Setting achievable goals: How do you visualize your life?

We are fast approaching the end of this year. It is the time to look back and evaluate what happened and to look forward and set our objectives for 2017.

Personally, I do not like how "objective" sounds, I prefer "intentions". I am aware that is just my definition of the terms. I feel like an objective is narrowing my liberty of choice and I see intention with more flexibility, without being superficial. But either way, I will give you some tips and tricks about how to set them in a way that is aligned with who you are. And because is quite a lot I've decided to make more posts on the subject. Today is about the pre-work.

We can live our own life in 2 ways, In-time or Through-time.

In-time

Means that I usually see myself as the main character in my life, I live mostly in present and I am quite subjective about everything. I feel more than I think. I consume a lot of energy with each conflict and I recharge as fast from every great thing that is happening to me.

Through-time

Means that my natural state is as spectator of my life, I see it from a distance and I am more objective about what is happening in it. I think more than I feel. I am an energy saver and I am not affected by conflicts, I am rather calm and can accept any result, good or bad, without intense feelings.

An exercise to establish your native state

We all have moments when we are in-time and moment when we are through-time but each of us has a state that is more comfortable. There is neither good or bad state. Both of them have advantages and disadvantages and if we learn how to switch between them we can get what's best in both.

1. Remember something from the past. Where do you see it? In front of you, below, above, on the right or left side?
2. imagine something from the future. Where do you see it? In front of you, below, above, on the right or left side?
3. Now draw an imaginary line that will connect the past and the future. This is your time line.
Is this line touching you or going through you? Than your native state is In-time.
Is this line around you, above or below and not touching you? Than your native state is Through-time.

How to switch between In and Through-time?

Take that line you drew before:

• If you were In-time imagine how you step back or you take it and put it aside. Look at it from this perspective. How does it feels?
• If you were Through-time take that line outside of you and step into it or pull it inside you. Visualize yourself in your life, feel the emotion that comes with it. What is your perspective now?

How is this helping in setting objectives?

Most of us have one sense that brings the most of the input to the brain: our sight.
This is why, visualizing is the most powerful tool we have when setting objectives (not enough though to accomplish them, for that we have to work). We'll get going and see exactly how we use In and Through-time technique to set achievable objectives in the next post.
For now, play a little bit with that line and get comfortable in changing the state. This will help a lot in saving energy when you shouldn't be so involved and get closer when it's a matter of heart.

• picture from Pixabay