IMG_2333Do you live in Utopia? Or are you like the two-thirds of people who are dissatisfied with their life?

I was recently at a celebration of “A life-well-lived”. It was a Bon Voyage Party for my grandmother-in-law. She was 96 and had lived a full life profoundly touching the people around her.

One of the tributes that day made me reflect on her life, my life and your life. The messenger conveyed how Grandma Teddy had visualized a utopian life that included family and a close-knit community that would grow together on a mountain hilltop in upstate New Hampshire. As people reflected on her life, the golden thread of community and connection was woven through each story. Ladies with grandchildren of their own who began their families on the hilltop shared how Teddy taught them to bake, appreciate the flowers on the side of the road and dive in to the role of motherhood. She had left a legacy of generosity, connection and adventure that would carry on in the generations to come, all because she had a vision of Utopia on that hilltop.

At 96 could you say that you lived each moment fully? If you were reflecting back over your life, would you have regrets or would you be satisfied with your fulfilled dreams, relationships and career? Was it close to Utopia? Interestingly, if you are not satisfied with life, you would be among the 66% that are not content according to a recent study mentioned in the Huffington Post. So, what does one do? Let’s take a look in this week’s article!

First, take stock of what you do like about your life. What is going well? What fills you with excitement and joy? Noticing, appreciating and focusing on the positive will help begin to shift the momentum in your life.

Second, add more experiences and situations that fill you with contentment and satisfaction. If you like skipping rocks, take time each day to incorporate it into your schedule. Adding more of the goodness that lifts your spirit will move you into the 33% of people who are satisfied with their life.

Third, know what it is you want out of life. If you are navigating through life without a map you are a captain that is at the mercy of the tides of change and the whistling wind. Things outside of you will determine a good or bad day. Be the captain of your life by knowing where you want to go. Grandma Teddy had a Utopian Vision that came to fruition (with the normal challenges that are part of life) because she could see it within her mind’s eye. She visualized raising her family while being surrounded by a strong knit community on a hilltop in New Hampshire.

Lastly, as any seafaring Captain will tell you, when setting out on your voyage it is important to take with you the tools, provisions and instruments that will help you get where you hope to go swiftly and comfortably. If you are aiming for the Island of Paradise, it is important to plan ahead. What will you need to get there? Laying the foundation and creating a plan before you set sail will help your travels flow with ease and grace instead of haphazard piloting. The last thing you want to do is set sail without a map or GPS! In your life create a plan to help you stay on course towards the Utopia of your dreams.

As we all know, society sets us up to disregard the idea of Utopia making it feel out of reach and impossible. Is that why only 1/3 of people today are satisfied with their life? That being said, you can come close to living your ideal when you know what it is, add elements of it into each day, visual living it and decide on your course of action to get you there. Life will always have its bumps and waves, but navigating through will be easier when you hold on to the vision of your Utopia.

Will you look back at your life and smile knowing you stayed on course towards your Utopia, lived full out and deeply touched those around you in a constructive way?

I would love to hear what your Utopia is… leave a comment below!

If you need help navigating your course of action, click here to schedule you Free Success Strategy Session.

Happy Soaring!

XOXO

Christa O'Leary

 

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