Living Forward – Inspired Life Planning

Living Forward - Inspired Life Planning

April 23, 2020

Living Forward is a concept that has cropped up recently in the world of senior living, even though it is practical at other life stages. Life planning is paramount to happiness and fulfillment, especially as we grow older. To illustrate, Living Forward can be summed up by these pithy sayings:

● A ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.

● A year from now, you may wish you had started today.

● Nothing really great happens in your comfort zone.

● People lose their way when they lose their why.

These sayings wax on the philosophical, particularly in an ontological sense. Our reason for being can be articulated by stating that our life matters, we are here for a reason, and our job is to determine why. This is where Living Forward plays a vital role. It is a conscious, deliberate action to plan ahead.

Michael Hyatt is co-author of the book, Living Forward, A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want. The book is written in three distinct parts; the first part describes how we drift when we lose perspective on priorities, the second part institutes how to write a life plan, and the final part is about the necessary implementation of this plan.

Social worker Dorlee Michaeli (MBA, LCSW), encourages using the principles of this book to ‘tend to our own gardens’. As a care professional, she recognizes that we must practice before we preach, write our own life plan before encouraging others to take control of their life. So, why create a life plan, especially if you are a senior? Michaeli answers this by means of Hyatt’s book, “To increase your likelihood that you will get to where you want to go [and] live a more fulfilled and balanced life!” Consider the following:

● Clarify Priorities – You will avoid over analyzing or second-guessing; what is most important to you will be clearer.

● Maintain Balance – You will be able to give appropriate attention to each of your life areas (i.e., you may grow at work without diminishing other areas of your life).

● Filter opportunities – You can manage your opportunities rather than be managed by them.

● Face realities – You must acknowledge any problems you may have in health, work or at home etc., to be able to address and improve them.

● Envision the future – You focus on what you see; choose a future/vision that compels you.

● Avoid regrets – You can dramatically increase the chances of doing what you want to do.

Living Forward, a method of inspired life planning, is not a rudimentary exercise to set it and forget it. It is a means to an end. For many seniors it lends towards how they want to be remembered, their legacy. This concept is worthy of constant consideration. I have heard many times that the difference between a goal and a dream is that the dream has a timeline. Living Forward takes wishful aspirations and turns it into achievable realities.

“Walking is man’s best medicine” – Hippocrates
Aaron Lamb, Director of Business Development

Living Forward - Inspired Life Planning

April 23, 2020

Living Forward is a concept that has cropped up recently in the world of senior living, even though it is practical at other life stages. Life planning is paramount to happiness and fulfillment, especially as we grow older. To illustrate, Living Forward can be summed up by these pithy sayings:

● A ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.

● A year from now, you may wish you had started today.

● Nothing really great happens in your comfort zone.

● People lose their way when they lose their why.

These sayings wax on the philosophical, particularly in an ontological sense. Our reason for being can be articulated by stating that our life matters, we are here for a reason, and our job is to determine why. This is where Living Forward plays a vital role. It is a conscious, deliberate action to plan ahead.

Michael Hyatt is co-author of the book, Living Forward, A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want. The book is written in three distinct parts; the first part describes how we drift when we lose perspective on priorities, the second part institutes how to write a life plan, and the final part is about the necessary implementation of this plan.

Social worker Dorlee Michaeli (MBA, LCSW), encourages using the principles of this book to ‘tend to our own gardens’. As a care professional, she recognizes that we must practice before we preach, write our own life plan before encouraging others to take control of their life. So, why create a life plan, especially if you are a senior? Michaeli answers this by means of Hyatt’s book, “To increase your likelihood that you will get to where you want to go [and] live a more fulfilled and balanced life!” Consider the following:

● Clarify Priorities – You will avoid over analyzing or second-guessing; what is most important to you will be clearer.

● Maintain Balance – You will be able to give appropriate attention to each of your life areas (i.e., you may grow at work without diminishing other areas of your life).

● Filter opportunities – You can manage your opportunities rather than be managed by them.

● Face realities – You must acknowledge any problems you may have in health, work or at home etc., to be able to address and improve them.

● Envision the future – You focus on what you see; choose a future/vision that compels you.

● Avoid regrets – You can dramatically increase the chances of doing what you want to do.

Living Forward, a method of inspired life planning, is not a rudimentary exercise to set it and forget it. It is a means to an end. For many seniors it lends towards how they want to be remembered, their legacy. This concept is worthy of constant consideration. I have heard many times that the difference between a goal and a dream is that the dream has a timeline. Living Forward takes wishful aspirations and turns it into achievable realities.

“Walking is man’s best medicine” – Hippocrates
Aaron Lamb, Director of Business Development

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