When you made the decision to get married or move in together, you had hopes and visions of what being together under one roof would and could look like. When was the last time that you lived from the vision that you had when you chose to commit to your partner?
Once the realities of day-to-day life set in, and once the conflicts start to arise, it can be very difficult to remember why you decided to blend in the first place. I offer to you here the secret to your ultimate success! The more you can live from that original vision, the more you will have the experience of that vision in your day to day life.
What do I mean when I say “live from” your vision? I mean that you get the picture in your mind crystal clear of what you WANT for your family. You allow yourself to experience the picture fully, with all your senses. Describe it to yourself in vivid detail – What are the smells coming from the kitchen? What tastes are in the household? What do you see? What are the colors, the rooms, the house, the car, the family pet/s? Who is there? Who is not there? What sounds are there in your happy home? What are your favorite things to touch?
Sharing your vision with your partner is essential. And get him or her to share with you as well! If you have conflicts with each other’s visions, you will cancel each other out! See if you can come up with a powerful vision of your life together that inspires both of you.
Once you have your shared vision clearly in place, I recommend that you keep it firmly planted in your mind and act as if it is already present, waiting for you to discover it in each moment.
ACTION STEP
CREATE A COLLAGE THE REPRESENTS YOUR VISION
Once you’ve taken the time to come together as a couple with a shared vision, spend time creating a collage together that represents that vision – choose pictures and words that capture what you want as a family. Other family members can contribute to one family-centered collage, and they may want to create one of their own as well. After your collages are complete, place them in relevant locations around your home, where their words and pictures continue to inspire you and remind you of what is most important in your lives.
One way to create your collage is to have a family collage party. Set aside an entire day and night, and have a nice pot of soup and loaf of bread available throughout the day (perhaps some brownies or cookies too). Pull out old magazines you’ve collected throughout the year, plus glue sticks, posterboard and scissors for all ages. Make it fun, and enjoy sharing and creating with everyone.
