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Everyone is unique – there is only one you. Only you have your experiences, interests, gifts, talents, desires and dreams. There is no one else like you in the world.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
How many of you have been asked that question and have no clue what you would like your future to be? Getting asked this question, puts many people into a tail spin. Usually, the first thing that pops up is, “I don’t know” or, “I have no clue.” Do you really “not know” or is it fear that is paralyzing you? Or have you been listening to what everyone else tells you what your future should be?
For many of us, we get comfortable in our lives. We get comfortable with other people’s choices for us. We can get used to almost anything whether it is creating or destroying our future. It happens gradually over time and in small increments. When you get used to things being a certain way, you develop a comfort zone. When you are in your comfort zone, you don’t really have to think too much about your future as you are just going through the routine of life.
For example, if you are used to a clean car because you like things neat and tidy, it will put you out of your comfort zone to see your car dirty, inside and out. Usually you will make sure that doesn’t happen. If you get used to a dirty car, then seeing a dirty car won’t bother you at all. It won’t bother you to see the outside covered in mud and dust, and it won’t bother you to have paper, food containers and garbage on the inside.
Think about where you are right now. Everything you have today was a choice you made in the past. For many, you may not believe you can have something and therefore won’t let yourself desire it. We look at other people’s lives and “wish” we could have that. But what happens? You start the comparison game and shut yourself down. You start to think about the fear of actually choosing or all the reasons why you shouldn’t and can’t have the things you desire.
This is about choosing to BE YOU, and not getting caught up in other people’s ideas of who you are. It is about having the possibilities you always wanted to show up.
Here are some tips to move you towards your future.
Write it down
Write down anything that you desire. You are making a list to open your awareness so there are more possibilities. Whether it's a new relationship, new car, a new house, a new job, better health, a new business or traveling, write it down so that you become aware of what your desires are. This puts energy and attention on them which allows not only yourself but others and the universe to contribute to them. What would you like this to look like? Ask yourself this question to get clarity and focus in each area of your life whether it is your career, business, health, or relationships.
Take accountability
You need to take accountability for all the things you desire for your life. The stronger the desire for change, the more you may be out of your comfort zone. As you move towards your desires, you may experience challenges or setbacks. How you handle these determine your inner growth. For example, a business owner or entrepreneur requires taking risks and having the confidence to never give up on their targets, even when there are forces against them like economic and competition. They require a self-belief, motivation and a desire to prevail.
Same is true for you. Familiarity, inside your comfort zone, keeps you safe and sometimes stuck in the sameness. You may be content to sail through your life, rolling with whatever is thrown at you. Or you can take control of your life, start choosing and taking action outside your comfort zone. Every choice you make is creating future. Every action you take is creating future. What is the future you desire?
Ask questions
What would it take? That's a great question. What would it take for me to create this in my life? What would it take for me to be able to have a business that I can travel and work at the same time? What would it be like for me to be able to work with animals?
A true question leads to more questions and it is not about getting an answer or getting it right. A question always creates. When you ask a question, it opens the doors to awareness, choice, and possibilities you might not have known you had. It’s about choosing now with where things are and to see what is possible as a future. Good idea, bad idea. It is just a choice.
And when you stop judging your choices and judging what you’re doing, you open the door to a level of possibility that you may not have thought of. Questions allow you to stop the self-criticism and lacking. So, how do you know if you are asking the right questions? Start your questions with “what” rather than “why.”
Take action
And now you need to take action to create your future. When you have identified your desires, you could be going about your day and you have this awareness – like a gut feeling that tells you to go home a different direction. And on this different route, you see a sign for an office space and know it is exactly what would work for your business. Or you go to a meeting, even though you would like to go home, and you meet the right person who is looking for someone to care and work with animals.
Keep asking questions and follow the energy. When you are unsure of a choice, ask this: If I choose this, what would my life look like for five years from now? If I don't choose this, what would my life look like in five years from now? If the energy is light or heavy, chose what is true for you. Neither light nor heavy, ask a different question.
If you change what you choose, tomorrow can be different and could be greater. The only person you need to be better than is the one you were yesterday. So, your target every day is to how to create the best you possible and future you desire.
Cathy Dool is a business and marketing strategist as well as Conscious Wealth Wellness coach with over 35 years’ experience. A thought-leader, she is the co-owner of consulting and training business, and also operates her family’s multi-million-dollar heavy truck and trailer dealership which is now celebrating its 44th year of business. Cathy is a Being You facilitator, a specialty program of Access Consciousness. Cathy’s greatest passion is teaching others how to live deliberately and create consciously while achieving their desires.