or cannot do it. Just be with what you discover you want.
- Once you have written as much as you think you can, ask yourself, “If I could think of anything else what would it be?”
- Write down your answers, one answer to a card.
- When you are all done, take a deep breath and notice how you feel. Do you feel exhilarated or surprised at the amount of ideas or goals you have? Do you feel empty or excited? Notice what you feel and where you feel it in your body. That will tell you a lot about how important this is to you.
- Take another breath and acknowledge yourself for all the great work you just did. If you have a connection to a Higher Power give thanks.
- Now, reread your cards one at a time and let your ideas soak in. You may want to spread them out in front of you.
- This is a good time to put them in categories – things you want to be, have, do for yourself and things you want to be, have, or do with people important to you.
- Put them into categories or piles of things to do right now, or in the next 30, 60, or 90 days. Group together things you want to do over the next few years or in your lifetime.
Keep your index cards handy and in a safe place to revisit. You have created a treasure trove of what is most important to you and are in a great place to set goals for yourself from your treasure box.
Let me know how this worked for you or if you have ideas or suggestions on how to make it better. Or better yet, if you want a little help, let’s work on this together!
You can contact me, by calling 980.224.3554 or go to www.dianeweekley.com/booking and schedule a strategy session. The Time is NOW!
I look forward to hearing from you.
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