Richard Rayner, MD
We have all thought about what the ideal life would look like. If your idea of a perfect life was a movie, what would the script be like? Perhaps you’ve thought about individual scenes, but what would the total story be? The ideal life will certainly not make itself, and the story will not be told overnight. It has many parts, involves many others, and is influenced by lessons learned over the years.
Try this exercise:
- Make a list of the major areas of life. For example: vocation or career, relationships, family, physical health, education, avocation, creative expression, finances, home, etc.
- Write down what you would consider the ideal situation for all of the areas you’ve listed.
- Write down what you feel are the barriers to attaining that situation in each category.
- Write down actions steps to get over each hurdle or barrier. Some may take several steps – getting a college degree for instance. In that case, perhaps write down the progression of steps to achieve that accomplishment.
- Then, pick one action step and do it!
Choose something small and begin to work on it. Maybe it’s a brief note to someone with whom you’ve had a falling out years ago and you want to begin to try to repair that relationship. Get a sense of accomplishment and move on to the next action step. Re-evaluate the list annually or semi-annually to re-orient and stay on track. Remember, while your list may involve other people, you can only control your part so be careful to keep that in mind.
Sound overwhelming? Take your time! There’s no test and you don’t have to hand it in to the teacher! Start writing your screenplay, and get a trusted friend or family member’s help. Share it with them for support, encouragement, and a bit of accountability. See you at the Oscars!
