What do you want for your future?

Dearest,

How are you in this moment? Were your first thoughts this morning of gratitude for all the blessings you already have, or were they full of dread at the day ahead? Isn’t it easy for our thoughts to zone in on what we don’t have. It really does take focus and effort a build a gratitude habit!

It’s a habit I keep having to re-learn. It’s a habit I wish I had instilled in my children every morning and every evening from the day they were born.

Developing a gratitude habit releases a wave of warm fuzzies through our bodies. We then go out and smile and emit those warm fuzzies during the day to others. Imagine the power in more of us doing this everyday!

What’s something you are grateful for right in this moment? The breath you’ve just taken? A hug from a love one? The intoxicating smell from flowers? Getting a free ride? That annoying co-worker not being in the office? Blue skies and fresh air or life giving rain as your tucked up inside?

How have you been spending your time? Is it moving you closer, not matter how small the step feels, to the kind of future you want? Do you even know what you want your future to be? What will you be doing? How will you be feeling? What will your community be?

Over 20 years ago I took a creative writing paper as part of the business degree - we had to do something outside the business school. It turned out to be the paper I enjoyed the most. One assignment was to describe your life in 10-15 years - without judgement or limitation. I re-call how hard it was getting my mind into focusing on what I wanted. What I didn’t want was easy to rattle off - but what I actually wanted - that was hard.

I eventually got in the flow and the words filled the pages - some descriptions I didn’t know where they came from, I just allowed the pen to move. When I had finished and read it back I remember feeling euphoric and somehow bigger - like I was taking up my space in the world.

I then turned small and quickly felt like a fool, berating myself for even thinking a future like that was possible. Assignment submitted.

But then something extraordinary has happened. Nearly everything I wrote has become my reality. How we spend our time, adventures we have taken. We have beautiful art on our walls (thanks to @lorna_tawhiti and @theoarraj). We have fresh flowers in the house.

Not everything worked out exactly as I had imagined. I had written that as a family we would gather together and have jam sessions - with a lack of instrument playing family members we may not play - but we do gather on a Friday night, music blasting and spending time laughing and sharing - I’ll take that.

I hope you give yourself a gift this week of getting clear on what kind of future you want to create. I also hope, dearest, that you receive kindness and that you create the opportunity to give kindness.

Take care dearest, of yourself, of others, of your thoughts, of your actions and of our wonderful world.

You are worthy - always

Ngā manaakitanga