Visioning® Retirement

Lucia recently gave a presentation on Visioning® Retirement at a  retirement community in Daly City, California, called Peninsula del Rey. The next day she conducted a Visioning® Retirement workshop. Some  of those attending were individuals living in the retirement community  where the events were held, located near San Francisco. Others were  visitors from the general public who had seen ads and announcements  for the event and decided to explore their retirement options. Here are Lucia's comments about Visioning® Retirement.  NOTE: All images from the workshop.

 
In my many years of conducting workshops and lectures, my groups have been comprised of about twenty to thirty percent seniors on average.  Occasionally, as much as half of the group has been seniors. This  makes perfect sense. Retirement years lend themselves to self- reflection, hobbies, activities like art and writing (especially  memoirs family history scrapbooks) and things you want to do in the  years you have left on the planet. Long before the movie, The Bucket  List, I created a journal exercise called: What Do You Want To Be When  
You Grow Up? It appears in my first book The Creative Journal: The Art  of Finding Yourself. It was intended for all ages, but I found that  seniors really warmed up to this activity. Here's the journal prompt.

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

1) Make a list of what you wanted to be when you were a kid, no matter how wild or crazy the wish was. Write it down with your non-dominant  hand. Did you want to be an astronaut, a movie star, teacher, lawyer, athlete, singer, scientist?  

2) Check the list over to see if you  actually did any or all of the things you listed, even if it was done  as a hobby. Make a list of the things you actually did using your  dominant hand. (For example, I wanted to be a ballerina when I was a  kid. Instead, as an adult I took expressive dance classes at age 39 as  a result of doing this journal exercise. And I continued studying  
dance and movement therapy for many years after that. 

3) The last step is to make a list of all the things you want to experience during the rest of your life. Write the list with your non-dominant hand in order to access your true heart's desire via your right brain. 

4)  This list will yield a focus phrase for a "Visioning® Retirement" collage, which is the next step. You could use the whole list from  step #3 as your focus phrase. In other words, illustrate your "bucket list" with magazine photos and words.

 
I have observed that many seniors in my groups have not thought much  about what they wanted to do in their retirement years. They hadn't  really pictured what retirement would look like. They just knew they  wouldn't be working at their old jobs. When I introduced Visioning® in  my workshops in the early 90s, I heard seniors sharing their collages  and saying, "This is about what I want now that I am about to  retire."  "This is what retirement looks like for me." "These are the  things I'd still like to experience in my life." In other words, they  were creating a visual version of what we now call a "bucket list."  Some common themes in Visioning® Retirement collages have been: health  and vitality, travel and vacations, hobbies (new or continued), time  
with family and friends, gardening, scaling down and moving into a  retirement community, field trips with groups, outings to museums, spending time in nature, etc. 

So why not illustrate your "bucket list" and make it come to life.  It's never too late to have a happy childhood. Call it a second childhood, if you will, in the best sense of the term. Retirement can  definitely be time for your Inner Child to shine and lighten up your  life. Go for the fun!!! Happy Visioning®!

To attend one of Lucia's upcoming workshops or to purchase Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams visit luciac.com.

Visioning Step 2: Visioning Euphoria

Visioning® Euphoria by guest blogger Kate Dana

With Lucia Capacchione, PhD, in San Luis Obispo CA, October 2012.

I have this collage with me today.

In October 2012 I attended a one-day workshop with Lucia Capacchione, PhD, best-selling author of 18 books, including VISIONING®: Designing the Life of Your Dreams. Under Lucia’s guidance, several attendees and I followed the 10 steps of Visioning® and ended the day with huge posters of our heart’s desire (“dream goals”). Mine was based on creative work, travel and living in a Spanish-speaking country, all of which I am doing now. Visioning® works. I was convinced when I read Lucia’s book, but meeting her and practicing the method together confirmed me as a believer. If you have a chance to attend one of Lucia’s workshops, I strongly recommend it.

Starting the 10 Steps to Visioning® on a sunny Saturday in México

Occasionally, life goals need adjusting. While I still have my original Vision board with me, when I find parts of it feel “stuck,” I create a smaller board to focus in on what needs a boost. Additionally, I have learned if you are not specific enough with your Visioning®, you will get what you ask for, like ordering mayonesa for your elote, when you really wanted crema. It still tastes good, but it’s not exactly what you want. Realizing this, I spent a sunny Saturday afternoon working Lucia’s magic. Just starting the process of Visioning® made me happy: when we stir energy around us – our lives, our desires, etc., – the kinetic energy is almost like a natural euphoria.

Midway through Visioning® – creative energy feels great

I have the 10 steps for Visioning® from Lucia’s workshop here with me in México. I follow them one by one, from brainstorming to finding images and text to assembling everything into a collage. One of my favorite of the 10 Steps for Visioning is Step 2: Searching for Images and Words, or the designers research phase, which comes as no surprise since I have graphic design experience. Step 2 begins by gathering pictures, captions, and phrases from magazines, a personal collection of photos or other visual sources. The emphasis is on what experience you wants to create in life rather than just images of things to be acquired. The mantra is: Grab what grabs you. Lucia urges creators to keep an open mind while gathering as many relevant images and words as needed. If other great but unrelated pictures surface, set them aside to be used in other collages. As mentioned in Step 3: Focus on the Vision, some people gather too many images, creating a giant pile that feels overwhelming to sort through. The best solution for this is to ask specifically, “Does this express my innermost wishes, my fondest dreams?” If it doesn’t, there may still be a reason it “grabbed” you; find a large envelope and stash these images or words for a future collage, where they may be relevant.

Collage detail: “Grabbing what grabs me”

When gathering words and images, I sometimes feel persuaded to collect positive phrases or motivational quotes, partly because I am fighting off what Lucia calls the “Inner Critic” voice, the doubts we occasionally hear in the back of our minds as we pursue anything. Mentioned in Step 5: Explore and Find Order in Creative Chaos (from the 10 Steps to Visioning®), these doubts can come from ourselves or others around us. I find it most important when this happens to stop and write a “Q and A conversation,” asking myself what I want and why, responding honestly and free of fears. As with most situations in life, if you doubt them, you rob them of opportunity. If you believe, they have a much stronger foundation to stand on, with your focus and faith as support.

Visioning® to Go, in a vibrant “Méxican pink” envelope

While Lucia recommends a giant poster, I don’t have the space, so I create a smaller piece that folds in half or thirds, like a card or brochure. I find having my Visioning® collage with me is like carrying a mantra or prayer. This small item keeps me in check. I refer to it when I wake up, throughout the day, and before I go to sleep so the vision is fresh in my mind. Eventually, the desired outcome begins to happen. Sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly; signs and events reveal that the Visioning® is working: it is real. We all have the power to direct our own life, we just need to say how or what we want, and be specific.

Visioning® collage: Inspiration. It’s all around us.

My Visioning® collage turned out great: colorful, organized, and specific to what I am focusing on: all very much to my liking. I can already feel the changes I want happening. Gracias Lucia por tu Visioning® y por su información. Todos somos de gran alcance en su interior.

Guest blogger Kate Dana is a mixed-media artist and travel writer studying Spanish and teaching English in Jalisco, México. Since 2009 Kate has been studying Spanish, creating art and traveling. She is inspired by the music, food and history of Spanish-speaking countries and has enjoyed visits to Spain, the Dominican Republic and México. Visit www.katedana.com to read about Kate's travel adventures.

Kate is also a 2012 graduate of International Teacher Training Organization in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, where she earned a Certification in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. For more information visit www.katedanateaches.com

Visioning® Affirmations

One of my favorite ways to play with my Vision board is to create affirmations out of the non-dominant hand dialogues. This brings my dream deeper into my body and expands my energy towards what I want. Working with an affirmation paves the way to allowing my hearts desire. It is a daily feeling reminder that I am heading in the right direction.
“In addition, Visionaries are committed to taking all the steps necessary for giving birth to their creations. Their attitude is: whatever it takes. Like Disney and Fuller, they face doubts, fears, rejection, disappointment, delays and other obstacles that everyone faces in life. Yet, they hold true to the creative idea, knowing that sooner or later it will take form in the physical world. Some gestation periods are longer than others. One idea may take twenty years to hatch, another may take twenty days. The creative thought is the thing. Nurture it, charge it with energy and enthusiasm, and the world will be drawn to it as a magnet.” - from Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams. Page 26.

"I live in a safe and sacred home in Ventura." 5.26.12

Here are the steps to creating a daily affirmation writing practice.

1. Choose a non-dominant hand conversation that resonates with you today.

Example: I am choosing the sea lions on the beach because that is my latest manifestation. Although the conversation was written in May, I can use the reminder.
DH: What do you have teach me about my safe, sacred home in Ventura?
NDH: Let your home open and call to your soul. You don't have to be struggling.


2. Create a short, single phrase to write and speak out loud from the NDH writing. In fact, use your NDH to create the affirmation so that you are coming from your heart, not your head.

My affirmation is: “I allow my home to open and call to my soul.”
This affirmation is in alignment with what I discovered during a transformational energy session with my coach, Leyla Atwill. We discerned that the most important work I can do is to locate my Higher Power within my body, and connect with it throughout my day. This is my true home, regardless of where I physically live.

3. Write the affirmation. I work with affirmations for about a month. The reason is that in the beginning, I allow the critical voice to have it's say immediately after writing the affirmation. I do not converse with the voice. I simply allow the energy to release, and continue to write the affirmation. Also, I use the first, second and third person in my writing.

Example:

I allow my home to open and call to my soul. Bullshit.
I allow my home to open and call to my soul. Yawn.
I allow my home to open and call to my soul. Whatever.

Dorothy, allow your home to open and call to your soul. Like, open sesame?
Dorothy, allow your home to open and call to your soul. What are you talking about?
Dorothy, allow your home to open and call to your soul. What? You are crazy!

Dorothy allows her home to open and call to her soul. Dorothy who?
Dorothy allows her home to open and call to her soul. Puhleeezzzz.
Dorothy allows her home to open and call to her soul. Shut up!


I have been using this affirmation style for about three months. It has opened up new pathways because I am able to discern and stop the habitual blocks that keep me from my dreams. I usually write the critical blurts for about a week, or until the critic energy dissipates.

Sometimes, if the affirmation is too long, or the idea too big of a leap, I have to change affirmations. I usually write each phrase ten times in the first person, ten times in the second person and ten times in the third person. For instance, because I not only want to move, but create new work, it was better for me to make a collage about my “Safe and sacred home in Ventura.” The assumption is that I have the right work. Trying to create a collage about right work in May was too big of a leap.

Also, depending on the blurt, I might come back and explore the idea, phrase or question with the critic. For instance, the blurt, “What are you talking about?” can be an excellent way to explore my beliefs about my interior home. After all, feeling safe and connected to my Self is the heart of all my desires.

To read the blog on my session with energy coach, Leyla Atwill, visit my blog Stepping Into the Dream Stream.

Guest blogger Dorothy Segovia, is a certified Visioning® Coach and author of  My Body, My Car: How to Coach Yourself Through Life's little Accidents, featuring an original music CD. www.writeinside.com

Visioning® 101 Q & A continued...

Lucia continues to answer questions from the Visioning® community.


Can I collage past lives?

I used to be a past life counselor. If one believes in them, the only reason to delve into past lives – as far as I can see -- is to see where we are blocked from a past life and how to remove the block. This takes some training and experience in past life work. Personally, I focus on blocks from this life which are usually the Inner Critic and outworn belief systems. There are plenty of those.

“As we move toward our dreams, old well-worn thoughts and beliefs are likely to come floating to the surface of the mind like so much debris. As you find wonderful images of your heart's desire, a little voice may come in and start editing. It usually says things like: 'You can't afford that.' 'This is totally impossible.' 'Who do you think you are wishing for something that outrageous?' 'That's completely impractical. It'll never happen.' 'Don't choose that picture. You'll just be disappointed when it doesn't materialize.' I speak from experience, for I've heard this voice a million times during my own personal Visioning sessions. Never mind that most of my dreams have actually come true...Before you've even had a chance to research the possibilities, get some training, find a mentor or a support system, the inner critic will try to shut you down.”
(Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams, page 75.)

“I am Safe from the Inner Critic” collage by Dorothy Segovia.

Can I collage an emotion or physical symptom I want to heal?

Yes, I did that before having a hip replacement. I put a thigh bone in my collage and also photos of women doing exercise (I did physical therapy after surgery and that was extremely healing.)

“Doing collages of our current self-image (and physicality) can help to heal the split between our head and our body. As long as our self-image is hidden from our own eyes, we have no choice. With greater awareness comes a wider range of options. In reflecting back to us the way in which we see ourselves, the collage acts as a mirror of our inner attitudes and beliefs. Once we see our self-image projected out onto the paper, we are free to move toward more conscious choices.”
(Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams, page 238.)


Will the collage still work if I stop doing reflective work over the summer, and then come back to it?

Not likely. One must honor the dream by looking at the collage and following the Visioning® process with journaling, etc. Why wait? Either you are serious or not. If not, then it won't manifest. Visioning® is not for the uncommitted. Commit to your dream and watch it unfold. If you don't feed it, it won't reward you.

Can I still use the exercises from your book with a collage I did from before using a different method?

I believe collages need to be current and reflect the state of your soul wishes at this time. An old collage reflects the past. Do another one. Even if the images are similar and the theme is familiar, or the focus phrase is the same, the process needs to be fresh and current.

Next month: Visioning® and dream work!

Lucia will continue to answer questions throughout her blog. If you have any to submit, please post in Comments. To purchase Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams, visit: www.visioningcoach.org

Visioning® through Performance Anxiety

This Visioning® vignette was contributed by Nechama Perel Wachsman, a student in our Creative Journal Expressive Arts Certification Training.

My sister Rochelle and I recently performed in a piano recital. We'd been practicing for months, but of course we were both nervous as it drew closer! I suggested we do some Visioning® about how we want to feel during the performance and how we'd like it to come out. The first collage is mine. I depicted my desire to feel free expression in my playing and getting beyond my nerves to the real, beautiful part of me that wants to share my music. I put the collage on my piano and would practice while looking at it. The words "something beautiful is about to happen" kept jumping out at me, and I believed it.

After my performance, I felt much like the woman who is midair, jumping. Indeed something beautiful happened - I played with confidence and joy.

Rochelle depicted faces of many people feeling and confident, as well as the thrill of accomplishing a long worked-for goal. Indeed, her performance was beautiful, inspiring and true to herself.

What an amazing way to get in touch with our inner power, our abilities and true desires and to make them come alive! Thank you, Lucia.

Yes you can! Visioning® Renewal

The New Year - 2009 - is a great time to start Visioning®. We have a new President and are beginning a new era in our country. Sure, we have lots of challenges, but in America you can feel change in the air. And apparently this has spread around the globe. At my website, I've received lots of good wishes from readers in different countries representing many nationalities, races and religions. They are excited and hopeful about America turning over a new leaf. But hope is not enough. Bringing about renewal is something each individual must do. That's where the Visioning® process of life design comes in.

As Walt Disney said: If you can dream it, you can do it! So let's start with you. And let's start now!

What you will need:

Visioning® begins with finding your true heart's desire and creating a photo collage to illustrate your dream. You'll need art paper or poster board (18 x 24 inches or larger), scissors, glue, magazines (and other sources of photo images and words). You will also need a bound blank book (unlined pages) for keeping a Creative Journal (preferably 9 x12 inches). I recommend a set of felt pens in 8 or more colors for writing. If you are serious about making your dreams come true, get a copy of my book Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams (Tarcher/ Putnam). It describes the process in detail, complete with photo illustrations. Set the mood for each step in the process with the musical CD, Visioning (music by recording artist, Jessie Allen Cooper (available only at LuciaC.com and coopersoundwaves.com).

You might be wondering: What's unique about Visioning®? What sets it apart from from all that other stuff like The Secret, visualization, life planning, affirmations, treasure maps, and so on? First, the 10 steps of Visioning® follow the stages that all designers, inventors, architects pass through when they create in the material world. These are the folks who designed the computer you are using, the chair you are sitting in, the desk, the floor, the room, etc., that surrounds you. Why not learn from them? These creative people are trained, skilled and experienced at taking thoughts and turning them into things? That's exactly what you do in Visioning®.You apply tried and true design principles to your life and work. Believe me, they work!

When a designer gets an idea she puts that inspiration, idea or mental picture into physical form immediately (sketches, blueprints, renderings, etc.) In Visioning® we do this by fashioning a collage - a sort of storyboard - similar to the ones filmmakers use in mapping out their story. We don't use the cartoon strip format of linear pictures, rather it's an all-at-once impression, a collage that conveys our dream. It might have words in it, too. The goal is to illustrate the heart's desire, what it would look like and feel like. It's a preview of coming attractions, how we want to feel once the dream is realized. That all shows in the Visioning® collage board. This is not about accuuilating things. It's about how we want to grow and who we want to become.

Visioning® can be done by individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, work teams, and companies. We've used it in public schools systems (team teaching groups), corporations, hospitals, non-profit organizations, church groups, and more. Collages can be done as individual boards or posters or in group applications as a combined mural. They can also be created as individual boards all fitting together to create a shared Vision. Shared Visioning® boards are photographed and each member of the group gets a picture of the whole while keeping their own collage. Sometimes shared collage murals are displayed, as in the case of one elementary school in Texas. The teachers doing team teaching posted their group collage of the "goals for the year" on the walls outside their classrooms for themselves and their students to see. The school had high scores and great morale.

Secondly, Visioning® provides psychological tools for clearing obstacles. Creating the Visioning® board is only the beginning. Big dreams always bring out big inner blocks. It's part of the game. Inevitably, when we start reaching for new goals, the Inner Critic or Judge jumps out and chatters away in our brains. "This is stupid. How ugly. What a waste of time. You'll only be disappointed. This is a pipe dream and will never happen. Who do you think you are with these grandiose ideas? And anyway, you have more important things to do right now, like paying bills or laundry or mowing the lawn or doing your taxes or......."(you fill in the blanks)

One of the keys to success with Visioning® is the time tested technique for dealing with this universal voice of self-criticism and self doubt within. I've written whole books about this, most notably, The Power of Your Other Hand (Career Press). The Visioning® process provides journal activities for writing your way through these internal blocks of self-judgment and skepticism about the Visioning® process. If I hadn't developed this technique I would never have written 13 books. Here's how I did it.

While attempting to start my first book, The Creative Journal (Career Press/New Page), I was plagued with a crippling writer's block. I spent two to three days a week staring at white paper in the typewriter. Finally I practiced what I was teaching in my Creative Journal classes (which was the topic of the book, ironically enough). In one journal session, I cleared the block in two pages of writing. I wrote what the Inner Critic said with my dominant hand (the one I normally write with), and answered back with my non-dominant hand (the one I don't usually write with). Within two pages I was done, felt utterly liberated and energized. I rose from my journal, went to my studio and completed the book within three months by writing two or three days a week. I had a "real job" as a college instructor and art therapist while becoming an author on my own so that's all the time I could afford.

But wait, that's not all. Breaking through my block also gave me the courage to put the word out to friends (step 9 of Visioning®), get a support system around me, and find a mentor who referred me to his publisher. They said yes right away. Better yet, the book needed no editing. In spite of what my Inner Critic had said, I'd written a perfectly acceptable manuscript! Over the years, The Creative Journal has become a best seller, been published in three different editions and formed the basis of an entire method of journal therapy being used all over the world.(LuciaC.com)

Dream it and do it. I've done it, and I know you can, too. See more on VisioningCoach.org.