The Unique Ways we Perceive our Future

Nina Simone sang “it’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life – for me … and I’m feeling good”, and her words came to me while I sat to write a post about this time when a new year begins. Dates are both meaningful and meaningless -it comes down to what we perceive. We are free to feel good at any date, to create a new dawn and to notice that tomorrow is a new day, and with it we can permit ourselves the feeling of a new life. A new year, however does offer time for reflections, decisions, and thoughts about future intentions.

We as human beings, approach the future in our own unique ways – just as we approach any other topic. Some of us like to plan things all the way through, down to the smallest details, while others like to flow with the wind and trust that it will lead them where they want to go. Some have a clear path from a very young age which they persistently follow and others follow their curiosity and change their future direction every few years. Some think first about their life goals while others need first to perceive if their ideas are practical enough.

It is just as if you are planning a trip to some exciting destination in the future. Do you plan everything in advance, or would you rather let life surprise you? What are the parts you care the most about – is it meeting people? Seeing new landscapes? Eating new kinds of foods? Is it the combination of all of these? Each of us plan differently, and want different things and somehow we meet ‘there’ together in the journey of life, where we can all celebrate each of our unique qualities.

“I’ll pack two pairs of jeans, ten t-shirts and a warm jacket. Do you think that I need anything else?” He looked at me waiting for me to answer. We were a month away from our planned travel, and I vaguely remembered where we decided to go to. At the time, packing my suitcase seemed to me to be a far-away task. I knew that I would find the time to think about those details, when I’d start feeling that special excitement I get before flying to new places I haven’t traveled to before. His question though and his way of planning, reminded me that I wanted to book a certain hotel, buy some travel books and check a few options with friends of mine who had already traveled to that destination.

“So what are you thinking about the year to come?” I asked him while we were traveling. I started to tell him how excited I was with all the developments of my business; how emotionally touched I felt by all the processes that had taken place over the last few years and the goals I have for things to continue like that. I talked about my wish to free up more time in the coming year to see more concerts, and to invest more in studying new things and letting myself be inspired. It was easy to perceive that without me asking the question, this would have never been the discussion he would have involved himself in while enjoying the landscape we saw in front of us.

Thinking about our future, just like thinking about a future trip we plan, allows us to aim somewhere – and know that we can adjust our direction once in a while later on. There is no right direction, or goal we should achieve, rather there is our own unique truth, how we perceive it and our ability to respect it. Some people aim for the stars, seeing themselves in expensive suits and glamorous dresses, while other people find all they need in their families at home. Some build their life-path step by step, while others find themselves without planning in the middle of an incredible story of success.

In sessions with clients, we listen to the unique way that the client perceives their future – whether the person knows many details or has a vague intention, the future is always a significant player. Sometimes what people feel toward their future is surprising, sometimes it is solid and clear. Sometimes it is difficult to perceive at all and we only need to trust it to show us the way.

When a client says that they have difficulties in their relationship, it’s the future we are actually talking about. Do they want to have better communication? What needs to change? What would they like to be able to do? When clients talk about a trauma from their past that they are dealing with, the questions still have so much to do with the future; how it affects them today, and what is important that should change? What don’t they want to repeat? Which kind of life would they like to have for themselves and others around them? What do they want to do?

Listening to all the knowledge the body and mind contain when being present for each individual’s future, is to pay attention to a certain indicator that shows us the direction. We can notice that the heart asks for a change, the hands want to act, and the legs wish to move. When we listen, we allow the future to form itself – so our feelings, our clarity, and our actions will go together with our physical existence to forge a unique future of our own.

The future is in one sense final, where the end is known and unchanged, but at the same time it is so full of excitement, possibilities, surprises, magic and adventure. The future invites us to constantly put all of our passion, energy, and willingness into the game, to let us see a new dawn, a new day, and a new life – for us.  

What do you wish for 2019?