A new way to visualize

Can you imagine the life of your dreams? Even if you're already living it (or most of it).

I've found that two "obstacles" emerge when I've asked this question in classes. First, people will say they can't visualize. Interestingly, I've gotten this response fewer times as the years go by, so either people are more used to visualizing or they're afraid to say they can't. But of course, 99.9% of us can visualize (that's not a real statistic, don't try to look it up); we do it all the time--when we go to a movie and complain it wasn't like the book; when we give someone directions...etc.

Picturing is easy.

The second obstacle--and I think the more important one--is being unable to get past the picture into the feeling. If you've never been successful, how do you know how success feels? If you've never been loved (or think you may have the wrong idea about what it means), how do you know what it feels like to be in a healthy relationship? To have the job, the car, the mundane trappings (interesting word, that) of your dreams? For that matter, the spiritual life?

Try this: imagine the intangible characteristics of that life. My ideal life--my sane life--has these characteristics: I am independent, secure, creative, joyful, fearless (except snakes; I don't mind holding on to some phobias, really. And airplanes. They are for going places in, not jumping out of. For me. You, you can do that differently.). And so on.

So when you imagine your dream home, don't just put the picture in your head. Put the characteristics of what that space brings to your life into the picture as well. In my dream home, I have room for books, and yoga, and a kitchen for creating healthy meals, and....and so on. Beyond what I really want the house to look like (I have a fondness for Arts and Crafts architecture, Mission and Shaker furniture, and hand thrown pottery, but not in excess), I want a home that inspires me to creative heights, with lots of light and the room for books is important because it keeps me focused on learning and writing and doing instead of on the clutter of stacking books on the floor or packing them away in closets (that's probably bad feng shui, too). And a bright and shiny kitchen so I'll spend time in it and enjoy it ... I love feeling creative when I cook.

Want a new car? Why? For safe and reliable transportation to work? To take meandering Sunday drives to explore and feed your adventurous spirit?

The question isn't just "what does my life look like," but "what does my life feel like?"