2022 has not had an easy start.  Another year to be resilient. One way to help yourself is to daydream with a purpose. 

Take a break from New Year’s resolutions.   Make sure that you are on the path you want to be traveling before you buckle down and march ahead. Quit gritting your teeth to make yourself do what you feel you SHOULD do and consider what you WANT to do. 

Pause your SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).  Those are great for a work project or a fund-raising goal but this is your life.  Take time to daydream about your ideal life.  Daydreaming with purpose can move you toward your goals and help you manage the stress around you. 

Daydream when you are falling asleep or waiting.  Imagine you wake up a year, or 5 years from now and have the life you want.  Walk yourself through this future day.  Where are you?  What are you wearing?  Who else is there?  What does your house look like?  What do you do all day?  Take time to do this in detail.  What aspects of this really hit home for you?   

You can create a vision board by collecting words, pictures, images that convey what you feel pulled toward.  Pay attention to the things that cause you to say, “yes!” and gather those. Put this collection where you can see it; rearrange items and add to it.  Once you feel you have what you want get out the mod podge and glue it down.  (If you live in Central Ohio, or are willing to drive here, I plan to do a workshop this summer doing just this.  Announcements will go out through our email list: you can sign up here.) 

Check out the WOOP method.  Author and researcher, Gabriele Oettingen describes how to daydream about your wishes, imagine the best possible outcome, consider the obstacles, and create a simple plan to steer you in the direction you intend to go.   

If you are like me, you have no trouble working hard, prioritizing your time, and marching forward once you know you are on a path that moves you toward your goals and dreams. Too often, we grit our teeth and buckle down to get a goal done without stopping to be sure we are on the path we want to follow.  Perhaps this seemed like the dream path just a few years ago but you have grown.  Or you are tired.  Or it didn’t turn out to be as wonderful as you thought.  It is fine to change directions.  But before you set new goals – daydream.  Check in with yourself about what might be wonderful.   

Peace,

Laura A. Gaines