What Comes Before Any Building is Built, Any Business is Started or Any Story is Written?
In last month’s newsletter I introduced the importance of having a vision for all things important to us and outlined the six steps for our Visioning Process. This month we explore the first step in this 6-step process: It Starts with a Vision.
But before we can jump into the actual visioning part of this process, it’s important to identify the purpose for making a change in one’s housing situation. The purpose is that intangible part of the process – the inner motivation – that is propelling you to either make a change or keep the status quo. When you connect with your purpose you experience a visceral push from within that says “Yes! This is what I want. I want to make a move or I want to continue living in the home I love!” Purpose makes you want to get up in the morning and work towards your vision. It also allows you to scale mountains and make things happen if obstacles arise.
Once your purpose is clear, we shift gears and start working on your vision for either making a move or, if this will be your forever home, aging in place. In the case of making a move, your vision will include traditional criteria like number of bedrooms and baths, home square footage, lot size, condition, etc. It also includes prioritizing those aspects that are non-negotiable. True visioning also involves determining the requirements needed to support your ideal lifestyle, both indoors and out. And consideration should also be given to how you want to feel in your home: Do you want to feel energized or relaxed? Peace and tranquil or vibrant and active? Do you want a home that nurtures you and/or inspires your creativity? Is it a sanctuary or a place of gathering or both? If both, what does that look like?
And as you articulate your vision for your lifestyle in your ideal new home, I am taking notes that I then read back to you to make sure we haven’t missed anything. Once we’ve completed your vision, I type up your Statement of Purpose and Vision and send it to you. This document becomes our North Star, so if at any time you start to feel unclear or the need to settle, we have something concrete to refer back to.
We know we’ve finished when there is a sense of readiness and excitement about taking the next step. Stay tuned for June’s issue of Vision Matters as we explore step #2: It Takes a Plan.