Review of a test I took about finding your life purpose

I just posted something on a forum about ‘finding your purpose’. It inspired me to write a quick summary of a test I took in January.

It’s called ‘The Passion Test’, based on the bestselling book by Chris and Janet Atwood. I hadn’t heard of the test before but was invited to a workshop in Topanga, here in California. The workshop was led by Sylva Dvorak, an incredibly warm and inspiring speaker.

The test helps you to get clear about your top 5 passions. It’s a great method. Firstly you brainstorm and write down absolutely anything that comes to mind, including things which seem ‘wrong’. Often these have a seed of truth that can help you find your purpose. Then you use a great comparison method, which helps you to work out which are the Top 5.

It involves being very honest with yourself. Sometimes it can be a bit uncomfortable because you choose certain things above others. It’s the only way to cut through those things you think you ‘should be doing’ to find your true passions in life.

I thoroughly recommend doing this test. Afterwards, we made vision boards about our passions. I don’t think I have posted mine, so I will post it as my ‘Fourth Example’. Find out more about the Experiment and Vision Board Examples here.

I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has taken the Passion Test or similar tests.

World’s richest man, Carlos Slim Helu, on how to achieve success

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helu was named the world’s richest man today, above Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Just found this great interview with him, where he is asked what advice he would give young people. He says it’s important to find out what your vocation is – and not to carry on doing something you don’t enjoy.

I find that very inspiring, since it’s a journey I’ve been on during the last six months.

A vision board is a great way to start finding out what you want. I was taking a career coaching course to find my dream career when I first came across this idea last summer. It’s triggered huge changes in my life. See the ‘About Me’ page.

Here’s the link to the interview with Carlos Slim Helu

How life can change after you make your first vision board…

Where, oh where, have the months gone?

A quick summary…

1. Was invited to a vision board workshop at beautiful ranch in Topanga a few weeks after arriving in LA. (Hadn’t even heard of vision board workshops before this). Met the fantastic ‘certified vision board facilitator’ (Ditto).

2. Competition to win a one-hour session with said facilitator. Guess who won it? That’s right. Me. Shock number two – she hands me her card. She is an editor and I am writing a novel. My novel includes a vision board (*insert twilight zone music here*).

3. Had a fantastic session with said facilitator. She suggested using it to look at my book since we’d made vision boards at the workshop. Judith Fine-Sarchielli. Fantastic editor, vision board coach, and Tuscan chef (she lived in Italy for 20 years)

4. Re-wrote some of book as a result and uploaded to ‘Authonomy’ website run by Harper Collins. Bit of a time-consuming site but worthwhile for feedback.  My pen name is ‘Amelia Field’.

5. Volunteered to help Judith with vision board workshop. Watch this space…

6. Now have a second updated vison board made at the workshop. Love it. Also made one to depict my book’s plot at Judith’s suggestion. Amazingly useful. Made a third vision board for friend who gave me a wonderful intuitive healing session. Her professional name is ‘Loving Essence’. First time I’d had anything like that and I felt a bit awkward but she was so kind and wonderful that it was a complete pleasure and very interesting. Board I made was themed around ‘gratitude’ (pic below). Another idea from Judith. Vision boards as gifts! Great idea.

7. Loving LA.

NUMBER 3

from Dawn Abraham in Marina del Rey, California

From Dawn Abraham in Marina del Rey, Los Angeles, California

I had so much fun designing my dream board. I look at it now and so many of the things I put on this board have either come true or something even better has happened. The magic from my board is still generating and manifesting itself today.

You see I didn’t fool around with my dream board. I went to town!! It is full of all the wonderful places I intend on traveling and the people I want to meet and share my life with.

I have yoga poses I want to achieve. I am meditating on the beach overlooking the ocean at sunrise (I did that in Florida when studying with Deepak Chopra, it was incredible) I have inspiring affirmations that say:

Affirmations

”I Am RENEWED”

“I AM RELAXED”

“I AM CONFIDENT”

“I AM UNSTOPPABLE”

“I AM FOCUSED”

“I AM SELF AWARE”

“I AM CALM”

“I AM ENRICHED”

“I AM PLAYFUL”

The sky is the limit. Anything you find that inspires you put that on your dream board.

I have to say that when I first made this vision board I thought that everything would happen right away. Some of the things actually did happen with in a short amount of time while others still had to grow for me. I look back and now realize that if every one of those things happened right away I wouldn’t have had time to appreciate and fully experience them all.

Dawn Abraham.

**NB: Further useful advice from Dawn about creating a dream board can be found at her website

The Complete Vision Board Kit: How to Use the Power of Intention and Visualization to Manifest the Life of Your Dreams

John Assaraf, millionaire entrepreneur and one of the stars of ‘The Secret’ has published the above guide to creating a vision board which works. His story inspired me to start this blog and set up my own inspiring vision board (see last post for details).

I am definitely going to order a copy. It looks fantastic and there are also lots of free resources on his site including dream board examples. Here is a description from his website www.johnassaraf.com.

“Done correctly, a vision board will help make your dreams come true. You can create a vision board to help you achieve success in as many ways as you define the word,

* in your health
* relationships
* wealth
* careers goals
* in all aspects of your life.

“While it’s very simple, there’s more to changing your life with a vision board than just pasting pictures on a board. You must also pay close attention to your thoughts and intentions – and you’ll find out exactly how to do that, faster, easier and better, with this book.

“And it’s actually much more than a book, it comes with a 45 minute DVD entitled The Secret to Having Your Best Year Ever, and a sample vision board – everything you need to create your own life-changing vision board.

“Here’s the thing about vision boards. They really work!

“If you saw The Secret, you may recall the story of how John Assaraf learned about the incredible power of vision boards in his own life. Click on the link below for details on that story. And download your free Chapter One to find out how easy it is to harness the amazing power of your own vision board!”

You can read about the true story of how John Assaraf discovered the power of vision boards and download a free chapter from the book here http://www.thevisionboardkit.com/index.php.