Future Visioning

I’ve been keeping a journal for almost as long as I’ve been alive. I started with one of those silly little ones they give small girls with a dopey lock that doesn’t really lock and only about a paragraph’s worth of space for each day. Such constraint! I’ve tried all sorts of things in the intervening years, settling on my trusty Strathmore 400 Series 9 x 12″ spiral bound journals with the hardboard cover, because I can use it anywhere – on my lap on the bus or train, on the ferry, in a park, at the beach, in my office, on my balcony out back, in my car… (Dr. Seuss anyone?)

There are many, many different ways of keeping a journal, too – from the straight up “Dear Diary” type of chronicle, to bullet journals, listing, the unsent letter, and all sorts of methods in between. Today I want to talk about Future Visioning.

What Is Future Visioning?

Future Visioning is between creative writing, narrative non-fiction, and journaling. It’s a way of spending time in our minds, fleshing out what we want to create and making it real to our creative brain. Like writing a book, we create the setting and characters and see how they interact. Like narrative non-fiction, it’s telling a story about real or imagined real events. Like journaling, this is meant to be private: between ourselves and our imagination, and not for the eyes of anyone else.

How Do You Do It?

I recommend setting a timer for ten or twenty minutes. Grab your favorite journal notebook or a keyboard and fresh document. It’s up to you whether you prefer to type or write by hand. I prefer (and recommend) writing by hand because there’s something kinesthetic that happens when we do that, but use what works best for you. If you’re not sure, they both and keep what method you like best.

Then, write down what you’re wanting to create. Let’s say our statement for today is, “I am a prolific author.” So I’d start by writing that at the top of my page. Then I take a moment or two with my eyes closed and breathe deeply. I imagine what does me being a prolific author look like? I imagine it’s this time next year, on a Wednesday afternoon, and I’m on my balcony with the birds singing. When I have that image clear, I open my eyes and begin to write.

It’s a Wednesday afternoon and the sun is out. It’s not too hot outside and the breeze feels good. I’m so pleased because I’ve finished my blog posts for the day and I just hit “send” on my newsletter. Our next book is ready to be uploaded, since I just got it back from our book packager. This will be our sixth book in the series and our twentieth book overall. My body feels calm and grounded, and there are no butterflies in my stomach. Writing is so deeply satisfying, and I’m so grateful that I finally allow myself to do it.

Let your timer be your guide, and just focus on getting the picture as clearly as you can in your mind, and write down what you see. Try to incorporate all five senses. What are you seeing? What does it feel like in your body to be in this new reality? What are you hearing around you, and from others in your orbit? What are you thinking as a result of your new reality? What in your life is easier?

We spend so much time complaining that it’s easy to think that’s the only thing we can do. But with a little creativity, we can use our journal as a potent tool for positive change.

Tomorrow, join me for our first September Challenge!