mrs. neal's not-so-conventional MEDITATION [CLASS] for TEENS...

All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions.

– Leonardo da Vinci, renaissance artist and painter

 

I often mention that I don’t make resolutions; I prefer to set goals for myself.

And, I use meditation to help me achieve my goals.

When I meditate, I get a clear mental image of me achieving whatever the goal happens to be that I am focused on achieving. It doesn’t matter how big or how small the goal is, by using visualization techniques, I am more likely to achieve that goal.

I encourage you to set goals for yourself.

The goals don’t have to be complex or challenging. They can be as simple as eating all your vegetables for a whole week, or reading one book a month.

Remember that your subconscious mind does not distinguish between what is real and what is not; because of this, you can visualize yourself succeeding at those goals you have set, and your subconscious will lead you to that success.

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How Does This Work?

Think about something that you want to accomplish in the next five minutes. What exactly do you want to have achieved in that short amount of time?

Take a few deep breaths, let yourself relax a little. Now, get a clear mental image of whatever that five-minute goal happens to be, and see yourself achieving it — to perfection.

Let’s expand on this idea.

What goal would you like to set for the next hour — what do you want to have achieved in that amount of time?

How about the next 24 hours? Take a look at the clock. What do you want to have accomplished at this time tomorrow?

How about the next week? What day is today? What goal can you set that you can achieve by the same day next week?

How about the next month? The next three months?

Six months from now?

The hard one for most teens: what do you want to accomplish in the next year?

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When I do this exercise with a class and have them write out their goals, this is the point in class when some students will drop their pencils on the desk. They just can’t see a year ahead in their lives.

Even though it can be challenging to look a whole year into the future, think about what you might want to have achieved in that amount of time.

 

Now, Make A List!

5-minute goal:

1-hour goal:

24-hour goal:

1-week goal:

1-month goal:

3-month goal:

6-month goal:

1-year goal:

“some-day” goal:

Don’t hesitate to set a few “some-day” goals, too! These are the things that you want to do some day, and can be as far-reaching as you want! (FYI — my “some-day” goal: I want to visit outer space.)

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The process is the same — whether you are setting a small goal, or a big goal. You take a few deep breaths, relax a little, and get a clear mental image of whatever your goal happens to be.

If it helps, use holidays, or seasons or other significant dates as your goal dates — a birthday, for instance, or the first day of spring, or the last day of school.

Always see yourself achieving your goal — to perfection.

 

You may or may not see results right away; however, you will see results. You have planted the seed for success. Just like planting a garden, it sometimes takes a while for things to grow.

Be patient, and keep thinking about your goals and visualize yourself achieving them every day.

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What If You Don’t Achieve Your Goals?

It’s a good idea to set deadlines for your goals, but when you don’t quite achieve a goal by the deadline you have set for achieving that goal, don’t think of it as a failure.

Instead, re-evaluate your plan — what worked, what didn’t work — then make changes to your plan, and re-set the goal.

Think of it like this: let’s say you set a goal to read three books in the next six weeks. You only get through the first two.

Re-evaluate.

Why were you unable to achieve your goal? Were the books not interesting enough to hold your attention? Do you need to spend more time reading each day? Do you need to allow more time to read each book in order to achieve this goal?

Now, adjust the plan and reset the goal.

Perhaps you set a new goal to read three books in the next eight weeks.

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Sometimes you learn what doesn’t work for you. Remember, that’s a type of success, too.

Coming up in chapter 19, you will get a different perspective of mistakes and “happy accidents” — take your time reading that chapter, and think about that perspective.

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Tips To Help You Achieve Your Goals

• Make lists of your goals, and set reasonable timelines for achieving them.
   
• Visualize how you will achieve your goal, and see yourself achieving it — always to perfection!
   
• Re-evaluate and edit your lists whenever you think it’s necessary to help you achieve your goals.
   
• Tell people you trust about your goals to increase your probability of achieving them.

— ♦ —

 

THINK TIME:

What are the goals you set for yourself for today?

 

THE HOWs and WHYs
and OTHER LESSONS

 

Science is not only compatible with spirituality;
it is a profound source
of spirituality.

– Carl Sagan,
scientist / astronomer