How to Have Hope-Filled Free Time
Free time is powerful. It has the power to build you up and the power to break you down. I always look forward to upcoming breaks with the expectation that I will be able to catch my breath, but I have realized that there is a more important consideration.
Does your free time fill you with hope or does it bring you despair? Time off helps provide some perspective to our work. Unfortunately, sometimes perspective is overwhelming.
The key to your free time bringing hope and not despair is using this perspective to your advantage. I have three ways that this perspective can help you envision a hopeful future and not one filled with fear.
Before looking forward, look backward. Too many times we turn our gaze to the next step without appreciating what we have accomplished. Use the perspective to see how far you have come. It is easy to get caught up in the challenges ahead. Trust me; there will be plenty of time to focus on them. In order to be hopeful during your time off, it is essential that you first celebrate your successes and remind yourself of the challenges that you have already overcome.
Let your mind run wild. Dream big. Do not limit yourself in your free time. Brainstorm, vision cast, and get excited about what the future brings. In your free time, you are free of the typical constraints on your day. Deadlines, mundane tasks, and endless problems should not interrupt you. Even if some of your dreams seem out of reach, take this free time to think about them. You might be smarter than you think; the dreams might be achievable with the right plan.
Plan out your journey. On this break, you have the time to make a detailed plan. After dreaming big, make your plans. It is easier to map out a course at the top of a mountain than when you are lost in the trees of the valley. Mark your key checkpoints and make contingency plans. Detailed plans make it easier to be hopeful about the future. Although it might be a treacherous journey, a plan provides hope of completing the journey.
Taking these three steps will help you to be more hopeful of the future while you have free time. Although difficulties are surely ahead, these steps will help you to craft a vision of the future. Hope is based on the belief that the best is yet to come. Looking backward, letting your mind run wild, and planning out your journey will ensure that you have the proper perspective as your free time concludes.
I have one final side note. If you are still finding it hard to be hopeful about the future, it is imperative that you remember that your identity is not tied to any singular event or aspect of your life. Do not let struggles in one part of your life tarnish your entire view of the future. Have a blessed week!
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