Designing a Perfect Life

Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die,
life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.
Langston Hughes

I guess one of the reasons I usually fall in love with this short time between the new and the old year is because it is full of promise. Now, when the old year is going out and a new year is about to begin, I feel so full of hope. To me this has always been a bright time, even more wonderful than the promises of spring… Right now, this year, I am finding it difficult to get my personal, annual review started…

When the new year is coming it is time to evaluate the old and bring in the new, as I have talked about before I find myself in the mood for planning, organizing, starting new projects and being overall positive about the future once again. You can attract anything you want into your life; new ideas, projects, habits and make inspirational vision boards, life lists and plans. You clean out clutter, bad habits, dust and empty boxes. Indeed, tis’ the time to design your own perfect life, at least in your mind it looks perfect. But I think it does take hard work. And time.

In the comments yesterday to my post filled with other peoples goal setting advice etc, a very wise woman called Tally saw right through me and wrote:

It’s not only about talking, one has to get into action.
For the last years I was online into goal setting, motivation pages and so on and so on. It takes so much time, unless one sticks to one system.
All those pages are beautiful, but online pages stuff up one brain. I did learn a lot, but as often: Enough is enough.
You know enough, my dear. Decide, if you want to play or if you want business. For the latter you need a plan (but not x-online pages).
Keep your hands busy.

The most important rules are these three:

1. Show up
2. Do the work
3. Don’t procrastinate
(4. Enough is enough)

This whole post is a bit of procrastinating… sorry. It’s because I can’t decide on the simple thing Tally suggests: business or play. Maybe both, or non… but most of all: don’t want to decide. Choose. Pick. Decide.

I have started evaluating 2010 and my accomplishments during the year, both good and not so great. I derailed myself by starting a life list inspired by photographer Karen Walrond’s post on creating a life list. Bucket list, Things to do before I die, Adventure ideas, Life list – what ever we call it it is interesting to write some ideas down!

I am also thinking up new goals that inspire me. I think the key is to have inspirational goals!

My Life vision statement

Life vision, it is that one sentence that lead you through your days. I have been thinking about mine before but now I can’t remember if I wrote it down somewhere… Anyway, I was reminded to think about it again when reading Alyson Stanfield’s post Vision vs. goals. My “life vision statement” could be something like this:

I appreciate the small things in daily life as I live in the now, I encourage and inspire others by being creative every day in art, craft and writing that sustain my way of living.

A New Writing habit

Jennifer Blanchard of the inspiring Procrastinating writers blog wrote about her challenge Make Over Your Writing Habits in 31 Days which is exactly the kick start of 2011 I need! Jennifer writes:

Making writing a habit is your only shot at reaching your writing dreams.

While writing is about creativity and style, it’s also about creating good habits that make you productive. Because if you don’t get any writing done, then your creativity and style don’t really matter.

So, I’ve signed up and will start my new habit on 1st of January, bright and early! Also thinking about A poem a Day at least during January for starters. Wanna join me? Read the post about the “discipline secret” here.

One little word

I also want to choose a “one word” to bring with me into the new year. I have done this before and the first time it was a great experience that I needed. This year I did pick a word but forgot about it halfway through and haven’t been thinking about it. This year I am thinking about choices we have and what choice I do every day. Even when I don’t act and don’t follow through, that is a choice. So Choice might be my word for the year. Do you pick a word?

Life design

Can we design our life? Can we put in and take out what ever we want? At least it is interesting to think about what we want more or less of, to picture the perfect life. Well, if there is such a thing as “a perfect life”?

If next year will be everything we hope, now is the time to plan out the action steps! I think we will need to work hard, keep your goals in front of us – and constantly strive ahead… Never give up and always try to be as positive as you possibly can. And me? I have not been great at doing just that. I can’t follow through. I have lots of fear. I hesitate. And OMG I procrastinate. Still, I harbor hope that next year will be different. And it is such a beautiful idea! 2011 could be oh so wonderful… or fall flat. We will see.

Maybe it is time that you start designing your own life? Let me know how it goes!

The title of this post is inspired by my favorite (Swedish) blogger Sara who writes about A Life Designed among other interesting topics.