I've used these techniques in the past and it has helped me to achieve or fulfill desired dreams or goals. These techniques have gone by the wayside for quite some time, so I'm bringing them back into my life.
I've used several authors, books and other resources to help me achieve many goals throughout my married life. Some of the losses in my life has kept me down and away from these helping tools that I will describe.
First of all, it begins with visualization! A main step that Lucinda discusses in overcoming panic attacks or anxiety. Positive Thoughts is another word for it or As a Man Thinketh or 21 Days to Change a Habit. There are more...but I will go on with some of the ones that worked for me. Later...many of you might know of other books or resources that have helped you along your way.
Number one goal or step is to WRITE IT DOWN! I used a dayplanner at the time and set some goals. The other step is to put a date on it. Put a time limit on when the dream is to be realized. Now if this is too difficult for the downtrodden or writing down a goal is hard to do. Then make a poster and cut out words or pictures of what you would like to have in your life.
Marcia Weider used a folder, if I remember right, and put down what she wanted on this folder that opened up. Or you can use poster board or a binder for scrapbooking. I've done all methods. But one that helped in many ways was a Franklin/Covey Dayplanner and their Pyramid Model of goal setting.
Right now my Dayplanner is buried under stuff. It is a new day planner from a couple years ago, and it is a bigger size. But I found that the smaller size worked better for me because it was easy to carry around, and I'm not saying, pocket size but more the size of half a sheet of copy paper. My eyes are not as good as they use to be for close up and tiny things don't work well for me and that means I don't text or have a fancy cell phone either that people do all kinds of things on.
So for me, and for now, as I have errands to run...I will just start writing down goals or dreams to get them down on paper or posted on here. As I can always locate the computer and can print up my goals and save a lot of handwriting. Which now that I'm older my hands hurt more these days.
I will return with more structure as I locate my dayplanner.
First to start out with, I used these methods to get back to college and graduate 10 years after I left to get married and have children. Also, my photo album dream book helped me to realize a dream of a going to Walt Disney World and later a cruise. Plus many smaller dreams along the way.So I started thinking that I needed to have Hope again...first that I will get better...I think I've worked on that and by posting here and using CBT and writing my thoughts down that has really helped me. Now to start dreaming bigger. I have many household projects that have been put on hold due to my anxiety and family issues. I want to change that picture.
I will start listing my goals in random order, just to get them down on paper, so to speak.
#1-I want to see my koi pond finished. *This is when using Franklin/Covey goal sheets come into play. This is where I must break down the steps to see this project get finished or done or realized.
A-My mason needs to come back and finish the pump house.
B-My mason's cement mixer needs repairs.
C-My son might be able to repair the mixer by finding a motor to fix it.
D-I need to consult with my son and the mason to get the cement mixer over to son's house.
E-I need to call my son and call the mason.
F-Make the calls or write a letter or email.
G-Put a date on when I will make the calls or send an email
H-Follow up--very important--timeline or time limit
I-Journal the results!
This is just the beginning of a HUGE project. It is by breaking it down into bite size pieces that helps to achieve the goal.
Now I can have ongoing list of goals like this one. Franklin/Covey's goal sheets are meant to be used for each and every goal you have in your life. There are ways to show progress...if I had this in pencil or fancy word processing ap. I could draw a circle and as I finished part of the steps for the goal, I would color in part of the open circle to either completion or full circle or color 1/4 of the circle, to indicate I've started and that I still have more steps to do on the bigger step.
There can be a check mark or paritally colored circle next to a phone call goal, indicating, I made a phone call, but didn't connect with the person and that I'm waiting for them to return my call or I need to call again. So this needs to be indicated and keep the "ball rolling".
Now to Make Dreams Come True...just by the mere thought of a dream can get the "ball rolling" or "moving". Something in our self conscience helps things to start working. Such as in the Secret or Marcia Weider's books and others, it is often stated that there is a Universal Law that helps to bring dreams alive. I call it Energy others call it the Universe. Edison captured this energy and we all know what atoms can do. Anyway, you don't have to believe this, but I know in my heart that there is electrical energy that we can trap by the process of "thinking". Mental Energy turned into faith or visa versa. Faith is mental energy.
But as we all know, using our mental energy on positive things is hard, negative thinking is easier. So I'm going to be working on using my mental energy on positive thinking and actions. I will continue to report on here my results or setbacks on my goals.
I choose my Koi pond as it has been a big undertaking and it is so close to its final finished product that would bring me great joy and relaxation and minimal maintenance. I started small building this pond and have enlarged it several times. Now it is at a point that it must be finished for me to have peace and less stress in my life. Because quitting or filling it in is not an option. That would show defeat. When the time is right if ever for this koi pond to be shut down, it will be after much thought and reasons that are greater than the reasons I have to continue to realize this dream. Paislee