Not what I hoped for

The New Year did not start well. In fact, I felt like I had boarded the ferry on the shore of 2012 and I was halfway across the river to 2013 when it sank. It took some amount of maneuvering and hard swimming not to get pulled down by the sinking boat and swim to the shore. Now I sit on the bank tired - no exhausted, physically and mentally spent, wondering what happened and how to move forward. Though to be honest I’m not quite ready to move yet. I don’t think I’m alone in this feeling, as I’ve heard this is the worst flu season in the US in over a decade. It just isn’t what I had planned or hoped for.

I used to think that those people who went into university knowing exactly what they wanted to study were the luckiest people. They had a plan and knew what steps had to be taken to accomplish that plan. They didn’t need to get a general degree and figure it all out later. And when plans derailed it was easier for them to get back on track because they had an overall vision.

How about you? Are you stuck on the shore of 2013 with no vision? There is no time like the present to create one. It doesn’t need to be elaborate and it certainly doesn't need to be perfect. It does, however, need to exist because when things don’t go the way you had hoped, your vision will be the guide to get you back on track. Think of it as a lighthouse on the far shore to which you are sailing your ship under full sail.

Get started with these ideas:

Choose one vision for one area of your life. It could be for eating well, reducing stress, or incorporating exercise into your daily experience.

Planning for the entire year may seem overwhelming so break it down into chunks, even small ones like a month at a time.

Write down your vision and the goals and steps needed to get there. This makes them even more concrete in your mind, but don’t be so concrete that you cannot be flexible.

It may take a few tries to get your vision clear and that is all part of the process.

Humans, by their very nature, are creative beings. You have it in you to create a life you really enjoy. Where will you start? I’d love to hear.