Have you ever been in a situation and suddenly thought, “How did I get here? At what point did I take a wrong turn or make the wrong decision?”
I’ve been on a “meaningful life” journey for as long as I can remember, and I have so many tools and tips I will share with you. A goal, trip, hope, or dream starts with a vision, purpose, or journey.
So, pretend that you are going on a life journey. But, of course, any trip you have has a couple of things.
#1 – Where is your starting point?
We are all at different points in our lives. Some of us are single, married, parents, have health issues, financial issues, are lazy, overachievers, have lost someone close to us, and so on.
Let’s agree on this…you stop comparing your starting point to other people’s because this is your fantastic journey! You are going somewhere they are not. They are headed somewhere completely different and, in many cases, somewhere you aren’t interested in.
Yet, we compare ourselves to someone in one moment when we truly have no idea where they are going or what they’ve been through already.
There will always be someone that SEEMS better off than you in areas, and there will be people YOU are ahead of. It’s comparing apples and oranges because you don’t know their starting point. You don’t know what their journey is. Your version of their success may be a failure in their mind.
#2 – Where Is Your Destination?
So, today, our focus is on your destination. Why are you here right now? What is important to you? How did you stumble on this blog post? If I find out I have a month to live, I want to feel like I did my best. I showed up for my children, parents, and friends. I don’t want to have regrets. I tried and maybe failed…but I tried. Trust me, I have done stupid things with money, wasted time, and ignored people who meant a lot to me because I let them hurt my feelings. I want to prevent that for you, and it is easier than you think.
As we work through this, you may still need to figure out what you want your life to look like. Do you know why? Because you are selfless and have always put your parents, spouse, kids, friends, etc., first. It’s a blessing and a curse. Maybe you’ve never felt like what you want matters. Perhaps no one has asked you….” what is your dream?” That changes now.
You are living and serving other people’s dreams by not having a destination, goals, or knowing what you want. As a result, you are likely frustrated and exhausted and feel like you are going through the motions daily. Yet, a day, month, or year goes by, and you still need to take your dream trip, start yoga, or write that book.
Some of you may have so many hopes and dreams that you aren’t sure where to start. I get it. I’ve been there, AND I’m here to guide you.
The How
Get out a piece of paper and number it 1-25. Don’t worry about the order. Don’t worry if it’s all over the board. Don’t overthink your spelling or grammar because this is a rough draft. It’s your first sketch.
What does your perfect life look like? What are you doing if you weren’t worried about money, health, family, etc.? Gardening? Taking college classes?
Some things that come to my mind are traveling, time with friends, writing a book, exercising, and starting a podcast.
So you write what comes to mind in the present tense like this.
- I am traveling when and where I want.
- I am supporting my children emotionally.
When you are finished, I would love you to go to our “Meaningful Life Quest” Facebook page and share some of your destination goals, passions, and dreams.
The Magic Of This Exercise
When we subconsciously write down our hopes and dreams, we begin to make better choices so that they are more visible when the opportunities to reach them are there.
Starting today, you know where you are headed; now that you know your general direction, you will say “no” to offers and ideas that are not aligned.
This was a big step to start with but stay with me; tell me how you are feeling in the comments, and every day, we will make this journey easier, more adventurous, and most of all, meaningful.
