ENVISION YOUR VISION FOR YOU

It's so important to have a clear idea of what we want, where we want to go, who will accompany us to help us along the way.  This is true in little things and big.  In order to follow the Weight Watchers program, I need to plan my meals and snacks.  I need to organize a list for the store with dinner plans in mind so that I know what to buy.  I need to stay focused when I go to the store, so that I only buy the items on my list and not get marketed into the pricey and pointy endcap displays for smores.  By sticking to my plan, I can stick to my points budget and my dollar budget.  Win/win!

But why?  Why all this focus and energy on planning and staying disciplined?  Because we want what we want.  Specifically for Weight Watchers members, we want weight loss and lifelong weight maintenance.  Because those gifts will bring improved health, vitality, energy, smaller clothing size, greater physical freedoms, improved self esteem, increased happiness and sense of accomplishment and fulfillment...

Thinking about our goals, planning for our goals, sharing our heart's desire for these goals is incredibly important in achieving these goals.  We can even go a step further.  We can create an image, a tangible template of these goals i.e. the vision board.  First, think about the things you'd like to be doing in the next 3-6 months.  Think about this from the smallest thing (a clean bathroom all the time) to the biggest (reaching a weight loss milestone, a fitness goal, sharing a vacation).  Find photos online or in magazines and catalogs that portray these goals for you.  If you have a picture of yourself in a favorite outfit that you'd like to get back into--take that photo to your vision board.  If you have an image of yourself running a 5-K (3.1 miles)--look at some NIKE Ads and JUST DO IT.  If you'd like to achieve greater happiness on a daily basis and practice mindfulness, then a photo of someone meditating (YOU) might be on this board.  

By having a tangible picture of our dreams can be a powerful part in achieving those dreams.  By setting a realistic time-line, like the next 3-6 months, can make this seem achievable.  By looking at this collage of images, photos and maybe even words makes this feel real.  NIKE'Ss vision board has photos of healthy people engaging in physical activities, looking happy and energetic with their tag line: JUST DO IT.  Every ad they place is a vision board for their customers.  

You are your best customer.  You are your brand.  You are the thoughts that you ponder and then the words that you say. This life is your one and only.  What is your image for yourself?  What does the best version of your life look like?  Start by thinking about it.  Start by gathering those images in one place.  Continue by looking at it on a daily basis.  This is part of the weight loss and wellness journey.  This is a part of your healthier more active and energetic and mindful life.  This is the best version of yourself.

At my Mind/Body YogaFit conference this weekend, I attended a two-day training on meditation among other things.  We ended this two-day conference by each person in the class stating one word to summarize their thoughts.  My thought was mindfulness.  I am going to keep this thought front and center.  I was tasked by the yoga trainer to practice meditation for 20 minutes twice a day for 21 days.  I am going to do it, because, after all, my word was mindfulness.  I am going to see what it does for me.  I am expecting great things.  Great things are part of my vision.  And yours.