Martha Beck, whose book I'm thoroughly enjoying, suggests an exercise in which her readers and clients close their eyes and visualize themselves 10 years into the future. Start by calculating your age 10 years from now and the ages of the people closest to you, and "see" the scene or snapshot from your own point of view. Describe your immediate environment--colors, sounds, smells, temperature, etc. Be as sensory as possible so you can really feel it. Martha Beck has been a life-coach for much of her career and this method has proven to be "amazingly accurate" in what people see in their own futures.
I decided to give it a try...
I'm a happy, healthy 40-year-old at a busy outdoor market on a late-October day in a European town. A fresh water scent fills the air, softly assuring the presence of a nearby river. Although the day is overcast, I love every step I take on the cobblestoned streets. I'm wearing the dark brown boots I bought in Amsterdam, a beige sweater and a colorful scarf to protect me from autumn's chill. Something about the scene feels very holiday-ish.
I'm in a tent where candles are sold in glass jars with ribbons tied around the top. I'm torn about whether or not I should by a pink candle. Or maybe an orange cinnamin-spice candle would be more seasonally appropriate. Soft music plays in the background. The heaters warm me and I raise my gaze to look for a friend to consult.
Directly in front of me is a woman, in her late-30s, with long dark hair who doesn't notice me staring at her. Though visibly pregnant, she looks beautiful and vivacious as she discusses various items with the people around her, rapidly speaking some European language. I feel sisterly love and admiration of her. "Alicia!" she calls for me to join them.
A tall, bright-eyed man with great hair and a navy sweater puts his warm hand around mine and whispers to me. I crack up, rolling my eyes at his joke, and feel a sense of family.
We stroll along...
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