Do you remember the book called "the Secret"? I read that when I was younger, and it didn't really make too much sense to me. As a kid, the laws of attraction were abstract and distant at best.
It wasn't until in college when my therapist Dr. Peggy Farmer, suggested a set of mental exercises centered around imaging the Best Possible Future, that is when I began to understand the concept.
"but what does that even mean?" That's what I said to her when she first introduced the concept to me. Simply put, it is about imagining the best possible outcome in areas you'd like to grow. Most people aim to grow and develop in their careers, in relationships, and often times a particular skill set.
It can be helpful to think about these in terms of: [immediate], [near future], [distant future].
Immediate is usually less than a month. Near future can range from 2-6 months, and Distant future can be 1-5+years.
I'm extremely fortunate to say that I have been actively doing these activities throughout the years, and it has significantly impacted my trajectory in life and overall happiness. What is interesting about the exercise is it forces you to think of the **VERY BEST** possible future, meaning you must envision the future with no limitations, leaving you bound only by your imagination.
Another interesting part of the exercise is that over time what you envision will change and that is absolutely, OK, it should change and evolve, just as you do. See this as a sign of growth and a way of balancing practicality.
I'd be remiss to say that the outcomes don't happen without action, it's not magic but can serve as a magical map of action, only you must walk backward and take the necessary steps to obtain whatever you imagine being the best possible future. It will be hard but let me tell you, it will be worth it.
This exercise isn't just great for goal setting, motivation, and happiness its helpful when making life-changing decisions. Why?
Because it allows you to imagine what your life could be if... blah blah blah happened. It turns into a form of critical self-reflection coupled with self-speculation.
The fundamental lesson here is that for you to unlock your true potential you must imagine your future without any constraints.
4/11/2021