Envisioning your life in 10 years
I spend much of my time teaching students to be in the present moment; stop worrying about the past—you can’t change it, and don’t stress about the future—we don’t know what is going to happen. I tell them to focus on the here and now, be present. Since our life is in real time, right now is the most important moment! If that’s true, why am I writing about taking time to envision your life in ten years—or the future? Think road map, or for those of you who aren’t a baby boomer, Nav!
Last year, I did this exercise when I was in my 200 hour yoga teacher training program. I sat and imagined what my ideal life would look like in 10 years, and my mind began to race. All I could think about was the possibilities; I didn’t worry about any negatives in my life or the barriers that may lie ahead of me. I picked up my pen and as the words began to flow, I couldn’t help but feel the excitement about where my life was headed.
Of course, I wrote about my vision on professional accomplishments, hopes for my children (yes, I would be grandpa then), where would I be living, etc. I tied together things that were important to me and how they would blend into my future life. I knew I wanted to make a difference in the lives of other people, not just the ones close to me, but to find a way to really help others on their personal journey. While it was easy to find the words to express my hopes and aspirations, within a few days I went back to read what I wrote. I asked myself is this a dream, or is this the true vision of my life in ten years? I realized I had a choice, and while dreams are great, I knew if the vision was to become a reality, I had work ahead of me. What did I need to learn to take me where I wanted to go?
I knew that mindfulness would be a big part of my future. I began devouring books on mindfulness, reviewing scientific research on neuroplasticity and taking notice of own life—becoming more self-aware and tuning into others. My studies took me from meditation, to learning about Emotional Intelligence (EQ), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the Three Principles and other modalities. I needed to be engaged in the discipline of my ideal future if I had any chance of getting there. I looked at my life and noted the personal changes necessary to propel me forward. I knew I couldn’t make all of the changes overnight, so I selected the ones that I felt I could integrate into my life right away. The process had begun!
Aside from learning many new things about myself, I began to notice changes in my life, and others noticed them as well. I felt more grounded, than uncertain about living my fully expressed life. I realized that looking to the future, actually allowed me to be more present in my daily life. I have started to follow the road map (or Nav) of where I want to go and it is exciting. Someone told me once, you can’t get to where you want to go, if you don’t know where you are headed. Now that I have the right tools, I know that I am learning how to get there, from here!
Cheers!
Marty