Week 3
Dear Diary,
Rewriting my why has been challenging. So many questions float around my mind for consideration. Should I develop a temporary why for the time being? Should the why be for my teaching career? Should it be for my personal life? Should I brainstorm my future why? Should I write down the thoughts that resonate with what I want my why to be in my next chapter? What a tricky situation I have found myself in this moment of time.
What I do know is that I am taking actionable steps to bring about change in my life. While recently lapping the playground as my children played, I listened to a podcast, Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning. In this episode entitled, How to Live to Your Full Potential, he gave me strategies to think about to explore and clarify what I really want, respond to my personal and professional goals, and like the title says, live to my full potential.
One of the strategies reminded me of my own Credo that I had written in the AOEU course, Art Therapy for Art Teachers. You can view my Credo here. Hal discussed rewriting and envisioning your goals as if you are living them.
In this simple to use strategy, you begin by thinking about what you really want – what you want to achieve for yourself. It can be anything! Take some time to write them down. Writing them down on actual paper increases your chances of follow through. If you have ever used positive affirmations, start there.
Take a look at these examples of mine.
I am a loving wife and mother.
I am a hard worker.
I am a good listener.
I am a great writer.
I am an excellent helper.
It’s your turn.
Now that you have these affirmations out of your mind and on your paper, it’s time to commit to them with the next step. Rewrite them to be more specific. Hal suggested to start with the phrase I am committed as an example. In this step, you can become very specific. Again, write them on real life paper.
Check out how I have rewritten my above affirmations in order to step closer to my goals:
I commit to being a loving wife and mother by taking time to be fully present without distractions when sharing time with my husband and children.
I commit to working towards my goals, putting in the effort and quality work it takes to achieve what I want in my life.
I commit to being an attentive listener by making eye contact, not interrupting, asking questions, and giving my complete attention to others while they talk with me.
I commit to being the best writer I can by allowing my ideas and thoughts time to incubate before processing the language I use. I commit to having my final drafts fully edited and meet deadlines.
I commit to helping others by creating a safe space for them to share what is on their mind, and then offer strategies to help them navigate their next steps.
Once you have put your words on paper, the fun part happens – envisioning your goals. Envisioning is something I practice as an artist and teach to my young student artists to ideate and picture things in their minds. I have learned from others in the field of personal development to use this technique to grow yourself as you work towards achieving what you really want. It’s just as fun as daydreaming.
I hope that you have found this strategy helpful. If you are rewriting your why, think about what your dreams are in this season of your life. Your why may need time to reveal itself to you. Your “I commit” statements may lead you right to what you need to rewrite your purpose.