IMAGINATIVE LIVING

“Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

At the beginning of each calendar year, I spend an hour or two writing my 1, 5, and 10 year visions. The key to do this is to write it in present tense, as if today is taking place in 2015, 2019 and 2024. It can be about anything that's taking place in my life at that time (i.e., relationships, family, job, hobbies, health, achievements, etc.). I started doing this in 2010 after attending a workshop that was led by the CEO of the company where I still work. She explained that this is something she does every year and how fascinating it is to return to them years later and discover their accuracy.

This past weekend I sat down to review all of the visions I had written over the past 4 years, as well as the 1, 5, and 10 year goals my SO and I started to write together in 2012. He didn't take them seriously at first, but has since become a fan of this simple visioning act; so much so that we now discuss our goals and dreams on a quarterly and sometimes monthly basis. The goals differ from the visions, because they are lists of specific actions we want to take to achieve our visions. 

Source

This simple and easy activity has done wonders for our communication and growth as a couple. This format creates a fun and safe space for us to discuss some serious topics (i.e., lifestyle preferences, finances, marriage, kids, etc.). It has also enabled us to be vulnerable and imaginative by opening up about our innermost hopes and dreams. In this way, we are able to voice and acknowledge our individual desires, and then discuss them in the context of our life together. As a result, we get to:

• know ourselves and each other better;
• imagine and plan what we need to do to make our dreams come true; and lastly,
• hold ourselves and each other accountable on an ongoing basis.

I'm currently compiling all of our visions and goals into one notebook, so that we can more easily review what we've written over the years, and reflect upon our progress thus far.

Happy imaginative and actionable living!

~Modern Akhmatova