Writing A Health Vision

Lately I’ve been thinking about all the visions we have for our individual lives.

Sometimes they’re very clear, like owning a home, falling in love or having kids, and sometimes they’re more vague. We know we want something but haven’t actually put words or details to the notion yet.

This came up for me when my husband and I were deciding whether or not to move out of state a few years back. All of a sudden I was faced with the need to address what it is I really want out of life and what I want my life to look like in 5-10 years. It’s been on my mind ever since.

On one hand, it’s good to hold loosely to our expectations because life takes unexpected turns that can certainly throw us off course. On the other hand, there are some things, like the type of person we’d like to become, that can come to fruition regardless of what life throws our way.

What I realized when we decided to move from  California to Colorado 3 years ago, is that although there are plenty of material things I hope for in life, I care more about the woman I become.

I can be the woman I want to be no matter where I am located.

But without a vision of what that looks like, I will certainly miss the mark.

WRITING A HEALTH VISION

While many people create vision boards and ideas of what they want their life to look like on the outside (nice cars, big houses, etc), it’s worthwhile to create specific vision of who you are at your core and in your day-to-day life.

Without a vision, time may pass by and you’ll wake up wondering why your life looks the way it does.

Think of The Biggest Loser; most people didn’t envision themselves becoming severely overweight and unhappy, but they didn’t envision anything better so life got the best of them. This can happen all too easily.

HOW TO WRITE A HEALTH VISION

– Set the vision for 5 years into the future.

– Write in the present tense.

– Be specific: include how you feel, what you eat, what you do for exercise and any other details that are important to your idea of a healthy, confident, capable woman.

– Print it out and post in a place where you will see it regularly.

– Read it out loud on a regular basis.

– Quiet your rational side and use your imagination. Dream up exactly who you want to be and don’t be shy about it! This is for you and your eyes only.

AN EXAMPLE:

I’m 37 years old. I live in Chicago, Illinois with my husband and 2 children. I work part time as a health care specialist and am able to balance my work and social life in a healthy way.

I do not take on more than I can handle because I value my free time.

I run 3-5 miles 4x per week and truly enjoy it. I do Pilates on the weekends and feel more confident in my body than I have in years.

I fit comfortably into my size 8 pants and have no desire to change that number.

I drink 64 ounces of water daily and drink green tea each morning. I eat mostly organic lean meats, fruits and vegetables and cook with fresh, whole ingredients. I am a healthy role model for both my family and female friends. I love my life and I love the woman I’ve become.

Visualization is a proven way to increase the chances of reaching your goals.

Simply clarifying the image of who you want to be is a great practice to help you clarify what you want most of of life. Clarifying and vocalizing your vision will encourage you to start acting in a way that supports your vision.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes. 🙂

Do you already have a health vision? I’d love to hear about it!

xo,

PS – The new Barre: Balance & Strength video is a new favorite in The Sisterhood. Click here to join and give it a try (all of my full-length workouts are downloadable and yours to keep forever!)