5 Steps To Building Your Dream Life
If you are looking to build a vision for your life that you love but aren’t quite sure how to go about it, then you have come to the right place. I will be sharing some of the best strategies to create a vision for the life you want. Think of it as a personal vision statement that you can return to whenever you need.
Here is what I have known to be true. When we’re young, it seems there are endless possibilities of who we can become. We dream of being a singer, a famous athlete, or a movie star. Sadly, as time goes on, many of us watch those big dreams fade away. We often settle in our ways and typically surround ourselves with what feels comfortable. Now and again, when our heart tries to tell us to try something different, we feed our minds a narrative that it’s too late to change and often feel pressured to stick to our comfort zone.
But what if I told you life has only just begun? What if there was still an infinite amount of possibilities, no matter how old you are? What if, starting right now, you felt a sense of permission to start over? The difference between where we are verse where we would like to be is often a matter of choice and mindset. To shift from what is to what could be, we need to lay out a purposeful plan to seek change and start anew.
The best part is that setting an intention and using an envision to make changes in our lives is free. All we need is a piece of paper and a pen, and we can begin that process today with five simple steps.
So grab a pen and piece of paper now 😊 and let’s create a vision for your life that you love.
1. Be Open To Change
One of the most common fallacies I hear is, “I’m too old to change my ways.” This mindset is often a result of a false narrative we have decided to tell ourselves. Let us take a step back for a minute and remember people are living a lot longer these days.
If you’re 35, 55, or even 70 and may live to 100 years old, doesn’t it seem rather senseless to give up on your dreams at 40? There could be another 60 years of life left!
Sixty whole years to start a new career, move to someplace that excites you, or finally follow a passion that brings you joy.
Age will only defy your dreams if you allow it to.
However, to experience change, we need to be open to it. So what exactly does this look like? It means that we take the time to:
–Seek out new experiences
–Welcome new opportunities, even though they may seem a little scary
–Be willing to adjust habits as necessary
2. Ask Yourself Deep Meaningful Questions
When you envision a bigger, better life for yourself, I think it’s important to ask yourself meaningful questions. Thought-provoking questions can make us think outside the box and help us concentrate on big picture thinking. These types of questions below transfer our thought process from existing solely in the day-to-day and instead make us take a deeper dive into the future and beyond. Take a look at some of the below questions and write your answers down on your piece of paper.
- How do you want to be remembered?
- What makes you come the most alive?
- How do you use your life’s work to bring meaning to your life?
- Is where you spend your money aligned with your values?
- Is there something you are holding onto that is preventing you from becoming your best self?
Related: How To Step Outside Your Comfort Zone and Live The Life You Were Meant For
3. Make A Plan Of Action For Yourself
Using the answered questions above, now we can move on to mapping out our plan. Write down at least 7 to 10 sentences about what you envision for your life. The envision can include what you do for work, how you spend your free time, character traits, and even your relationship with money. Remember, you can use the answers you gave above to help you think about big picture thinking.
This exercise has helped me step outside my once shy comfort zone. I practiced telling myself I was a leader and could use my voice to speak in front of people.
As you write, keep your thoughts in the present tense. Here are some examples:
I am fit and active and go to the gym three times a week.
I am outgoing and practice stepping outside my comfort zone weekly.
I am a mom who works from the home and makes x amount of money on the side by running a successful business.
I take ownership of my finances and pay myself first before making other payments or other purchases.
I am a successful real estate agent who makes x amount of money each month.
I work in the financial services industry, and this year, I will get a promotion that will enable me to take my dream vacation to Paris.
When you write your envision, remember to explain the aspects of your life in detail. Don’t just tell me you have your dream job, but what is it about that job you love so much. Don’t just say that you have wealth. How much money do you have? Don’t just write down that you’ve met someone to spend your life with. Who is this person, and what do they do? How do they make you feel? What kind of life do you build together?
The reason why I love this exercise is that it awakens all the possibilities of our life. Sometimes my favorite page is a blank one. A clean page holds potential. A chance to create. A chance to start over. A chance to reset. A chance to change the story. A chance to reflect. Think of this as your clean slate. You could, of course, use your computer to type this out, but I believe the real magic happens when you write things down.
Related: How To Learn To Believe In Yourself
4. Take Small Action Steps Everyday To Get You Closer To Your Dream Life and Rework The Plan As Necessary
After you have your vision written down, it’s time to take action to have your vision come to life. One important thing to remember is that we can’t have our envision come to fruition without setting goals to back up our aspirations. Take a look at each part of the envision you have for your life and think about the goals you will need to incorporate.
I can’t stress the importance of breaking down your goals in the simplest, smallest form. One of the biggest barriers we may have as we set out to achieve our goals is that we can get overwhelmed if the goals are too big. This can then lead to not feeling capable and giving up altogether. To prevent this from happening, break your goals into smaller goals.
For example, if you have been having trouble making it to the gym, instead of making a goal to go to the gym five days a week, set a goal to make it to the gym one time a week.
If you set a goal to read five books a month and aren’t a voracious reader, you may want to start with one book or maybe 20 pages.
In other words, while your envision may be grand, set smaller, repeatable goals to carry the envision out.
A critical part of the process is to set achievable obtainable goals that are not too far out of reach. As you progress and start to have traction with your goal, rework the plan as necessary.
Pro Tip: Consistency is king! Whatever you do, keep showing up.
Related: How To Stay Positive And Accomplish Big Audacious Goals
5. Keep Your Vision Alive
After you have finished writing down your envision, take the time to place it somewhere you will constantly be reminded of it. The reason for this is when something is not kept at the forefront of our minds, it’s easy to forget about it. You may wish to hang your envision on a wall near your desk. Or, if it’s a personal envision, and you would rather keep it private, hang it up at home. Put another copy in the notes section of your phone or on your computer at work. Where ever you choose, place it somewhere you’ll continuously see it.
Keep in mind that the envision you have written is a “breathing, living document.” It will change and should change. Life doesn’t stay the same, and neither should the vision you have for your life.
Whatever you do, remember, you are never too old to create a life that excites you.
If you are feeling brave, I would love to see the envision you write for yourself, and you can send it to me at hello@tiffanyhoxie.com. You may also wish to share it with a family member or friend who can help hold you accountable.
*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps keep my website up and running. I appreciate you and your support!