When was the last time you wrote your intentions and desires down? Or drew them with colored pencils?
Children do it all the time. They get crayons and draw their wishes in big bright colors: a bright yellow sun shining on a smiling child; holding mommy and daddy’s hand; a puppy they want to play with; or a rocket going to the moon.
Then, as we grow up, most of us stop drawing – or writing, or expressing our dreams and desires in some visual way. We tend to keep them inside. We close our eyes and imagine the experiences we’d love to have, but more often than not, we don’t like to see them on a piece of paper.
Maybe it’s because we lost that childhood innocence to let ourselves go.
Maybe it’s because we feel embarrassed about what we desire.
Maybe life has been so challenging that we stopped believing that our wishes and dreams matter.
Recently, in one of my courses, I was invited to write a list of my intentions and desires, to drop the seeds into the field of infinite possibilities (a.k.a. God), and then to let go of my attachment to the outcome.
It reminded me of a time when I was 22. I was flying home from a gig with my friend, a Franciscan priest, fr. Sveto. He asked me about my plans and desires for the future.
I told him all I was intending to do and he said, “That’s wonderful. Now just throw it out of the window, it’s not going to happen.” I looked at him, disappointed that he didn’t believe in me, when he said, “If you let go of it, you’ll experience a much better version of all your dreams and desires – the version that God has in store for you.”
When was the last time you wrote your intentions and desires down? Or drew them with colored pencils?
Children do it all the time. They get crayons and draw their wishes in big bright colors: a bright yellow sun shining on a smiling child; holding mommy and daddy’s hand; a puppy they want to play with; or a rocket going to the moon.
Then, as we grow up, most of us stop drawing – or writing, or expressing our dreams and desires in some visual way. We tend to keep them inside. We close our eyes and imagine the experiences we’d love to have, but more often than not, we don’t like to see them on a piece of paper.
Maybe it’s because we lost that childhood innocence to let ourselves go.
Maybe it’s because we feel embarrassed about what we desire.
Maybe life has been so challenging that we stopped believing that our wishes and dreams matter.
Recently, in one of my courses, I was invited to write a list of my intentions and desires, to drop the seeds into the field of infinite possibilities (a.k.a. God), and then to let go of my attachment to the outcome.
It reminded me of a time when I was 22. I was flying home from a gig with my friend, a Franciscan priest, fr. Sveto. He asked me about my plans and desires for the future.
I told him all I was intending to do and he said, “That’s wonderful. Now just throw it out of the window, it’s not going to happen.” I looked at him, disappointed that he didn’t believe in me, when he said, “If you let go of it, you’ll experience a much better version of all your dreams and desires – the version that God has in store for you.”
This ‘letting go of the attachment of the outcome’ is really the key.
But it’s also the hardest part of it. Maybe the detachment is the reason we don’t write or draw our desires out – because we know they will be adjusted and that brings in the uncertainty of it all.
So I sat down and decided to write my list. I didn’t think about it much… I just let the pen follow that deeper inner voice.
And you know what happened?
Everything on that list was what I already had – in some form.
And the thing is, even though I really desire new paint in my music room and entryway, a ventilation system in my kitchen (so when I cook I don’t have to fan the smoke alarms LOL), some nice curtains for my bedroom, and a bunch of requests for paying gigs and speaking engagements, those things were not on my list.
Those may be my desires, but they are the kind of desires that I can fulfill by taking action. All I have to do is gather up tools and resources and get it done.
The top of my list started with: “I am healthy. I am at peace. I am joy-filled. I am loved and connected with my sons, family and friends. I belong.” (I was instructed to write in the present tense.)
I then read the list out loud three times.
First with the preface of “I desire to… (be healthy, be at peace, be joy-filled, etc.)”
Then “I intend to do my best to… (be healthy, be at peace, be joy-filled, etc)”.
And lastly: “I am grateful that… (I am healthy, I am at peace, I am joy-filled, etc)…
Even if something on that list wasn’t yet completely here, being grateful for the seeds of it made it real.
Try it. And if you feel good about sharing your experience with me, comment below!
This ‘letting go of the attachment of the outcome’ is really the key.
But it’s also the hardest part of it. Maybe the detachment is the reason we don’t write or draw our desires out – because we know they will be adjusted and that brings in the uncertainty of it all.
So I sat down and decided to write my list. I didn’t think about it much… I just let the pen follow that deeper inner voice.
And you know what happened?
Everything on that list was what I already had – in some form.
And the thing is, even though I really desire new paint in my music room and entryway, a ventilation system in my kitchen (so when I cook I don’t have to fan the smoke alarms LOL), some nice curtains for my bedroom, and a bunch of requests for paying gigs and speaking engagements, those things were not on my list.
Those may be my desires, but they are the kind of desires that I can fulfill by taking action. All I have to do is gather up tools and resources and get it done.
The top of my list started with: “I am healthy. I am at peace. I am joy-filled. I am loved and connected with my sons, family and friends. I belong.” (I was instructed to write in the present tense.)
I then read the list out loud three times.
First with the preface of “I desire to… (be healthy, be at peace, be joy-filled, etc.)”
Then “I intend to do my best to… (be healthy, be at peace, be joy-filled, etc)”.
And lastly: “I am grateful that… (I am healthy, I am at peace, I am joy-filled, etc)…
Even if something on that list wasn’t yet completely here, being grateful for the seeds of it made it real.
Try it. And if you feel good about sharing your experience with me, comment below!
Music
This week, we got our dates for the September/October tour!
We are so excited! In honor of going back on the road, here is Route 66, performed by David Langley, Brian Hanson, and me 😉
This week, we got our dates for the September/October tour!
We are so excited! In honor of going back on the road, here is Route 66, performed by David Langley, Brian Hanson, and me 😉
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Let music+story+coaching help you figure out
AND live your dream life.
Get weekly emails, exclusive content. special offers and
event updates directly to your inbox.