Whether you are the sort of person who makes resolutions or not, January seems to be a month of reflection and introspection.
We think about the things that went well last year, the things that didn’t go so well and the things that we had hoped would happen but didn’t.
I’ve spent the last couple of days thinking about what’s important to me and how I’d like my life to be in 5 or 10 years time. If you’re a visual person, it can be helpful to draw a picture of your future. For me, drawing is a wonderful way of engaging with my intuitive rather than rational side.
I’m going to describe my picture to you (not quite game to post my drawing just yet!)
Picture this…
I’m sitting on a swing, hanging from a big tree in my bush garden. I live on a bush block, not too far from the city, but far enough away that it’s quiet and I can pop out of the back gate into the neighbouring bushland. My house is made of straw bales – simple and rustic with a big verandah and an even bigger veggie garden. My little boy is playing in his cubby house with a close friend of his. My husband has just got back from a mountain bike ride. I can smell the mountain air and hear the wind rustling the trees. There’s a kookaburra above me.
I could go on and on – I can almost smell the rotting leaf litter in the rainforest behind my mum’s house as I write this. As I draw, I realise what’s important to me. What do I value? I value nature, sustainability and equity. I value my own independence. And, most importantly, I value my connections to my family.
I expect that in 10 years time, I’ll still be living in suburban Canberra (as much as I would love a tree-change!). Drawing my future life makes me realise that it doesn’t matter whether I manage to exercise more, eat more vegetables, read more books or fulfil any of the other (countless) resolutions I’ve made. It doesn’t matter if I don’t have a highly paid job or if I don’t get promoted.
What matters is finding the time to be outdoors and finding time for my family.
What matters is that, every day, I do things that align with my values.
Can you take 10 minutes and draw a picture of how you would like your life to be?
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