Coach Yourself: The Rocking Chair Journal
“The wiser mind mourns less for what age takes away than what it leaves behind.” ~William Wordsworth
Our life will go in the direction of our strongest thoughts.
Studies are numerous that support this truth, but it only takes an observing eye to see it’s a self-evident concept. People who focus on illness, depression, and lack, generally suffer from those things. Those who spend their mental energy on money tend to make money, and those who view life as an opportunity, seem to get all the “lucky breaks.” This isn’t simply the universe working for them, it’s their subconscious mind leading them to decisions in that direction. This is why it’s important to plan – mentally and intentionally!
This exercise will create a picture of your future self that will, in turn, draw you to it. You are forming thoughts in your conscious awareness that will program your subconscious mind to start heading in that direction. The more you immerse yourself in the process, using your imagination, the more successfully it will take hold. It can be finished in one sitting, or you can spend weeks or months on it. It helps to revisit and revise often. Here’s how it works.
As you are seated at your paper, pen in hand, imagine yourself sitting in a rocking chair on the porch of your future home. You’ve lived your life and are now reflecting on your adult years. Your journal will read in the past tense as if the chronicle has already taken place.
First,
think of any regrets you have at the time of your journaling date, then let your future self describe how the regrets were managed or ended up adding value to you and others. Take as much time as you want on this, it will build a foundation for the rest of the exercise and provide positive insight and planning for your immediate future.
After this
is complete, in your mind’s eye think again about your future porch and rocking chair. With as much detail as possible, describe every detail of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially, and socially. Include all the reasons for success in each area. Describe who is sitting with you, if anyone, and your relationship. This would be your significant other.
Then,
move on to the home you live in and the other significant possessions. From the color of the rugs to the make of your cars, absorb yourself in the vision. Be sure to include why you have what you have or why you don’t have certain things.
The ‘why’ for where your future helps you to identify the path you took (will take) to get there. For example: “I have a midnight blue vintage Corvette with black leather seats in the garage because when I won the Highest Sales in Company History award, I gifted myself with the car I wanted since I was a kid. I only take it out on special occasions; my regular car is a comfy school-bus-yellow pickup truck with torn seat covers, I use this mostly to haul hay for the horses I own because …
Write about your career, family, friends, vacations, hobbies, education, pets, and any other information that forms who your future self is. Describe how you managed painful experiences such as the death of parents or pets.
Remember, this will be written how you want it to look,
not how you negatively predict.
That’s it, have fun with it! By making this picture in your mind you will begin subconsciously following the route that will take you to this defined future self. The more often you reflect on this picture or revise it, the more your brain will propel you in that direction, not magically, but in the form of desires, ideas, and action steps that feel quite natural. In a very real sense, you have just become your own coach.
Well done!
