5 year planning: manifesting the home (and the life) you want
Your future self will thank you.
We are officially halfway through the year. Although summer is not typically known as a time for contemplation, I actually find the extra space and freedom summer affords create a perfect opportunity to reflect. That’s what this piece is meant to prompt… when you’re lying on a beach chair, floating in the water, or killing time in transport.
Turning 41 last month hit me like a ton of bricks – it dawned on me that I’m running out of time to create the life I want. I know there’s a lot of days ahead, but I also know that youth and energy wane as you get older – and besides, there are no guarantees. It's easy to float by without taking stock and forget that we do have agency to change our circumstances. So, my birthday was a gentle reminder not to let life slip by and to act, at last.
I love my life, but at the same time I’m not where I imagined I’d be at this point – how many of us can probably relate to this? Although I have aspirations for my family, career, relationships, and personal growth, the biggest disconnect is around where I live (and how that connects to everything else). I’ve always believed home is inexorably tied to success in other areas of life; along with love and family, it’s a lynch pin. I almost feel like I’m in a holding pattern, and only when I land in a more permanent home will my adult life officially launch. A classic example of this dilemma is my mom reminding me that I should wait to invest in XYZ home decor until I’m settled.
I don’t want to continue to defer my hopes and dreams (and home decor purchases!). I want them to start now. Or at least get on the right path to fully realize them. Hence, what sparked the 5 Year Planning. The idea is to reflect on your starting point, get clarity on your destination, then work backwards to create actionable steps to get there.
While this topic is more personal than my typical posts, I figured I’d share a window into my 5 Year Planning in case anyone finds the process (and personal reflection) helpful or inspiring. And because I’m a visual person, of course I created mood boards to paint the picture.
Here are the five main questions I asked myself as part of this exercise:
Where am I now? Taking everything into account, how would I describe my life today?
Where do I want to be? What does my ideal life look like in 5 years?
What needs to change? What's the biggest gap between where I am and where I want to be?
What matters most? If I could only focus on one area of growth over the next 5 years, what would it be?
What's possible? Given my current situation and resources, what's realistic for me to achieve?
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