Welcome to the future. Your future. Are you ready for it? When you close your eyes and see yourself one month from now what are you doing? If you are like me, you will probably be doing most of the same things that you are doing right now. But, what if close your eyes and visualize yourself in 365 days. What will you be doing one year from now? That future looks a little different. What will have changed? What about ten years from now, after the sun and the moon have cycled through one hundred and twenty months. Where will that time take you, or, better yet, what will you have done during that expanse of time to take yourself to where you wish to be.
We all have a future dream. Right? A vision of how we want our life to be. I, for example, want to continue to build my online POSHMARK resale business, write and publish a best-selling contemporary novel, and own my share of vacation rentals where my family and friends can meet up from time to time and relax. But, for so many of us, that dream can seem as far out of reach as the biggest expanse of space. But what if I told you right now that your future self wants you to step out into that dark unknown and go for it. Go get everything you want. Your future self is telling you that it is not only possible, but it is necessary.
Taking a leap into the unknown is not an easy thing to do. If it were, we would be doing it every day. But stopping yourself from going after your dreams because it is hard, or uncomfortable, or scary, or any other self-limiting excuse is not going to open new doors for you, and will not allow you to grow in the way that you need to grow. In fact…
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.
Mark Twain.
You see that quote right there? Read it again and let it sink in. You will be disappointed by the chances that you do not take, that’s what it boils down to, right? That wise statement from the infamous author Samuel Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, also goes on to give the additional advice to “throw off the bowlines” and “sail away from the safe harbor.” In other words-head out into the expanse.
Fans of James S.A. Corey’s epic space opera understand the way that things grow, change, and evolve when you explore the hugeness of space. Whether you are familiar with this story or not, science fiction itself is meant to awe its readers while expanding their minds. And, really, isn’t that what we should be seeking out of life in general. That chance to awe ourselves while we expand our own world? By definition, expanse is the distance to which something can be expanded, and with the right shift in your thoughts and actions, the possibilities for what you can achieve are limitless. The best thing about exploring that unlimited space is that give yourself a place where you can freely move and create.
Every single thing you are afraid of-go after it!
Gail Keyes-Allen
But here’s the tricky part. Nobody is coming to tell you what to do or how to do it. And they definitely are not going to tell you what you need to go after. You have to figure that out for yourself. You have to listen to what your inner guide and future self is telling you to do, and, have the courage to trust yourself, not only to take the step, but to accept the outcome of the action once you leave the security of your comfort zone. This is the time to give yourself the same amount of faith, belief, and love that you would give to anybody else on a journey toward their dreams.
And, it’s scary. Stepping out into that great unknown without a map. But, you will know that you are ready to make a move when your desire to change outgrows your need to stay the same.
So, what area of your life are you looking to expand? Perhaps you are hoping to change or build upon your career, move to a different city or a new home, begin or end a relationship, or take up a new hobby or sport. If you don’t already have an idea, take a minute to think about where your greatest desire for growth exists and say it out loud or write it down.
Now that you have named it, give it life.
This is just a first step, but, it is possibly the most important step to take. Like a plant that you have brought to life by planting the seed, you must give that desire of yours the action, the encouragement, and the support it deserves in order for it to grow. Let your thoughts about what you want become a reality. A well-defined thought that comes from the passion inside of you will trigger your expanse. One spark in your mind is all that you need to allow your previous self-limiting thoughts to change. And once you you change your mind, you change your life.
Visit the PRINTABLES section of my blog for worksheets that can use to help you focus your thoughts and set a path that your future self will applaud.
Loved it!❤