I love this week’s Wishful Thinking Ways, and hope you will, too. This week you are going to create a story about your life – the life you really want.

You are going to use your courage and creativity to write an absolutely amazing tale – the blockbusting, 3-D version of your life.

The goal of this activity is to put all of your work over the past 8 weeks on paper in a whole new way. It doesn’t matter if your story is perfect, if you change it in two hours or two weeks or two years, it only matters that you have the courage to create the life you really want on paper, right now. (FYI- I  hope this becomes a habit for you and you write many life stories in the weeks, months and years ahead.)

Quick Time Out

Does the mere thought of this exercise cause you stress? If not, proceed directly to the “Back to Work” section. If so, does it worry you because . . .

You hate to write? Someone might see it? The sky will fall? You will have to do it if you put it on paper? It is too silly for words? You don’t feel right about wanting something new or different from what you have? You’ve already tried. You have no right to want what you want? Wanting what you want is just too scary? You won’t be able to kid yourself anymore about what you want? You have kids, no money, no education, or you have a husband, boyfriend, wife, girlfriend, mother, father, grandmother, boss, friends – who won’t understand, think you are nuts, stand in your way . . .

The “List of Becauses” is endless, and thinking about it makes you human and very normal, but here’s the thing – lots of normal human beings are doing what makes them happy, and they are thriving. It is okay to want to change, to make changes, and to live your life the way you want. Honestly. And, remember, what you want does not have to be blockbusting stuff, it only has to feel that way to you.

If you are still feeling a bit tense, check your physiological tells, and then try this. Get-up and run in place for a few seconds; do jumping jacks; stretch your arms; clap your hands – do something fast and physical to signal your body you know it is tense and you care. Movement can work wonders in times of stress. Finish with a full body shimmy or shake and then sit back down and put all that released energy to work in your life story!

Back to Work

Ready? Great. Begin by reviewing your Wishful Thinking Ways exercises from the past 4 weeks. Use them as inspiration and guidance, or let your life story take on a whole new direction. It’s completely up to you. (If you are new to Wishful Thinkings Ways, start here.)

1. You can write your future as a news story, by starting with who, what, when, where.
2. You can use a headline, title of a book or “Once upon a time . . .”
3. Another good way to get started is to read a success story about someone else, and use it as a template for your story. (You can use these as a start, but don’t get so distracted, you forget to write your story!)
4. For a heartwarming version, write your story Chicken Soup style, as though you are looking back with wonder and thanks on the life you created.
5. If celebrity is your game, write it People, In Touch or LifeStyle mode. (I’m guessing you might want to skip any tabloid versions . . .)
6. Or go web-based with a Huffington Post-type entry.
7. You can create a video, too.
8. Pen a country song – as long as you make it happy.
9. Outline the movie of your dreams – starring you!
10. Write a poem or a Declaration of Independence, “When in the course of . . . “

The story, style and method is up to you. Have fun and just do it! 

And, thank you for caring enough to give yourself the very best – the life you really want.