Planning Goals - while being in The Now

Author

Nina Edmondson - Hypnotherapist - Yoga Therapist - NLP Practitioner - Meditation Guide

“You can’t go on a journey if you don’t have a map”

Wise words once uttered by a friend of mine. I think he was a bit bemused by my lack of security, no regular job or fixed identity with one particular country or culture - at my tendency to allow life to unfold.

I’ve been on many journeys without a map and don’t regret any of them. They've brought me rich experiences that have helped me grow - and many other treasures.

I believe a deep wisdom lies in fearless surrender to the situation at hand - to experience it fully with curiosity, passion, and appreciation - to melt into the full spectrum of the moment of ‘What Is’ - and let go of the need to control.

Not clinging to pleasure - hoping it will never escape your grasp - or be consumed by pain, fearing it will never end. (Buddha stuff).

To BE - in ‘The Now.’

He had a good point though. Goals are Essential.

We all need a sense of progress. Of skipping merrily forwards in accomplishment.
‘Being in the Now’ has nothing to do with not making future plans. It's about being present.

Your life is an accumulation of moments

By being present in these moments you notice - and by allowing 'what is' to unfold without expectation of definite outcomes written in stone - you open the door to creativity and close it on disappointment.

Heeding my friend's advice, I started a list.

I really got into it. It got very long.

It ranged from finding my lost cat to understanding the secrets of the Universe.

My Reflections:

What I noticed back then during the process was this;

A skeptical voice in my head sneering “Who are you trying to kid?”

I realised then that my need to live 'in the now' had been masking my fear of failure.
I'd utilised this philosophy as an excuse not to make plans that could fall through.

Our biggest critics are ourselves. The niggling voice that screeches “Impossible!”, or tries to keep you safe - bless it - and in doing so - Blots Out Your passion, your creativity, your sense of purpose, your . . . . . . . . . D. r. e. a. m. s.

Dis-connecting you from your capacity to grow and live your life to its full potential.

After throwing a metaphorical custard pie in the face of my inner-critic, I began to notice a change.

I felt;

    •    a warm and truthful connection to myself
    •    an acceptance and appreciation of my uniqueness
    •    growing excitement of the yet unknown
    •    an uncensored, unedited free-flow of creative ideas
    •    the growing belief that anything is possible
    •    a feeling of expansion
    •    the extension of the feeling of being fully present, projected into future possibility

A Recipe for You:

Make a list called “What I Want”.

• Notice how you feel when you don’t edit or limit your ideas with ‘impossible’, ‘can’t’ or ‘should’.
• Tell yourself instead - 'I can'.
• Allow yourself to imagine the details of the list - how it all looks, sounds, smells, tastes and feels. Allow yourself to enjoy the inner feelings or emotions that come up.
• Notice opportunities in your daily life that align with your list - and take action towards them.
• Stay open for unexpected changes to your vision - adapt and notice new opportunities that result from them.

Many things on my list have already and continue to materialise as if . . . by magic.

There have been hurdles. That’s life. We get stuck. We get un-stuck. We learn. We grow. Stay aware of your inner critic - stay aware of your goals - how the essence of them feel - believe they are possible and then - they are.