Vagabond Life Lesson #10 — Power of Vision

“Why haven’t I been meditating on my vision, goals, and affirmations like I used to do religiously before I left on this trip?” I wondered aloud as I was about to begin lecturing myself.

I don’t quite remember exactly where I was at the time the shell of self-doubt and disbelief shattered around me. Yet I do remember it was a few months into my Vagabond Adventure and I had little to no desire to perform this daily ritual during my travels. About five years earlier, I had created a vision board after attending a Jack Canfield Breakthrough to Success retreat and reviewed it each morning before/after meditation. I became somewhat frustrated and disillusioned when some of my desires hadn’t manifested yet despite relentlessly drilling them into my subconscious and making attempts to bring them into reality.

I pulled out my plastic sheet protected vision board from my laptop case and took a gander. The answer to my question started coming into focus as my eyes gravitated towards the corner where “Adventure & Fun” resides. Then shifting my gaze over to the other side I studied the picture of a group of friends laughing while barbecuing. And that’s when it happened and it all became crystal clear.

“Holy sh*t! I think the reason I haven’t been meditating on my vision during this trip is that I’ve actually begun living out the life I envisioned for myself five years ago.”

One of my initial adventure goals had been to explore do at least one fun social or recreational activity each week and at least one day-trip per month to a town or community event. Well, I had just realized I had outdone myself on this goal since being on my Vagaventure. I was on the move and in a new town throughout the U.S. and Canada every few days.

As for barbecuing with friends, it represented having a circle of close friends to hang out with in Orange County which I had felt was lacking. This eluded me for after 10 years of living there. However, in that moment I realized that for several months before prior to leaving on my Vagabond Adventure I regularly played Pickleball on Monday evenings with a group of guys from my synagogue. We’d typically grab some dinner afterwards — one of the guys, Gaby, often had us over to his home where we’d barbeque and laugh out loud while relaxing and shooting the breeze with each other! The camaraderie I had been seeking for so long in my vision snuck up on me without having realized it!

How Visioning impacts my life today

The major lesson I learned is to keep the faith with my vision and trust the process even when it feels like nothing is happening.

I had previously realized some of the goals on my vision board such as The Pipe Dreams Foundation. I had started it a few years earlier with a percentage of sales from my coaching and consulting business and have given out grants to about a half dozen nonprofits so far.

While I don’t yet have my dream home by the water, I have realized this vision in a significant, yet different way than I initially envisioned. After wrapping up my Vagabond Adventure, I moved into a spacious one-bedroom apartment in Oceanside, California — close enough to view, hear and enjoy the ocean waves as I had envisioned for myself all these years.

I still have a ways to go with the uppermost section of my vision board. For instance, I have yet to start working on my next books and my income goals are still a ways off. And I’m still seeking my future wife. However, I did start dating in earnest again after retreating from the dating scene for a few years during Covid. I recently reconnected with an amazing woman who captured my heart. Unfortunately, she’s working through some personal challenges and isn’t ready to date right now — so sadly the timing wasn’t right. Yet I’m striving to carry forward what I learned by remaining optimistic and faithful to my vision. While I’m open to meeting someone new, I’m also secretly hoping that things eventually work out between us when she’s ready to date again.

As an amusing aside, my vision board recently saved the day when I lost my laptop at the airport just before boarding a flight to Sacramento for a business trip. I had it tucked inside the carrying case. When I miraculously found the laptop laying on top of a concrete platform outside the airport, a security guard appeared. He needed verification that I was the owner. I told him about the vision board. As it turns out, I happened to be wearing the exact same red shirt I have on in the picture. He immediately exclaimed, “Yep, that’s definitely you!” Whew — I made it onto my flight in time.

How about you? What do you envision for yourself and how are you bringing it about?

In the year since finishing my six-month Vagabond Adventure throughout the U.S. and Canada, I’ve had time to reflect on this incredible experience from which I gleaned 10 life lessons. Previously, I wrote about my experiences with Generosity, Connection, Flexibility, Security, Showing Up, Moving On, Your Environment, Energy, Differences and their impacts on me.