Anytime a ‘quiet anniversary’ passes, I think about what my life would’ve been like if I’d gone down a particular path. If I’d actually gotten married or continued working as a clinical dietitian at the hospital. If I’d stayed in Southern California. I imagine how other things may have differed- my values, my community, my interests, my hobbies, my spirituality, and my contribution to the world.
Instead of reminiscing about the past, I’ve flipped the script and started visualizing all my possible futures. We’ve seen how dramatic life changes and transformations can occur in just a few years, so why not reimagine the plethora of options that await us? Thoughts become things.
I’ve been experimenting with the concept of Mind Movies. Every morning and evening I’ll visualize in detail some possible future. Just for fun. They are wildly diverse- ranging from living a nomadic lifestyle in a sprinter van traveling and writing and photographing in nature. Leading wellness retreats in Bali and Hawaii where I incorporate sound bath healing and art therapy and nutrition and hiking. Teaching and creating workshops with my partner at Esalen. Adopting a puppy. Moving to Colorado. There are so many futures that invigorate me because they are all ripe with excitement and possibility.
I keep a journal with all these possible futures. When I feel stuck, I flip open and read some of these pages to remind myself of new paths and directions I can choose to explore. Because life doesn’t happen to us. It happens for us. And we can consciously co-create with the universe.
When we give ourselves permission to say ‘no’ to things and people that cause our bodies and souls to contract and shrink, we free ourselves to feel the openness and expansiveness of saying YES to the many possible futures that our souls are calling us towards.
Think big. Reimagine the possibilities. Thoughts become things. Your future(s) await you.