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A Real Treasure Map

So you thought treasure maps were things that kids make-believe.... of course. However, there is a real treasure map - for people of all ages. Yes, grown-ups too.
This exercise is a lot of fun with the great benefits of exploration and clarity. It is a vision board exercise for your inner child that also plays on your highest goals. It's a vision statement in picture form. And the bonus prize is that you have a wonderful reminder of it to hang up and be refreshed by daily.
Spring is the ideal time to plant the seeds of projects that you'll be working on for the year. It is a time of pregnancy and birthing. As we only have a few days left (summer begins this weekend), now is a perfect time to wrap up the process of getting your seeds planted. Be selective of what you invest your energy into. In summer, it will be perfect to tend and nurture these seeds you plant.
So take a break from your usual busy-ness and take a healthy stretch of your imagination!
Each of these steps can be their own mini-project. Each time you work on one, make sure you are in a great space with all the conditions to make this a lot of fun. No need to rush:
* Gather 2-4 magazines for a great selection and well-rounded variety. Pick out 1-2 favorites from a big magazine rack (bookstores are a great source). Be VERY picky what you choose and you are consciously choose your future. Take your time and have fun finding your perfect magazine. Be open - it may be different today than it's always been. Grab some more magazines from around the house, the free racks in coffee shops, or in the mail. Even the ones that are really random may have a couple of great pictures in them.
*Get a strong, clean posterboard to paste your pictures on.
*Cut out pictures and/or words that are striking and attractive to you. Cutting out more than you need is better than not having enough. You can be more selective as you arrange them on the posterboard.
*Lay out the pictures you've cut in a meaningful arrangement on your posterboard. Start with just placing them and moving them around until they fit as you'd like. Then you can get out the glue and start permanently attaching them. Be selective as to what gets included in your treasure map. When all set just how you like it, glue the pictures in place.
*Allow to dry overnight and then hang in a prominent place as an inspirational reminder of what is important to you.
Each time I do this exercise, I take it up another level. The last time I did it was over a year ago. I loved my creation so much that I didn't see any room for improvement and thus waited longer than usual to do it. After a visit and a nudge from a dear friend, I realized I didn't have anything on my posterboard having to do with details. My last one was so much about concepts and ideals - it didn't show anything specific at all. I have since added some material preferences in my treasure map as well. Balance is always key for me and I'd definitely like to open the door to a full experience!
So this one is the best one yet. I enjoy staring at it from the kitchen table. I hope you enjoy the exercise. I would love to hear your experience with it.
Love,
Danielle Marie Crume Bookmark and Share
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