101 ways to expand your world of possibilities!

 

I always say, 'To have a big dream requires the same effort as having a small dream. Dream big!'

- Jorge Paulo Lemann

For the past 28 years we have taken a "timeout" to retreat, review and renew our personal and professional lives.  When we made the decision to become digital nomads and travel the country we continued this annual process.  

One of the reflective/projective techniques we use is called the "101 List - Things I Wish to Be, Do or Have Before I Leave the Planet."  Phyl has been using this process for over 30 years as a way to invite her clients into a more expansive space of possibility, both personally and professionally.  Its worked that way for us too!

As a couple, we create our lists separately (not reviewing what we listed last year) and then compare our lists for common themes. Over the years, the lists have had some way-out-there and imaginative things (i.e. fly on the Space Shuttle, 80 Day World Cruise, etc.).  

This year was different... as our lifestyle has become more defined by minimalism, our dreams and aspirations have become more focused and grounded in our journey of living as "temporary locals."

Below is a sampling of wish list items that made the cut this year:

Jer: Train trip on the Orient Express from Paris to Venice (we are great fans of Agatha Christie's Poirot series and also love trains!)

Phyl: Train trip across the USA on the California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco (across the Rockies!)

Jer: Build/buy tiny home (less than 800 sq.ft.) with casita for guests near water and woods (we no longer feel a need to own a large house, yet still want the ability to host friends and family - and continue to travel!)

Phyl: Convert holiday movie collection to digital (she owns over 400 Christmas themed films!)

Jer: Week-long Supper Club tour in Wisconsin (he loves the vibe of supper clubs - relish trays, two-finger pour Manhattans, and lots of stuffed animals on knotty pine paneling!) 

Phyl: Finish visiting all 50 states - on four wheels (except for Hawaii!) 

Jer: Build solar-powered tree house office with internet on our forever-home property (both of us have already decided that we ain't gonna be retiring anytime soon - we both love what we do - and the idea of having an office nestled in the woods perched up in a tree seems awesome!) 

Both: Visit all 63 National Parks (we're about a third of the way with this aspiration - gotta keep moving to achieve this goal!) 

Both: One-month housesit in Salisbury UK within the Cathedral Close (we have visited Salisbury twice, not far from Stonehenge, the community dates back to the 1200's) 

Both: Drive all of Route 66 (we've driven parts of "The Mother Road" - but not the entire length)

Maybe we'll do these things and maybe we won't, but what's a given is that we won't stop dreaming!