Goal Setting

Five Techniques To Visualize Your Goals and Dreams in Under 5 Minutes

 
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“Can you do a Tour Jete?” The ballet instructor asked me during rehearsal. 

This year I decided to pursue my life-long dream of singing on stage and landed a part in a musical. 

I would FINALLY sing in front of a crowd. (Woohoo!)

Then I learned my character would have a ballet solo. (Uh Oh!) With no previous ballet experience, I shuddered at the idea of imitating a real dancer... in front of a very real crowd. 

“Toor-che-tay?” I asked. 

The dance assistant made a motion with her hands that showed what my feet should do in the air.

“Oh! A little scissors jump!” I responded as my mind flashed back to an episode of Dance Moms (yes, the lifetime show + my guilty pleasure).

My routine came right after an epic audience participation bit that always resulted in a standing ovation. My heart beat faster as the audience answered the each additional question. 

Right before the final question was answered, I’d sit down, close my eyes, take a deep breath and imagine myself as my favorite ballet dancer - Maddie Zeigler. 

In my mind, I had her grace and her bright smile that captivated the audience making each move look effortless. 

“I am a ballerina,” I told myself. 

And it was as if that little exercise negated the fact that I’m a data science nerd who plugs away at a computer for 8 hours a day. I only had a few weeks of ballet training...on YouTube. 

But for the next 3 minutes, I transformed myself into a singing Maddie Zeigler.

That exercise is called visualization. 

What is Visualization?

Visualization is transforming information into images. In goal setting, you visualize the outcome of your goals. You create a mental image of what it would look and feel like to have achieved your goals. You can also visualize the entire process of working towards your goal.


When Should You Use Visualization?

You can use visualization to enhance your goals as soon as you have a clear goal that you care deeply about and are motivated to reach. (Just saying you want a million dollars doesn’t really get you a million dollars.)

Why Should You Use Visualization?

Visualization is a goal enhancer. If you can feel yourself reaching success before it ever becomes real, you can solidify it in your mind. It will keep you motivated to keep pursuing your goals as you imagine what your achieved goal would look it. How it would impact your life. What it would feel like.

How To Use Visualization To Reach Your Goals

Music Visualization

In music visualization, you choose a song that tells a story of the way you want to feel in your life. This technique is perfect for people who are emotionally moved by hearing music. 

I am a sucker for a good song. (Seriously, I will drop everything I’m doing to sing along with amazing vocals.) 

How to do it: 

  1. Choose a song that fits the way you want to feel. (Side note: I recommend choosing a new song each year.)

  2. Listen to the song once per day. 

  3. As you listen to your song, imagine yourself taking small steps towards accomplishing your goal.

Pro: Music can bring you a feeling throughout your body, energize and motivate you. 

Con: A song will rarely spell out your goal exactly as you imagine yourself living it. Thus, this technique better used for a feeling you want to achieve rather than a physical goal.

Estimated time: 3 minutes 


Meditate with Your Vision Board

I’m a huge vision board fan and seriously refuse to start any year without a vision board so this is my favorite vision board exercise. 

Side note: If you don’t know how to build a vision board, I’ve written in detail about that here

How to do it: 

  1. Take a slow and quiet look at your vision board. 

  2. Think about why you chose each image and quote. What feeling, item, actions did you want in your life when you created the board?

  3. Answer the question: What’s one thing I can do today to get closer to these images. 

Pro: Your vision board will speak directly to your specific goals, your life, and is tailored to your design preferences. 

Con: You can only look at your vision board after you’ve created it, which takes more time. (However, the time invested in the beginning is worth it!)

Estimated time: 3-5 minutes 


Journaling

Writing your thoughts in a journal helps to get your ideas out of your head and onto a piece of paper. You can use journaling to write about anything you want: gratitude, goals, things that happened during your day, or random things that pop into your head. 

How to do it: 

  1. Sit down in a quiet, comfortable chair with tea. (Yes, this is serious. You’ll be surprised at the zen-like state you fall into once you rest your soul.)

  2. Write your goals down in your journal and expand on your goals as much as you’d like. 

  3. Visualize your end goal and the journey to get there by answering the following questions: What actions are you taking towards your goals? What is the next step? Is there anyone you should reach out to for help? What does your life look like once you’ve accomplished your goal?

Pro: Journaling is a personal experience. You can be honest with how you feel about your goals and your journey without fear of outside judgement.

Con: It’s easy to lose track of time while journaling. You can journal for five minutes or twenty, depending on what’s on your mind that day. (Pro tip: Set an alarm for five minutes to keep you on track!)

Estimated time: 5+ minutes 

Dream Jar

A dream jar is exactly like it sounds. Putting your wildest dreams in a jar. 

How to do it: 

  1. Write down things you want to accomplish on small slips of paper. 

  2. Place the slips of paper into a mason jar.

  3. Pick out one goal and imagine yourself working towards that goal each day (week, month or quarter is OK, too).

Pro: If you’re multi-passionate, the dream jar can accommodate ALL of your grand goals.

Con: You can place an infinite number of goals into this, which can lead to visualizing several goals at once. I am a huge advocate for setting one large goal and putting all of your energy in one direction. 

Estimated time: 1-3 minutes 

Repeat Your Affirmation

In order to convince others, you must first convince yourself. Affirmations are statements that help you reinforce your end goal in your mind. 

In my story, I would repeat “I am a ballerina.” This is a very simple affirmation. Even though I’m not professionally trained (unless you count YouTube), I am a woman, in ballet shoes, dancing, in front of a crowd. 

I. AM. A. BALLERINA.

How to do it: 

  1. First create your affirmation or choose the affirmation you’ll use. 

  2. When times get rough, repeat your affirmation out loud.

  3. Place your affirmation on sticky notes in places where you’ll see them every day.

Pro: You don’t need any materials for this quick activity. 

Con: I haven’t found any!

Estimated time: <1 minutes 

Related Content: 10 Quotes to Inspire a Kick Ass Day

Take Action

Because having the techniques isn’t the same thing as using them :) 

  1. Choose one technique from the list above. Although many of the ideas may sound interesting, I want to caution you against trying several things at once. That will only delay your ability to complete any one technique. Imagine wondering every day “should I meditate or listen to my song or journal?” It’ll lead to more mental exhaustion and increase the likelihood that you give up on visualizing  before you see any benefits. 

  2. Follow the steps to give it a try. Here is where most people get tripped up. They read about all of the tips, but that’s where the exploration ends. (But you’re a true goal-getter :) so I know you’ll give it a real shot. 

  3. Live as if you’re the best at your goal. Visualizing myself as a ballerina would not on its own enable me to do a tour jete. I had to take beginner ballet classes. I spent hours moving across the floor, learning to turn, point my toes, jump and trust myself to land beautifully. Maddie Zeigler practiced for hours a day. That’s what allows her to achieve those turns. If I want to move like Maddie, I must act like Maddie. (And you’ll have to do the same with your goals.)


I used visualization to become a ballerina for 5 shows, 5 Tour Jetes, 3 standing ovations. 4 people even asked me “Are you a real ballerina?” My heart melted hearing that question.

Visualization is one of many tools in your manifestation toolbox. You have to do the work to reach your goals, but this technique calms your soul when you feel unsure or gives you a confidence boost right before you bare your soul in front of an audience :) 

You are the architect of your dreams and the more clarity you have around what success looks like, the greater ability you have to achieve it. 

Did any of these sound interesting to you? Let me know in the comments which method you’re going to try. 

Want To Start Planning Your Vision Board Party? 

  1. Download the FREE vision board party planning checklist.

  2. Craft your inspiring vision board workshop talk with our FREE High Impact Storytelling Journal Prompts

  3. Plan, promote & host your first (or next) professional & profitable vision board workshop with our signature course, Sold Out Vision Board Parties.


This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cyrene is a fun and accomplished workshop facilitator, learning and development guru and Human Resources professional. Being at the helm of Thrive Lounge has been a long-time dream. Through vision board workshops she plans to accomplish two-way learning. Sharing her vast years of knowledge to motivate and encourage others; while simultaneously getting the reward of great energy, ideas and questions to ponder back from each group. A super win-win. Please join our Thrive Lounge community so you too can benefit!

Seven Steps To Using the Law of Attraction to Manifest Your Dreams

 
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I watched The Law of Attraction documentary on Netflix, featuring The Minds Behind The Secret. It sounds invigorating, but it begged the question….. does this work?

The documentary outlined visioning things and creating a vision board, but nothing really sounded concrete. Could I really make things happen in my life simply by thinking about them? Would the law of attraction work for me?

What is The Law of Attraction?

The Law of Attraction is the belief that having positive thoughts about your life and future will “attract” more positivity and prosperity in your life. (And who doesn’t want that, right?)

Simply put, I believe that I’ll have a beautiful home and then I get a beautiful home.

Does The Law of Attraction work?

I know… It really, really doesn’t sound real.

If getting everything you want was THAT simple, we would’ve found a solution for world peace, cancer and bad heartbreaks a long time ago.

I would’ve been much more skeptical if my best friend hadn’t forced me to make a vision board years earlier. I’d used the law of attraction to manifest so many great things in my life - including a high paying job and even finding my true love. It worked, but even after watching the movie, I couldn’t figure out why.

Why It Works?

The Law of Attraction starts with you approaching the world around you with positivity and believing in yourself.

At its core, the Law of Attraction is in line with the most basic level of optimism, trust and confidence.

If you can be optimistic about your own life, trust that the things you want are available to you, and embrace confidence that you can achieve your dreams….. then the Law of Attraction will work for you.

How To Practice the Law of Attraction

OK. I’m gonna make a quick shift from the big picture and dive deep into how you can start to do this in your life Every. Single. Day.

And for those of you that are wondering…yes.. this is related to manifestation.

Ya know Kinda like how gravity is the reason a ball falls to the ground when you drop it.

Law of Attraction, like gravity, is the principle or rule. Manifestation is the outcome (like the ball falling to the ground).

Side note: Also, similar to gravity, the Law of Attraction is happening. If you’re putting negative energy out into the world and feeling defeated, that’s what you will manifest.

These rules are the actions you can take daily to ensure the Law of Attraction works the way that we want - to get the things we want in life. To accomplish our goals. To live our dreams.

Get clear on what you want to accomplish

The Law of Attraction can’t work to achieve your dreams if you have no idea what your dreams are.

That’s like getting into a car and starting to drive with no destination - and then wondering why the GPS isn’t working.

You don’t have to know exactly what you want, but you do need a general idea.

For example, you can manifest your dream home by gathering ideas about the home you'd want to live in one day.

Visualize it

Visualizing is a core principle of the Law of Attraction. This is where you see yourself in a state of accomplishing the goals that you set. It helps with making the dream real in your mind before it’s ever a reality.

We are huge advocates for using vision boards to create a collage of your dreams, but you can use pictures, affirmations or even a Pinterest board.

Related Content: What Changes When You Create a Vision Board

Believe that it’s coming

The second core idea of the Law of Attraction is trust.

You really have to trust that your goal is possible. This is the step where many people stop.

If you approach your goals by believing that you’ll never get there to begin with, there’s no way you’ll achieve them. You won’t work as hard. You will feel defeated before you start.

Trust that you can do this…. Because you can :) Don’t stop now.

Work on it

Contrary to popular belief, manifesting doesn’t happen simply because you thought good thoughts.

You have to work like you expect your dreams to come true. You must act as if you’re able to achieve it.

Let’s imagine that you want to write a book. So you set your intentions, you created a vision board and you truly believe that the world will love your stories.

What comes next?

Well, what does someone who wants to write a book do? They write.

Believing you’ll have a great book doesn’t make a great book appear. You write it.

Or you don’t.

For anything to “manifest” you HAVE to put in the work.

How To Start Attracting Your Dreams Today

Just in case you’re so excited that you want to start right this minute:

  1. Set your intention! :) Write down one thing you want to accomplish.

  2. Act as if you know it’s coming. Start working towards it and truly believe it will come.

  3. Create an affirmation to help you push through. Check out my post on affirmations here.

The law of attraction might seem unattainable. Trust me, I know how difficult it can be to believe in something that you can’t yet see or feel.

If you look at every step of the Law of Attraction, at its core all you’re really doing is setting a goal and working towards it. That’s what brings you to creating your reality. You’re actively engaging in your life to make your dreams come true. You’re preparing yourself to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way.

You can manifest anything you want.

What’s one thing you’ve been putting on the back-burner that you can move forward? Where is that dream that you didn’t quite have enough confidence to go after? What’s that thing in the pit of your stomach that you know you were meant to achieve in this life?

Take a step forward today.

Want To Start Planning Your Vision Board Party? 

  1. Let our Thrive Lounge vision board Starter Kit be your guide. Click here for details.

  2. Craft your inspiring vision board workshop talk with our FREE High Impact Storytelling Journal Prompts


This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.


Chief thriving officer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cyrene is a fun and accomplished workshop facilitator, learning and development guru and Human Resources professional. Being at the helm of Thrive Lounge has been a long-time dream. Through vision board workshops she plans to accomplish two-way learning. Sharing her vast years of knowledge to motivate and encourage others; while simultaneously getting the reward of great energy, ideas and questions to ponder back from each group. A super win-win. Please join our Thrive Lounge community so you too can benefit!

Why You Must Start Living Your Dream

 
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Do you ever wonder what would have happened if you followed your silly childhood dream?

I have.

For decades, I've imagined myself singing on a stage in front of a small crowd in a speakeasy. They'd be nodding their heads to my sultry melody and my words would shift them from a state of urgency to a state of understanding. I'd fill their spirit with the jazzy melodies I grew up listening to as a child.

THAT was my dream.

This year, I swallowed every ounce of you-can’t-do this + its-too-late + you’re-not-good-enough and took the first step.

I promised myself that I would sing on stage at least once.

I didn’t know how it would happen or who’d be crazy enough to put me on a real stage, but I convinced myself that no matter how small or what audience, I would find a way to make it happen. After all, I can’t teach people to create vision boards and go after their dreams if I’m not doing it myself.

That’s when I got the email. Last year, my daughter’s artwork made it into a gallery and we signed up for the email list. That same gallery doubled as a theater - and was holding auditions.

When I received the email I thought “I gotta do this. What’s the worst that can happen, right?”

I auditioned for a musical - and got one of 5  roles. (I played a ballet-dancing novice Nun in a silly musical called Nunsense.)

I could finally consider myself a real singer.

As a singer, I started my new life:

  • Practicing 3-4 times a week with the cast

  • Learning to dance ballet and tap

  • Memorize dance moves, harmony and words to 10 different songs in my free time

All to perform well for 5 shows. Then after those 5 shows, the magic was over.

 
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People clapped, we bowed and then my life went back to normal.

To accomplish this goal, I gave up my free time. I pushed myself physically harder than I ever had. I gave up time with my daughter that I'd never (ever) get back. I traded the morning and evening time I used to work on my blog for learning ballet via YouTube.

Woah.

Even though I lived my dream of singing on a stage (and had awesome pictures to show for it), I didn't feel like the spotlight was worth everything I lost.

That feeling is the number one reason you must start living  your dreams today.


I Liked The Outcome, Not The Work It Takes To Get There

It wasn't until I actually started rehearsing for my first real show that I truly understood what it took to do the work.

You might be dreaming of yourself holding a best-selling novel, standing on stage in front of millions or amassing millions of followers on your award-winning YouTube channel. The end goal sounds AMAZING, but the work lacks the same glamour and recognition.

The work requires you give things up.
The work challenges your persistence.
The work makes you second guess your abilities.

If you don’t start living your goal, you’ll never know if you’ll love the day-to-day the same way you love the end result.


I Loved It As A Hobby

I needed to take a step back. My body ached, my feet begged for relief and my daily productivity suffered due to lack of sleep.

All after just one set of performances. I couldn’t imagine getting back up to do this again. I loved the experience. In fact, I wouldn't mind doing this again… once a year - max.



Singing Is Not A Priority For Me

The more I had to leave my daughter at home each week, it started to eat at me. I was too busy during the week to spend time with her and too tired from rehearsals on the weekends to do anything with her beyond watch Netflix.

Surprisingly, I missed blogging. I couldn’t impact millions of lives all over the world with my little musical. I couldn’t encourage the women at rock bottom. I could barely find the time to support myself with the little pockets of time I had.

I realized the cost of singing was too high of a price to pay. My ability to impact others with my story is more important to me than I had ever realized.



I Wasn't Missing Out On Anything

Since college, I blamed my parents for pushing me to become a doctor and not nurturing my natural ability as a singer. They knew that it was a passion for me and instead, they wanted stability for me, they wanted me to do the college thing (which led me nowhere) and get a more stable career.

So I did.

I went to school, I looked for jobs, I started my career - all with the idea that I'd never do what I REALLY wanted to do. I'd never become a singer. Because of them, because of my daughter, because of society at large, I'd never accomplish my goal.

I thought about it as a thing far in the distance, that because I didn't have the courage, time or money, I'd never reach.

After singing on a stage, I realized that it was fun, it was satisfying, but it didn't change my life. It didn't make me any more or less of who I am. The heavens didn't open up and reveal a new life that I'd been missing out on.

I'm still Exactly. The. Same.

I needed to accomplish this goal in order to see that I could. I needed to see what it felt like practicing and rehearsing for one amazing show to know what it feels like in my body. I had to study harmony and ballet to know that my life was already filled with all the music I desired.

I needed to try my goal to stop wondering…… what if?

Maybe you do, too. Maybe it will be super amazing and you’ll start living a life that you never thought possible. Or Maybe you’ll be happy with your accomplishment but will decide to move on to the next thing. Either way, it’s better to have the answer than to always wonder. What have you been wanting to do that you’re holding back on? Time to find out the #truth.

Want To Start Planning Your Vision Board Party? 

  1. Download the FREE vision board party planning checklist.

  2. Craft your inspiring vision board workshop talk with our FREE High Impact Storytelling Journal Prompts

  3. Plan, promote & host your first (or next) professional & profitable vision board workshop with our signature course, Sold Out Vision Board Parties.


This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cyrene is a fun and accomplished workshop facilitator, learning and development guru and Human Resources professional. Being at the helm of Thrive Lounge has been a long-time dream. Through vision board workshops she plans to accomplish two-way learning. Sharing her vast years of knowledge to motivate and encourage others; while simultaneously getting the reward of great energy, ideas and questions to ponder back from each group. A super win-win. Please join our Thrive Lounge community so you too can benefit!

How to Ask Family for Money to Reach Your Goals

 
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When I was trying to go back to school to get my Master's, I was in a rough place.

I was working 3 jobs and waking up at 3AM to study for the GRE. I had no idea when I was actually going to take the GRE….. because I couldn't afford it. I was exhausted, but still determined.

I just kept studying.

A close friend of mine asked me when I'd be taking the GRE because I had been studying for over two months. I responded ‘I have no idea, whenever I get the money’. Immediately, she pulled out her iPad and her credit card and said "Pick your date. I'll pay for it." #wow

After I took the exam and applied to school with a free voucher, I received an acceptance letter that said that in order to hold my spot, I'd need to come up with $1,000 in two weeks. #stressing

Needless to say….. I didn't have a dollar to my name.

I decided to call up friends and family and asked them for $50, $100 or whatever they could spare. I promised that I would pay them back as soon as I graduated and got a job.

Guess what? Within 48 hours, I had $1,000 to go back to school!

Related Content: How to Guarantee Grad School is Worth Your Time & Money

I graduated with a job making more than triple what I was making before. And now I was only working one job instead of three. #happydance I called Every. Single. Person. on my list so that I could pay them back...

... and every single one of them refused to take my money. #blessed

I graduated. I'm now living my dream. That was more than enough for them.

Asking people for money, can be scary and shameful, especially when you’ve always been able to take care of yourself. But here is what I did to make it a little easier:

I called my friends and family and personally asked them.

I drove to them to pick up the money.

I had already did 90% of the work.

I ONLY asked for what I needed to get to the next step.


I am more than happy to pay it forward where it makes sense and when it's truly genuine. If a close friend asks for a small contribution…… I'll be the first to whip out my card.

The people who did it for me, made the difference between me going into debt and eating the free leftover sandwiches from my receptionist job for dinner and me now being able to live my best life.

I'm more than happy to do the same for others.

Don’t be afraid to make the ask, and don’t forget to pay it forward.

Want To Start Planning Your Vision Board Party? 

  1. Download the FREE vision board party planning checklist.

  2. Craft your inspiring vision board workshop talk with our FREE High Impact Storytelling Journal Prompts

  3. Plan, promote & host your first (or next) professional & profitable vision board workshop with our signature course, Sold Out Vision Board Parties.


This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cyrene is a fun and accomplished workshop facilitator, learning and development guru and Human Resources professional. Being at the helm of Thrive Lounge has been a long-time dream. Through vision board workshops she plans to accomplish two-way learning. Sharing her vast years of knowledge to motivate and encourage others; while simultaneously getting the reward of great energy, ideas and questions to ponder back from each group. A super win-win. Please join our Thrive Lounge community so you too can benefit!