A  positive view of the future is important to each and everyone of us who want to make a difference in the world.  Our Visions are the deepest expressions of what we want. They pull us into the future; they energise us to move forward to focus on the  possible.  Our visions provide us with the focus to take action to make our dreams reality.

As parents we play a pivotal role in shaping and creating a positive vision of the future for our children.  As we share our visions with our children we will inspire them to dream their own dreams, to envision their own positive future. Our job is to ensure support and encouragement is given to allow the vision to unfold and develop. Our children will be profoundly influenced by their vision of the future.

We are what we think

All that we are arises with our thought

With our thoughts

We make our world.  The Budda

How do we go about creating  a positive vision of the future.

• Begin by finding a quiet place for yourself, where there are no distractions.
• Take some time to relax and go within, (you may like to play some relaxing music) and think of three years from now.
• Ask yourself the following question: What do I want for my family?
• List as many things as you can.  If you see in pictures, you may want to draw your Vision and write words or phrases along side your pictures.
• When you ask the question “What do I want for my family?” you can resource yourself by considering the following areas:
• What do I love                           
• What do I love to do
• Quality of relationships                            
• Having fun together
• Recreation                                  
• Holidays
• How to spend free time             
• Health and well being
• Support                                                   
• How to handle differences    
• Meeting each other’s needs      
• Education/schooling
• Decision  making                       
• Having daily private time
• Financial                                     
• Spiritual life/worship
  

Write a series of short sentences that describe your vision.  Write each sentence in the present tense as if it were already happening.    For example: “We have fun together”, “We plan holidays together”.  Make all your items positive statements.  Write “We settle our differences peacefully” rather than “We don’t fight”.

An example of a vision statement might look like this:

• We have fun together
• We settle our differences peacefully
• We communicate openly and honestly with each other
• We are healthy and physically active
• We plan our holidays together
• Etc….

When you have gone through this process, share it with your family, get their inputs, ideas and suggestions and incorporate them.

Post your Vision Statement where you can see it daily.

“Attention energises, and intention transforms.  Whatever you put your attention on will grow stronger in your life.  Whatever you take your attention away from will wither, disintegrate, and disappear.  Intention on the other hand, triggers transformation of energy and information.” Quote from “Seven Laws of Success” written by Deepak Chopra.

If you hold your Vision as your intention, and put your attention on those things in your life which support your Vision, you are opening the door to realising it.

In my work with parents I teach “ Family Visioning” and the following story is from one of the parents.  Six weeks ago when I came to this workshop I was  focused on what I didn’t want in my children and what was wrong in our family.   “Now we are focusing on what we want as a family.   At our family meetings we read our Family Vision and have a special time for sharing honestly with each other.  Our son, has been able to share his anger and resentments openly and honestly with us.  We have cried together, and for the first time, truly listened to each other.  The children want to go to Disneyland, so we have included that in the Vision.  They are so motivated they have been doing jobs around the neighbourhood and proudly banking their pocket money in their savings account for Disneyland.  Our four year old wanted more bubble gum so this was added to the vision. There is a sense of peace and enjoyment in our lives.  Our Vision has given us purpose and brought us together as a family.