Vision (How You See Yourself)
June Bloom
We know the importance of showing up for ourselves and not being small so we can expand into who and what we are meant to be, but — in order to fully do that — we need to see ourselves accurately. We have to have a clear vision of who we are and what we want in order for the doors of opportunity to open for us.
But we avoid looking at ourselves, don’t we? We don’t want to be confronted by flaws. Changes we may not welcome. Hear the criticisms that may not be ours, but still ring in our ears.
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If you have an appreciation practice, part of that is appreciating yourself. Paying attention to what you do and who you are being, making note of what you’re proud of, impressed by and things that you’d like to improve. This allows you to recognize who you are right now, and gain a clear view of who you’d like to be. The kind of life you want to have. The world you can to help create.
But we tend to stop looking beyond our current reality. We don’t bother to take some time to ask ourselves what we really and truly want out of life. We do that because we believe we are limited or undeserving. We know our place in this world and there’s no point in reaching beyond it.
But that’s bullsh!t. And you are free to get rid of that bullsh!t.
Take a moment to close your eyes and envision what you would like your life to look like. Start with where you are right now. What would you like to shift? What needs to evolve? What are you ready to drop away? Are you the person you want to be in this world? What would you like to shift? What’s ready to drop away? How are you going to evolve?
See it clearly. Feel it, too. What is the next step you are willing to take to move forward and up to the next level?
Now, how would you like life to look this time next year? How do you move around in that world? Where are you living? What is your career like? Are you with a partner/have a family? Do you travel? Throw parties? Are you deep in creation mode, working on bringing a project to life? Are you happier, more energetic and vibrant? And how were you able to get to that place?
I can tell you if you’re stuck…you got there by having a vision and honoring yourself enough to take the needed steps to get there.
Everything we want takes work. Even if something seems to come to you easily, look back to see all the work you did to get to who you are in that moment you received it.
Having a vision also takes work. It takes effort to hold that concentration, to use our imagination to really see what’s possible. It takes effort to have faith in what you see and believe, and courage to go forward to that vision. And it’s worth it.
Take time, at least once a week, to envision the next step in your life. Give yourself a quiet five minutes to see it, feel it, and then write about it. Jot down the details and what steps you’ll take to move you forward toward that vision. And that vision can be how you want the next week to go, how you’ll go about asking for a raise and promotion, what your next home will look and feel, how you’ll feel achieving your next goal.
And when you feel ready, see the bigger picture. Where do you want to be in the next two to five years? In ten years. In twenty or thirty. Give yourself permission to go big and be honest. Because, honestly, not everyone wants a “big” life. It may not be about the mansion and money for you. And good! Let yourself have an authentic life. One that is perfect and satisfying to you. And as you build your eudaimonic happiness — and that strong foundation of self-worth, purpose and appreciation — the bullsh!t will just fall away. You will home in on what’s true and right for you. And that, my friend, is liberating AF.
Once you see your vision clearly, once you get clear on what it is you want and need — rather than what you were told you should want and have to have in order to be happy and successful — you will feel free. And with that freedom comes the confidence to move forward and level up to achieve those dreams.
Sometimes, we have to close our eyes to see clearly. Sometimes, we have to feel our way to what we envision. Give yourself space and time to do that. Then be ready for the shift that’s going to happen. xo
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