Back to basics

"I now have a new attitude.  In that sense, my vacation was truly recreational because I came back re-created.  This truly was the best vacation I’ve ever had."

You can listen to the host of Joy In The Journey Radio read this blog post by using the player here.  Feel free to continue the conversation by leaving a comment. And be sure to catch the latest episode of Joy in the Journey Radio by going to the Recent Shows page!

This past weekend I’ve had the best vacation I’ve ever had in my entire life.  Most people hearing that declaration will wonder where I went to have such a great time.  But my vacation was great not so much for where I went as for what I did.

I went to Afton, Wyoming.  “Why would you go there?” some of you undoubtedly wonder.  “There’s nothing there.”  To which I answer, “Precisely.”

Recently I’ve felt my life dead end in so many ways.  I wanted to search my soul and think deeply about my life.  I wanted to re-calibrate myself with a sense of hope that all isn’t lost for me.  And I wanted a game plan for taking every part of my life to the next level.

For me, that’s all best done surrounded by mountains, fresh air, and as few people as possible.  Wyoming’s Star Valley fits that bill to a T.

---

Start with the temple

My first order of business was a session in the Star Valley temple.  This has to be the absolutely smallest temple I’ve ever seen.  There’s only one endowment room, one sealing room, and four sessions per day.

I arrived hoping to join the last session.  Every seat was already reserved, so the front desk called someone to see what work I might do.  I took a seat and waited patiently.

Very soon, a temple presidency member came out and greeted me.  We shook hands as I expressed my hope in doing a session.  Instantly this kind man put his arm around my shoulder.  He thanked me for coming in a way that made me feel truly welcome.  Then, turning to the attendant at the front desk, he instructed a space be made for me to attend a session.

He then offered to show me where to go.  I accepted, although the building is so small I couldn’t possibly get lost.  Early during my session I began to feel a quiet confidence the blessings I desire are still available and the Lord will walk with me towards their attainment.  What a wonderful start to my vacation!

---

Get down to the nitty gritty

I spent the next four days writing in a Moleskine notebook.  I wanted to take my life to the next level, and I had a plan for how I would proceed.

I started by listing every part of my life I wanted to take to the next level — my spiritual life, my relationships (both ones I had and ones I wanted), my career, my own businesses, my residence, my finances — literally everything.

Then for each of those individual items, I followed a five step process:

1. Identify what you want.  Clarity is power, so I seek to be as clear and specific as I can in describing exactly what I want.
2. Identify why you want what you want.  As creatures of emotion, we base our actions in some emotion.  Identifying that specific driving emotion provides added clarity.
3. Compare your WHY with your WHAT.  Is doing my WHAT the best way to feel my WHY?  If not, adjust the WHAT to align better with the WHY.
4. Identify what you can do to move towards what you want.  Here I list 10 specific actions I can take to start me in the direction towards what I want.  I don’t need to know every step to get there, just the next few in front of me.
5. Commit yourself to your plan.  Here I identified the specific tools I would use to account for each of the six influences of personal change I discussed earlier this year.

I followed these steps for every individual part of my life, so little wonder I filled 71 pages in my notebook.  From those pages I extracted the individual action items (271 in all) that get me started taking my life to the next level.

---

Feel the power

Admittedly, 271 action items is a lot, but I need do only one item at a time.  And having lots to do is great.  It gives hope I’ve got endless opportunity to turn my life around, a realization that brings with it great empowerment.

I returned home feeling very powerful and very hopeful I can secure eternal blessings and live the life I want.  I now have a new attitude.  In that sense, my vacation was truly recreational because I came back re-created.  This truly was the best vacation I’ve ever had.

If you feel your life has approached a dead end in any or all its aspects, find your own quiet place to search your soul and get back to basics.  You’ll find you can do so much to turn your life around.  And that feeling of empowerment will bring you more joy in your journey.

---