Again, this is not an officially-created or affiliated project, just something I wanted to share with others who appreciate and use the Hero’s Journal and/or the Hero’s Planner.
Mini Quest Part 3: Making a Thimble List
[see Part 1 here] Day 1 was all about focusing on something you want.
[see Part 2 here] Day 2 was about getting around to needed tasks.
Today, let’s work on some dreaming, future-goals, and what I have decided to call my “thimble list.” Because it’s not grand enough for a bucket… ? Keeping in line with the previous days’ goals of choosing tasks that can be done with what you have on hand, on this day, let’s make this a list of desired activities and places that are within a couple hours’ journey. A trip to the ocean or the mountains? Visiting a museum? Throwing a “just because” party? Not grand, not expensive, not requiring several days’ off. Just – a quick, fun adventure for you and the companions you choose.
This time, I strongly recommend list-making or drawing/painting supplies of some type. Although I often default to the computer for general lists, I actually prefer the feel of paper under my hands, and the texture of marks made with a pencil. For a list like this, illustrating the items may come in handy.
If you did Day 1 and Day 2, the flow of these should be familiar. That is deliberate – when an activity is done in the same way or has the same parameters over time, it frees the mind to stop thinking about the process of doing, and begin to engage with the purpose (or product).
Right Now: you are looking for a place and moment of calm where you can consider what is truly important AND achievable with the Time, Tools, Talent, and Treasure you have available Today. [“the five Ts”]
BEGIN
RELAX. Let your mind wander.
- What do you see that you haven’t noticed before? What do you hear? If you are in motion, what sensations do you have as you move through the space over textures, changes in slope, changes in direction? If you are seated, what points of contact do you have with surfaces, are you comfortable and stable or do you need to adjust your position occasionally?
- What is catching your attention? What isn’t catching your attention unless you focus? What is concerning you today? What is bringing you joy?
- Notice how your breath is moving in and out of your body. Do you feel heavy or light? Check in with your distant body parts and gradually move your attention toward your core. What feels tight? Unstable? Painful? What feels comfortable, relaxed, supported?
CONSIDER simple joyful experiences that are available and accessible. Is there a new café you would like to try? Is a favorite artist coming to perform at “Music in the Park?” Game night at the local comic book store? A play at the community theater? A favorite park for picnicking?
CONTINUE
LIST at least three experiences that you would anticipate with joy, that wouldn’t take an enormous amount of preparation, money, or schedule changes. You can either set dates for some of them, or leave them to float until the opportunity arises.
Take as long as you like with this list, and add to it as you go along over the next few days. Sometimes, anticipating the adventure is almost as good as the experience! Savor the planning…
ARRANGE them in order of dates of availability if you like: if you know you like ice skating perhaps that one will wait until December, for example. And if you, like me (see below), like playing in your garden, that might be something to do before it starts getting too chilly!
CONSIDER if there is something that is calling to you right now that is possible to accomplish today with the time, talent, treasure, and tools you have. Congratulations! On the other hand…
It is possible that you don’t have anything that makes sense to do today. That’s okay. The real quest is letting yourself dream about manageable but still meaningful excursions The thimble is as big as you need! But I do recommend you keep to local, day-long trips rather than “big ticket” travel.
Keeping things manageable, I have put “picnic in our garden” at the top of my list. For various reasons, we have not had abundant outdoor together-time this summer. But I am hoping we will have a couple of days before the weather turns in September that we can take some time to enjoy the abundance of life in our yard. And I want to go to the history museum in a nearby city soon – they have a working train set!
My thimble-list is growing already.
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