Hello there! Wishing Well Wednesday is here again and I am so glad to be at this point. The last few weeks were devoted to determining what we want. I know that seems pretty basic, but the truth is most of us spend far too much time trying to get what we think others will approve of…. Bigger house, faster car, better job. We are still left wanting.
So, in case you missed the last posts I will give you another bonus exercise:
Take a moment to write down your REGRETS. I don’t mean to sound negative, but, trust me, this will be worth it. I love to knit and I generally get lost in the task. It’s like meditation for me. Some years back, I was working on a previously abandoned project. I regretted that I had let it go so long. As it sat, the project was stashed here and there. It spent some time in my car , in a craft basket, and in a closet. In the process, the yarn got a few knots in it. I spent most of my time unraveling and untying knots before I could resume the project. I regretted not having been more careful in its storage and more importantly, not having finished it to begin with. As I sat there untying knots I realized that (K)Nots were the bane of my existence.
While murmuring and beating myself up, I started to think of all the other projects that I had started and never finished. Some of my regrets included Not writing a book, Not traveling, Not learning Italian, Not opening up a Knit store, Not owning land, Not taking more chances. I decided right then to untie those (K)nots. As I got rid of the NOTS, I was left with what really mattered to me at the time: Writing a book, traveling, learning Italian, opening a Knit Store….
I am still working on my list but I know that the finished product will be so much nicer without the NOTS. I have since remarried, gotten a passport and traveled. We bought land last year and are opening our store this Summer!
You see how this works. So go ahead and untie your (K)nots!!!
Ok..now with that out of the way…you may be wondering what to do now. You have a clear idea of what makes you feel good (remember that Emotional GPS) and you are ready to start moving.
Great! The first thing we should do is to determine what kind of goal it is. Divide your goals by 3 month, 6 month, 1 year and 3 year goals. Some goals will be Lifetime goals and that is okay too. Hopefully, by now you have a journal where you are dreaming and tracking your goals. I use a simple 3 ring binder. Write these goals and target time frames down and date it with today’s date.
You may want to clip an image of something that represents your goal. We should do our best to engage all of our senses. Listen to music that soothes you or invigorates you, whichever feels right. Sit with the idea of this wish. Is there someone who has already accomplished this wish? Do you have a role model? If not, how would you be a role model for others? What are your obstacles? Brainstorm solutions however unlikely they seem.
In 2013, my Goals looked like this:
Move to the country, be self-employed, work with Jim, travel, sing at various venues (get paid), design knits and teach, start blog, fresh milk, fresh eggs, make soap, herbs, song writing.
The wish to move to the country was the game changer, so I decided to focus on that first. I knew that money would be an obstacle because we were hoping to find an inexpensive homestead and pay cash. The kids were in school, so we would not be able to go too far. We considered buying a piece of land and working there on the weekends and keeping our current home mortgage. (As luck would have it, this goal took a bit longer than hoped for and we were able to find a country home that was closer to my kids who are now in college).
The next step is to do some mind mapping. Start with the Wish in mind. Remember it should be S.M.A.R.T.
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevent and Time-Sensitive.
On a clean sheet of paper, write down your goal. Write as many steps as you can think of to achieve that goal. Now break that down. What do you need to accomplish to get that task done? Ok, now keep asking until you get to a task that you can do today…right now!
For instance, my mind map for “move to the country” had the following:
Sell house–call agent–make needed repairs–declutter—stage house–look online for selling tips and ideas.
Get loan–check credit score–fix any problems–get credit card ( I was instructed to OPEN a credit card account. We are a cash only household with the house and car note as the only exceptions). Apply online.
Find house– Begin search in specific zip codes–make a list of must haves—give list to agent-talk to Jim about his must haves
Money– get second job—sell more policies—book karaoke gigs—spend less—sell stuff I don’t need (bonus-helps declutter)—list items on craigslist
You get the picture. Well, if not, this may help. It’s not the best image but if you are like me a visual aid is helpful.
So there you have it! Remember, you should take your time and weed out all the little things that need to be done under each section. End by taking a step today and then end the night by deciding what you will do tomorrow. I find this practice very helpful. Always end the day with one more thing Tonight and plan Tomorrow.
Wishing you well,
Eleanor
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