Whilst I’m sure you will agree that the easing of restrictions here in WA creates a real feeling of optimism, it is still not easy to plan for the future the same way we did before the pandemic.
Interestingly, with so much focus having been directed towards the physical aspects of caring for ourselves, such as extra attention to hygiene and distancing, we seem to have forgotten how very important the areas of both our mental and emotional wellbeing are as well. Research indicates that to stay positive as human beings we relish having goals and plans in place, or purely events to look forward to. This is due in part to our inbuilt desire to make the most of our lives and to bring focus to what matters to us.
In the past, most of us probably did this planning almost by default. We knew what motivated us, how to do it, and therefore without too much thinking would make it happen. This may have included catching up with friends, taking holidays, pursuing our hobbies & interests, studying or furthering our careers etc., however in the environment we now find ourselves there is the requirement to be far more imaginative as these previous ‘default’ choices may remain restricted for some time to come.
A great way to explore different ideas and challenge ourselves to think differently is to use mind mapping as a tool to open up in order to be more imaginative…….bringing back some of that almost childlike curiosity, opening up to exploring new and different horizons.
This methodology is best done using coloured pens on plain sheets of paper (that way you don’t have to worry about colouring within the lines!!), then using your imagination to run freely without editing or restricting your ideas.
One guideline is to create three ‘bubbles’ for:
- Health & Wellbeing
- Relationships
- Personal Development
This way you can map out options without being prescriptive, yet still have some framework to work with. It isn’t relevant which actual ‘bubble’ you place items, what is important is your willingness to go with the flow of creativity.
You could consider your views in relation to some of those areas as:
- Health & Wellbeing – fitness, nutrition, mental wellbeing, meditation
- Relationships – family, friends, colleagues, community, clubs
- Personal Development – career, study, reading, hobbies, creative pursuits
At Ruby Cubes we had been running regular Health & Wellbeing Retreats to assist people with these very subjects – the great news is that these will be able to resume in August (going on the current guidelines).
The venue we have always used lends itself easily to physical distancing and the open-air environment is perfect to bring ourselves back into balance.
There is no more important time than now to start planning our futures, albeit with some different criteria, so we urge you to consider booking into one of these events. This could well be your starting point to taking back the feeling of empowerment as you create your Life Map to take you towards your goals and a sense of fulfilment that comes with it.
For more information please contact us at connect@rubycubes.com.au or by visiting this link.