Vision

There is skill in being both realistic and optimistic. It takes some practice. Accepting life as it is and working with it from the way it is sets the stage for optimism about a realistic future. The achievement of everyday goals in the mundane tasks of life builds mental stamina and self confidence. Daily goal-setting becomes a process which points more naturally to a workable future.

 

I set daily goals for myself in writing. This constitutes a daily contract with myself. It is part of my daily practice. When I assess my goals at day's end, I rewrite the list for the next day with the goals which were not achieved as well as new goals for the following day. If my goal list becomes too long, I take time to reflect on my list. I assess what goals are still relevant. I prioritize. Then I rewrite my goal list with a new sense of realistic expectation of my capacity to get things done.

 

Practice is a process and a relationship with myself as well as with my environment. An important part of my practice is my attention to the present as I envision a future. The depressed live in the past. The grandiose live in the future. I seek to see the present in the foreground while having the optimism to imagine a future of growth and creativity ahead.