Vision Activation Coaching Program Step #2 Vision Discovery
Let’s take to the air, where bubbles float freely, to discover what might help us feel a greater sense of hope and levity, as we re-connect with hidden dreams or unconscious desires.
The Vision Discovery Part of the journey is about having permission to hope and dream without the typical constraints that we get caught in by the ego mind and all its objections. Surely we can’t pursue our love of underwater basketweaving, because it won’t pay the bills. Surely we can't pursue living overseas, because we have a dog to take care of. Surely we can’t have romance that gives us a sense of comfort AND adventure, because we haven’t found that is possible…YET!
Remember when you were a child and you got lost in daydreams on the regular? Maybe you looked at your favorite magazines and imagined what it might be like to kiss James Van Der Beek. Or you watched the movie Indiana Jones and had no question in your mind that you could take on similar adventures roving through the tombs and jungles. It was second nature to take on roles in our imaginative play with friends that we knew little to nothing about…whether it was a teacher, a mermaid, or a pioneer in a new land.
But then “adult life” began in our 20s, and the realities and constraints began kicking into our psyche. When I was in my early 20s I was idealistic and driven by a desire to contribute to society in a positive way. I suspected I would find a way to do this in either ministry, non-profit work, or education.
After initially pursuing a career in higher education, I started comprehending what it actually cost to support yourself as an adult. Perhaps I did not want to live off all the varieties of egg preparations, for which I discovered there are many, for the rest of my adult life.
And from there, doors opened for me to move out of my first “career job” in higher education and into the business world as a Recruiter at a company that had a strong commitment to Corporate & Social Responsibility, where I doubled my salary with one career move.
Within two years, another invitation came along to move onto a more entrepreneurial company, with roots on the West Coast, which felt like the next “logical” step. Unfortunately it did not take very long to realize there was a lack of values alignment for me in that environment.
While the work was intellectually challenging, my heart knew there was something missing. And at the time I was not quite sure how I had gotten off track or how find my way back to work that truly mattered to me. But I realized I was not immune to the allure of financial security and chasing prestige over what felt good to my soul. Sometimes the step appears, and we take it, just because it seems like the natural way to “move forward” in our lives, but without asking “where is this really taking me?”
Another area where I lost the plot was in dating and romance. While living in Nashville in my late 20s, the world of online dating took off. Part of me was intrigued, but the other part of me felt fear imagining that I might meet someone who would keep me in Nashville, and I suspected I had other adventures ahead of me.
I dabbled, and unfortunately had a series of disappointing encounters. So, when I felt ready to leave Nashville for my next adventure, I took time to evaluate other locales. New York had its appeal, due to the interesting career opportunities and cultural diversity. Madison, Wisconsin was on my list due to my love of college towns, and Midwest charm. But Seattle, Washington ultimately won the contest.
I imagined that the dating pool in Seattle would be right up my alley. When I was in 7th grade I attended Space Camp, and while I was deeply bored by all the talk of space exploration, I discovered that I was catnip to nerdy boys who were brought to life building space rockets.
And as I shared this experience with some of the software engineers I met on dates, their eyes lit up, remembering their own childhood fantasies of going to space odysseys. I thought I had hit the jackpot, but quickly realized my efforts to engineer my dating life did not yield the results I had intended.
Before I knew it, I had gotten overly-focused on trying to get to accelerate my progress along the relationship escalator, rather than paying attention to how I wanted to feel in my romantic connections, and using that as a compass to guide my dating choices, letting things more naturally unfold and allow trust to be earned over time. Chasing the package that society tells us will make us happy has led me astray, most every time, but has also been rather difficult to avoid the trap of getting sucked into that illusion at various points along the way.
So, let’s bring this back to YOU! For our Vision Discovery session, we are going to get cozy, and see what that dream state of the subconscious mind wants to say. You have all the permission in the world to have impractical visions and dreams - do you want to own an ice cream truck (wonderful!), study the mystical properties of trees (splendid!), or be whisked around the dance floor by Ryan Gosling (sheer magic!). I am here for all of it.
Let’s grab a blanket and send you into outer space on your chosen rocket of desire, and see what dreams you have been hiding from. Some questions I encourage you to reflect on through journaling or conversation before our session include:
What did you want your life to look like when you were 8 years old? What did you want your life to look like when you were a teenager?
What games did you enjoy with your friends when you were a child, and you allowed yourself to enjoy imaginative play?
Are there certain dreams that you can tell you have stifled, because practicalities of life have settled in during the adult years?
Where has chasing what family, society, or culture has told you would make you happy led you astray?
Through guided visualizations we will explore other dimensions, and I can’t wait to see what it is that your truest heart desires, and giving that ample amount of space to matter, without getting into “how in the world am I going to make this happen, with all the other realities of my life?” Your dream doula is here, and we are ready to go on a journey, with you and for you.
You can find time for a virtual coffee here. If I am not the right resource, I would still love to learn a bit about your story, and see if there is another connection point I might be able to point you towards that might help you find your way forward.
