This isn’t a case of deja vu.  It’s a deliberate repeat of an earlier truth.  Everything that has happened in your life has brought you to this point.  You are becoming the master storywriter when it comes to your life, able to take these elements and create something new and hopeful.

As you turn around to look towards the future you see that the story truly isn’t complete but is actually unfolding.  We’re able to make new stories emerge within our story.  From our futures, gentle whispers, thin silences come to us.

SOMETHING TO DO: If you’d like to try a little mindfulness here are three small exercises that take us into some final questions.

EXERCISE 1: Find an undisturbed place to sit uprightly but relaxed.  Place both feet flat on the floor, head up, as if a string is attached to the crown of your head, holding your head so your eyes are slightly lowered, your hands on your lap.  With eyes closed, become aware of your breathing; take slow, deep breaths.  First of all to become aware: of the noises around you and then leaving to be aware of your body, the space it takes up, what it feels.  Continue to breathe slowly and deeply, noticing the life that moves through your body as energy as you breathe, from the top of your head through your chest and limbs, and down to your feet.   Breathe and relax.

EXERCISE 2: (Continue to be aware of your breathing.)  Imagine you are standing in front of a closed door. You can’t see what lies on the other side.  This side of the door is your present reality, the other side is your emerging future.  Breathe slowly four times and open the door to see what’s on the other side, and stay watching to see what is there, allowing it to take shape.  Don’t judge, just observe.  Adjust the image if you wish, like a TV: colour, brightness, contrast.

EXERCISE 3:  (Continue to be aware of your breathing.)  If you wish, stand up and take two steps over the threshold into your future (eyes closed or open), noticing all that is around you and also how you feel.  Don’t judge what you see and experience.  You may be surprised by what you see, or it may be the next step.

There could be more.  If you wish to move further forward into the future and see what lies beyond what you are seeing, take two more steps.  Notice what you see and how you feel now you are here.  You can stay here or step back to the first place you viewed your future.  Continue to notice what is around and your feelings.

Where in this field of the future do you feel most drawn to?  Turn in that direction.  If you want take two more small steps in that direction.  Notice your connection down, up, and outwards.  Try to feel the essence and what it is.  Now turn to the person you are in the present, to where you were seated, and empathise with this person.  If you could speak some helpful words to the person you are in the present, what one or two things would you say?  Aware of your breathing, become aware of the noises around you, and allow people to come to mind that you would hope to share something with about what you have just been exploring.  In a few moments open your eyes and return to where you began and take a few moments to journal the experience.

Here are the final questions:

QUESTION 13: Following these reflections, what is the advice your future Self would want to give to your present self?

QUESTION 14: What is the future you want to create?

QUESTION 15: What is it you need to let go of for this to come?

QUESTION 16: Letting come – What do you need to attend to, cultivate, strengthen in order to explore your work?

QUESTION 17: What microcosm (prototype) of the future could you create over the next weeks and months.

QUESTION 18: Who are those who can help to make this happen?

Question 19: What are the next steps over the next three days?

RESOURCES YOU MAY ENJOY:
What to Do When it’s Your Turn by Seth Godin