Develop Your Life Vision

January often brings about a time of self-reflection and a desire to make changes. Do you struggle to design and carry out a vision for your life? Do you find yourself living day to day without a plan and feeling like you’ve lost your focus?

Here are some tips on how to develop a vision for your future:

1. Allow some time in your schedule to do nothing but reflect on your life. Having time to ponder how far you’ve come and where you’re headed is integral to proceeding to develop your life vision.

2. Open your mind. Surveying your life so far might be a rather daunting process. You have to acknowledge fully how you have come to be where you are whether you’re on the right track.

3. Take notes. Think about what you’ve accomplished thus far in your journey. What goals have you established? Write them out. Doing so will cultivate more thoughts of what you’ve experienced in life and why. Are you still working toward those goals? Why or why not?

4. Be honest with yourself about any choices you’ve made that were diversions. When did you make a choice that prevented you from continuing with your plans at the time?

• Looking back now, what do you see as your biggest mistakes?

• Did some of those choices turn out to be wise? Why? Did they lead you down a path that you now see as more in tune with what you really want?

5. Set goals now. Make a new list of your current goals and wishes for the future.

• Maybe you want a promotion at work. What has to happen in order for it to occur? Create the mini-goals necessary to help you meet your main goal of getting that promotion. Leave nothing out. For example, if you need to complete two college classes, include those as goals.

• Check off each smaller goal you accomplish as you work toward the larger, overall goal. It will feel great when you do.

6. Post your life aspirations in an obvious place. Put them on your mirror, refrigerator, smartphone, electronic pad, and bulletin board. Put a copy by your favorite chair in the living room where you can re-read them often. In short, ensure your vision is right in front of you much of the time.

7. Create a vision board. Use photos from magazines and write inspiring words related to the photos you choose to place on your board. Your vision board is a graphic reminder of what you’re working toward every day.

8. Decide whether you’re living in “the right place.” Does your current home location meet your employment, personal, and financial needs? Is it possible to achieve your goals there? If not, consider your options.

• Are you willing to move away? If so, include on your goal list everything you must do to be able to move.

9. Make your life vision a priority. In order to live out the vision you’ve developed, you must keep your vision at the top of your priorities. When making decisions in the future, consider options that will support your life vision.

Developing your life vision will take time, reflection, and work, but the rewards will be great. Your life will be filled with passion and optimism once you develop your vision. Why wait? Start creating your vision today!