What’s your story? What are your dreams and goals? How about the dreams and goals of your family? It’s not uncommon for everyone in the house to have different goals. Mom wants a week on a beach this winter. Dad has been dreaming of a motorcycle that he saw on his way home from work the other day. The kids want the latest and greatest gaming gear.
What about the common goals of your family? OK, lets not fool ourselves, the kids only care about the game system. Mom and Dad have common goals though, probably something to do with paying bills, investing for retirement, getting the kids to put down their phones and eat supper.
What about beyond that? Maybe a bigger house, a newer car, a vacation, college for the kids. That’s what you get to figure out, the fun part.
You might be thinking that you don’t have the money or time to be dreaming about maybes in the future, you’re stuck here living in the now trying to hang on financially. But actually sitting down knee to knee with your partner (or a mentor or mirror if you’re single) is a very good exercise to create incentive to change your bad money habits. So break out the magazines, poster board, glue and markers. Paste the pictures and draw or write down what you can’t find a picture of. And get the kids to help, they need to feel like they have skin in the game to do their part. Don’t let the excuses or guilt get in the way, let the creativity flow no matter how crazy or silly it may seem, remember you need the incentive.
When creating your dream boards try to organize them into a loose timeline. what you think you can achieve in say 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, 10+.
When you are done with the fun don’t you dare put it in a closet, post it somewhere that it will be seen on a daily basis (in front of the TV maybe) and remind everyone what you are working towards. Looking at and thinking about it everyday cements those ideas in your non conscious mind and will help you find ways to make them come true. I agree it sounds hokey but neuroscience has actually studied and shown greats success with this technique.
Besides all the science it’s a great excuse to hang with the family for the day doing something fun all together.
‘Til next time, stay loose
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