Visioning your desired future inspires hope
Are you finding yourself getting so caught up in fear, anxiety, or boredom that you are slipping into bad habits like checking your social media news feed multiple times an hour? Or visioning a future of apocalypse where zombies are the only ones walking around? Or worrying about how you will recover financially? Or wondering what it would be like to be on a ventilator? Or anticipating your own future suffering or death, or that of a loved one?
I’m referring to the obsessive thoughts that drive us into a downward spiral. These are different from the intentional preparation thoughts for what to do in case you or a loved one become ill, or making sure you have what you need to survive a quarantine.
We can turn the unhelpful thought projections around
Instead of visioning the apocalypse, we can take a few minutes to vision what we want our future to look like. This is not just wishful thinking or an escape into fantasy, but an exercise that has helped elite athletes, musicians, and students improve their performance. Research shows that visioning also arouses hope and leads to a sense of well-being.
Here is an example of a visioning exercise:
1 Find a relatively quiet place where you can take a few minutes to reflect.
2 Ask, “What do I want my life to look like in 1, 6 or 12 months from now?”
3 Imagine yourself at the time point of your choosing in your desired state:
- Where are you?
- What are you doing?
- What are you feeling? Hearing? Seeing?
- How are you interacting with others?
- What does your home look like?
- How are you interacting with your loved ones?
- What are you being acknowledged for at work?
- How have you used your skills to improve the lives of others?
- How are you honoring your values?
- What have you let go of?
4 Take some time with this. Let your creativity and imagination guide you. Write things down. Draw a picture. Share it with a loved one.
5 Next, think about what you need to DO and who you need to BE to get there. What do you need to say “YES” to? What do you need to say “NO” to? What routine or goal will help you say yes or no?
Be kind to yourself. When the critical voices inside your head start judging you, acknowledge their presence, and patiently tell them to back off. This is not an exercise in judgement for what you are not doing, it’s a powerful exercise to activate improved performance, wellbeing, and hope.
What is one action you can take during this challenging time to get closer to making your vision a reality?
“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” ~ Martin Luther