“If you don’t make the time creating the life you want, you’re eventually going to be forced to spend a LOT of time dealing with a life you don’t want.” -unknown

As 2013 winds down, and many are taking vacations or days off from work until January, why not use this time to contemplate the life you’ve created for yourself. Do you love it? What exactly do you love? What feels unfinished, incomplete or empty? Why?

The life we live each day is a result of the decisions we made or refused to make in our past. The life we live this very moment is our responsibility and whatever aspects we appreciate and adore are not to be taken for granted. On the flip side, if there is something we despise or which to improve, it is our responsibility to investigate, educate and eradicate in order to create the life we want.

The change we seek might seem daunting and involve great risk or sacrifice, but so long as the proper advance work is done, an amazing opportunity for growth awaits.

So how do we create the life we want? Believe it or not, it begins with a pair of scissors, magazines and glue.

STEP 1:

Life coach Martha Beck suggests we begin by creating a inspiration map – a visual poster or journal of pages (a glimpse a few of mine from the past below) that depicts what we want our life to look like. Want to do one online? Use Oprah.com’s dream board version (click here).  Don’t be shy and be honest.

STEP 2:

Create a map of what your life looks like now and the experiences and knowledge you have. By creating these two different maps, you will be able to have a clear visual path of where you are and where you want to go.

STEP 3:

By observing where you are and where you want to go, you should quickly see what is lacking. Begin to make a list of skills and mini steps that must occur in order to arrive at your Ideal Island.

STEP 4:

While you are making a list of items and goals you will need to accomplish along the way, make an opposing list of things you will need to shed in your current life in order to arrive at your desired destination. Once you have this list, take some time to seek out information about how you will eliminate these current habits, people, responsibilities, from your life.

Taking the time to make the inspiration maps, as well as a list will take more than an hour, but it is worth it, to help you hone in on what direction you want to travel in your life. Interestingly, this part of the process will most likely be the least time consuming. Depending upon what you will need to gain and winnow, it make take several months or years to reach your utopia, but so long as you have a plan, are adhering to it and checking in regularly to update your progress, you will be successful.

I can remember three years ago, making an inspirational map which included making my first trip as a blogger to New York City. It took me a year and a half to turn this dream into a reality, but it happened and I remember regularly checking my inspirational map to see how I was doing.

While initially it may sound silly to do something so elementary for such significant life changes, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the power and focused direction it helps to provide. After all, anything that helps assist you in creating the life you love can never be called silly.

~SIMILAR POSTS FROM THE ARCHIVES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:

~Become the Curator of Your Own Life

~11 Simple Ways to Create a Simply Luxurious Life

~How to Set Yourself Free

~Take Command of Your Life

~11 Things You Must Do to Create the Life of Your Dreams

Images: (1)