Knowing what to do and doing what you know you should do are often very different things. Once more, many of us don’t know what we should do or what we want to do. This leaves us feeling confused, frustrated and often stuck in how things are today. This issue of the Walking Along the Natural Path Newsletter will help you determine what you want to do and outline a process to get there so you can start today working towards your goals.
Change is a Journey
Changing the way you live can be a challenging and overwhelming experience at times. However, try and think of it as a chance to do some things you’ve always wanted to do, be more of the person you’ve always wanted, and known yourself to be, and a time to unite your current personal and financial responsibilities with the life you want to live. A fresh start for yourself is the beginning of a larger journey, a journey in which you will not only transform your life, but one in which you begin to transform those around you and the larger world community. But, before we can influence and affect the world around us, we have to start by becoming more of who we want to be. This entails putting together a practical plan with which you can transform your life from what it is to what you want it to be. This is NOT an exercise is shedding your responsibilities and commitments in the hopes of finding that utopian lifestyle. However, it is a way to look at the responsibilities and commitments you have in a new light and see how you can transform those that are important and possibly eliminate those that are not as you begin to live a life more in-tune with your energies and outlook. There are seven steps in this exercise:
- Mentally step outside your present way of life. Start by imagining yourself outside of your present routine. Expand upon the daydreams you’ve had before & envision yourself totally on your own–with none of your present possessions, family, career, social commitments, debts, or contracts. In other words, you’re completely free to go in any direction that you choose.
- What would you do? Ask yourself what you’d do with this totally free situation. Where would you go? What would you like to do for a living? What have you always wanted to do? What material things would give you pleasure? Only one restriction should be imposed upon your dreams: You can’t make someone else be what you want him or her to be. But there are no other restrictions to prevent you from trying anything you want. This is an exercise in imagination and desire only; it is a tool to try and determine what you would like to do with your time here on earth. Use it as a tool and do not judge yourself if you find out you would like to change some things in your life. Dreaming and acting on those dreams are very different exercises. Allow yourself the flexibility to dream; we will get to the action part later.
- What is your present life like? Now take a close look at your present situation. What activities engage you now? What is your work? How do you spend your time? Where does your money go? What do you do everyday? List the activities in your present life.
- Cross off everything in your present life that doesn’t appear in your dream life. If there’s something in your present life that isn’t part of the life you want for yourself, cross it off. There are obviously responsibilities you can’t just shed, like children or certain family obligations. There is nothing wrong with wanting something different. By seeing your present obligations with a renewed perspective, you can find innovative ways to make your present life more like the life you want to live. And for those things in your life that you can shed, all you need to find is a way out of them–and we’re coming to that.
- What do you need to make your dream life possible? Estimate the requirements and costs of your imagined new life. How much time would be necessary to ready yourself for the profession you have in mind? How much money would you need to go where you want to be? What other resources are necessary for the kind of existence you’re dreaming of? This is where a lot of people stop, saying things like “I don’t know how much time this or that will take.” Or “How am I supposed to know how much it costs?” Do some research and find out; put in a little effort. You can find out an awful lot in a very short period of time with a little effort on the internet. You’re not going to be held to these figures, but you do need to ballpark the time and resources involved. Besides, doing a little research on what you want to do and be will help you fine-tune your vision.
- What are your present assets and liabilities? Set aside your dream world long enough to make an inventory of your present financial situation. What are your present assets? How much money can you freely spend as you choose? What is the worth of your present property (home, land, furniture, savings, car, appliances, and investments)? Now list your present liabilities. How much money do you owe? What other monetary obligations have you incurred–family support, leases, business liabilities, charitable pledges? Make your list complete; you need to know exactly where you stand. Don’t overlook any liabilities–you can’t eliminate them until you recognize them. If your assets are greater than your liabilities, the difference is your usable net worth–what you have available to meet the requirements of your new life. If you owe more than you have, you now have a concrete number to work with and you can use this same exercise to determine ways for you to eliminate your debt.
- Make changes. Eliminate present assets that aren’t on your dream list. Turn into cash all the material possessions that aren’t necessary to your dream life. Eliminate all the activities that consume your time and money without contributing to the existence you really want. Don’t be afraid to give up things that are a part of an un-free life; change can be difficult, but not changing can destroy you. Anything you cherish can be reacquired later without the problems involved now.
Look at those things you own and ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” Sit down with your family or your kids or a close friend and go through this exercise with them. Let them see your vision of who you want to be and the life you want to live -they can be one of your greatest resources and sources of inspiration and courage when you need it.
The Journey Continues
Remember when we said this was the first step in a larger, longer journey. Well that journey continues when you have those you love and care about, those that will be with you along this journey, complete this exercise as well. Do this independently so you can each see where it is you want to go and be, then come together and create a group plan so you can all help and enable each other to get there. This process continues when families, groups, communities and nations take part in a similar exercise. It is that simple. But it starts with you taking the time and then having the courage to make a fresh start. We are all on a journey. Our job is to help you get where you want to go, by walking with you along the natural path to better health and well being.
What are you waiting for?