Working through Life on Purpose

[Rose of Cairo]

Hi all,

Has anyone here worked with Life on Purpose by Brad Swift? I'm working through the book and I'd need some help. Or no, no help, just reassurance.

One of the first assignments is to describe our visionary reality. It's about describing where we want to be: our future as if we already were there. The author says the description should be "multi-sensory and rich in detail".

But if I knew this, I wouldn't be reading the book!

I have no idea what my future should look like, because my future depends on my life purpose, and I don't know what my purpose is. Duh! That's why I'm reading the book. I can write something like "I know exactly what my life purpose is and I'm feeling very fulfilled because I focus on expressing it. I know what I want and feel passionate about it." I could add some trivial things like financial independence or being happy. But I cannot describe any details because I totally don't know what a life on purpose would look like concretely. It could be just anything.

In case you already worked with this book, is it a problem? I can find my purpose even without a visionary reality, can't I?

[sbdiane]

Maybe you need more stimulation than just being told to visualize and describe. You need help with the visualization part.

Maybe if you can read some other things, do some art, take a class or something that exposes you to imagery that you can pay attention to. Do some exercises that help you visualize, like listing things you wanted to do as a child, or things you used to love doing as a child. Draw a picture of your perfect day. Read some poetry. Make a collage. Do many things but don't try to force the answers.

Instead, listen for themes, connect the dots, see where your heart wants to go.

[Rose of Cairo]

Thank you very much sbdiane What you're saying about my having a problem with visualization is very well possible indeed. I'm totally not a visual person. Of course I can visualize, and I have a lot of fantasy, but I have a feeling that visualizing doesn't connect me with my heart. I can visualize anything, not only what really touches me deeply.

I feel imperfectly connected to my own heart!

As a child I wanted to be an explorer like Vasco de Gama or Magellan, or an astronaut to explore space. At some point I wanted to be an acrobat. I also knew all along I would become a writer, that was self-evident for me. And I also wanted to be a singer. I don't remember exactly.

What I loved to do as a child was reading books (quality novels and also books about all kinds of subjects like the maya civilisation or daily life in the middle ages) and spending time in nature, especially with animals.

I cannot draw a picture of my perfect day, I really don't know what my perfect day would look like. It could be just anything.

You're right, I'll try to connect with my heart and find out what it wants. Many things appear great to me when I think of them, but when I ask my heart if I really want it deep down, the answer is no.

Hmmm.. thank you

[WordKeeper]

Have you checked out www.lifeonpurpose.com? you may find some help there.

[bswift]

Hi Rose,

I posted a message yesterday but today I don't see it so I imagine you didn't see it either. Let me see if I can recreate it here.

I've guided a number of people through the Process and would be happy to offer my input to you for your consideration.

Regarding: "In case you already worked with this book, is it a problem? I can find my purpose even without a visionary reality, can't I?"

Yes, indeed you can become clear about your purpose without a 'visionary reality.' AND the purpose to the VR is that it will help to pull you forward along the path that's made up of the 6 passages, especially during the more challenging parts of the process, EVEN if you just have a vague or general vision of what you imagine your life on purpose will be like.

You can start by picking the top 3-4 benefits from the Top 10 list in the book and using those as 'seeds' to growing your visionary reality. All of this is intended to help you get more in touch with what your heart is guiding you to, so whatever you find that helps connect you to your heart, include that.

If you like I'll be happy to email you an updated/upgraded process for creating the visionary reality that's been completed after the book. That goes for anyone else who happens to going through the book and would like some assistance. Send a message to admin@lifeonpurpose.com and make reference to where you heard of Life On Purpose and that you want the updated visionary reality material.

Enjoy your journey along the purposeful path, Rose

[Rose of Cairo]

Hey Brad,

How cool to see you here Thanks for your post. I just sent you an email. I'm looking forward to discovering the updated process.

I had a big breakthrough yesterday, now I can see my visionary reality! In my visionary reality I'm living in the countryside with a few animals, and I'm sitting alone at home, writing a book. That would be my perfect day: taking care of the animals, going for a walk in the grass with them, and writing.

This is about the medium, not the message, though, after all writing can be used to express just anything. It irritates me that I'm that passionate about a specific medium without even knowing what I want to express with it. Should be the other way around. I still don't know what my message is, and I'm afraid to pick "the wrong" message. I've seen that you address this in your book, so I'm going to read it right now

Thanks.

[bswift]

Hi Rose,

Great work on causing a breakthrough for yourself...and then being willing to share it publicly with the world. I know that takes courage as well...but then again it takes courage to live an authentic life true to your life purpose, so this is good practice.

Regarding: "In my visionary reality I'm living in the countryside with a few animals, and I'm sitting alone at home, writing a book. That would be my perfect day: taking care of the animals, going for a walk in the grass with them, and writing."

What does this day feel like for you? What would it be like to have a whole long series of such days? What's the weather like? What are some of the fragrances of such a day? What are the animals that you're caring for? Do they have names? Are there other 'beings' that are a part of this day? Who are you in this future?

Enough questions to feel like you're getting the third degree?

BTW, what were the 3-4 benefits you picked from the top ten list? Have you written a paragraph or two on what your life is like with these benefits being more present?

[sbdiane]

This February I took a class that had me do some of the things I suggested above. Drawing a picture of your ideal day, thinking about things you wanted to be or enjoyed doing when you were a kid, reading things and seeing what themes pop up and stuff like that.

My perfect day had me having a bagle and coffee at my favorite coffeehouse on the outdoor patio, playing my musical instruments in the park, going for a hike, being with my parrots. Not something I can actually do for a living. When I was a kid I wanted to be an actress or a writer. I used to enjoy playing in the park behind my house. Reading a book that was full of imagery, I kept stopping at the parts about nature and wilderness. I connected the dots. Nature is important to me. It made me remember I had always wanted to hike the Pacific Crest Trail so I quit my job to do that.

I can't live on the PCT (not yet) but the experience was so wonderful I wrote a book about it (self-published my journal). Then I took a writing class (I always wanted to be a writer) and am thinking I want to learn business/copy/technical writing. I'm back to doing web development, but I'm doing it for myself not the Man, which means I get to go to my favorite coffeehouse and eat a bagle and coffee on the patio if I want. I'm even working part time at a bird-oriented pet store and also analyzing audio tapes of whales for a company with oil money. It all fell (still falling) into place once I connected the dots and took the first, most immediate step forward.

[smartile]

Hi Rose of Cairo,

I haven't read through this specific book, but you may find some answers or reassurance by going through my free ebook: How to Find Your Purpose (The Genius Within YOU)

Pay special attention to the questions on page no. 10 and 12.