“Take the initiative and others will support you.” was on the sliver of paper inside of the first of two fortune cookies I cracked open two days ago. “Most success springs from an obstacle or failure” came out of the second cookie. I never ascribed to the fortunes supplied in those cookies. Cracking the cookie was nothing more than a habit, something my family and I do whenever we eat Chinese food. It is a game, and those little fortunes never swayed us. That day was different. Both fortunes called to me. I sat crossed-legged on my sofa for a long while, contemplating the chance of me receiving those messages at this point in my life. I felt like quite the failure of late and often wondered what I could do to climb out of the blue funk that was negatively affecting my life. I was falling into crisis mode, quickly etching a pathway to depression. A classic sign of having a midlife crisis.
Food had become my drug of choice and like anything done in excess, you will eventually reap what you sow. As the pounds increased my body ached, I felt weighed down and sluggish. It wasn’t just the food I consumed religiously, but also the obstacles I placed in my life. Those carefully crafted walls I built every day, brick by brick until it encased me. I clawed, banged, yelled, and cried from the isolation. Yet if I pierced it and a slither of light shone through, I would run and cower in the darkest part of the box I built. Fear is the mind-killer, keeping you in places you’ve outgrown. No matter how draining, you stay in that place, claiming it as safety & security. I know this place well. It was time for a change. I had to break down those walls I built and allow the light to bathe me in its warmth. Fill me with its renewing powers.
It was time for a shift in my purpose, my thoughts, and my actions. Thinking in that manner brought about a determination I hadn’t felt since I was that teenager filled with ambition and not encumbered with doubts or fears. Shifting my life’s perspective is not a simple task. It requires constant motivation. I read an article several months ago about creating a vision board and wondered if doing something like that would help me see my goals and keep me motivated. A vision board elicits feelings that you want to have… to inspire you as you move forward with your goals. You create vision boards using pictures to represent your future goals. Being mindful not to reflect on materialistic desires, but to dig deeper. An action board is to date stamp those goals. Setting reasonable target dates for achieving the goal/s you set for yourself and the steps you can take to make the changes you want in your life.
I was not interested in gathering magazines, paper, glue, etc. to create a vision/action board. Although for some this may be therapeutic. I preferred creating my board using an app. I downloaded a few apps and finally selected one. If you are techy, you probably can create your board for free and place it on your phone as a screen saver or print it out and hang it up in a place you will see it daily. If you’re not so techy but would like to give something like that a try, I am placing an article I found below to help you. The author used Pinterest and google apps to create her board. Subliminal Vision allowed me to create a wonderful vision board of my goals and set action steps to achieve them. However, you do, it is all up to you. Do what is best for you.
This site offers a list and review of a few visions/action board apps: https://www.makeavisionboard.com/vision-board-apps/.
I have to say, I enjoyed putting my board together. It reminds me to act on my goals. Taking five minutes out of my day to meditate on my intentions is the push I need to move away from the fear and shift to manifest my goals. My goals are to publish a second fiction book and create a healthier diet and exercise routine. Like I said I refuse to go this route alone so select a goal, create your boards and Let’s do this!!!
Dig deep and shift!