How are you doing on your New Year’s Resolutions?  Don’t feel badly it you’ve already let them slide.  Less than 8% of people actually keep their resolutions. Mostly because there’s no deeper motivation behind their goals.  Resolutions can be ego-driven and they often have no inner resonance. When we come from our values and the overall inner vision for our lives we’ll have more success and ultimately be happier.

The thing is many folks don’t actually know what their inner vision is for their life – and don’t know how to create the conditions in consciousness that will allow that vision to come to fruition.

Joseph Campbell, who dedicated his life to studying and teaching about mythic archetypes and what makes for a fulfilling life, said this, “People say that we’re seeking meaning in life.  I don’t think that’s what we are seeking.  I think that what we are seeking is the experience of being alive…so that our life experiences will have resonance within our innermost being.  What we are seeking is our bliss.”

So, the question is…what is your bliss?  It’s different for all of us.  Your bliss is contained in a vision that is uniquely yours.  And, in pursuing that vision, you are fully alive…your heart’s desires are fulfilled.  And when you are living your bliss, it naturally becomes a blessing to others.

But how do we get to that vision?  The best way I’ve found is through a process of visioning.  Visioning connects us with the source of our inner wisdom where our heart’s desires lie.

Visioning is different than visualization, in that you don’t already have a picture in mind and try to focus on that.  In visioning you learn to get still enough to hear your inner wisdom speak about a life beyond your preconceptions of what you might initially think would make you happy.  This wisdom within knows what your highest potential is…what your unique gift is…what you’re bliss is.

In the process of visioning, you learn to open up to this wisdom and listen…then, you listen some more.  After your vision is clear, you then begin write it down.  Finally, you formulate this vision into intention statements.

Having clearly defined intentions is the difference between wishing and hoping and actually having a blueprint for achieving it.  You are giving  direction the Creative Universe can move in.  This initiates the process of conscious co-creation.

The next thing we need to understand is that the fulfillment of true desire is a natural process…it is how the universe operates.  Galaxies are formed, flowers bloom, trees bear fruit and babies are born.  It is the nature of the Universe to come to fruition – to be fulfilled.

Consider a dogwood tree (since moving to N. Carolina it’s become my favorite tree and blossom).  It doesn’t need to struggle to grow or create blossoms.  It doesn’t worry that it won’t bloom.  It doesn’t question whether it’s worthy of such beauty.  It doesn’t feel it’s lucky.  It just grows and blooms.  The essential nature of the dogwood is to express its glory and magnificence.  This is the fulfillment of its purpose.

What’s truly remarkable is that the seed of a dogwood contains all the elements necessary to become a full-size tree blossoming every Spring. The dogwood seed is the dogwood tree in potentiality.  It needs only nurturing of soil and water.   Our desires are like seeds, because inherent in having a desire, is everything necessary for its fulfillment.  It only needs a little nurturing.

So, let’s talk about how we nurture and feed the seeds of our desire which allows them to blossom into full expression…

First you want to read your intentions daily with a feeling of joy and excitement that this is yours now.  It may be only a true desire in seed now, but if you allow it, it will spring forth into full expression in your life.  Alternately, you can create a vision board, or Intention Mandala which has images that represent your desires fulfilled on the board.  A vision board or Intention Mandala is like a visual prayer, and it presents a clear picture to the right side of your brain…the part that responds to images and emotions.  Either way, you want to build acceptance of your vision realized now.

Next…to further nurture the seeds of your vision…recognize and acknowledge all the ways your vision is beginning to show up in your life…all the synchronous events!  Sound obvious, but it never ceases to amaze me how people don’t acknowledge the miracles that are happening in their lives because they might look small or insignificant.  Every little movement forward toward the realization of your intentions is like another inch that plant has grown…another leaf has appeared…oh look, a bud is appearing.  And every time we acknowledge that and express our gratitude for it we are watering our plant.

Before long your inner vision will blossom into full experience in your life.  Enjoy the process!