A decline in openness to experience, then, could reflect someone relishing their routine rather than seeking new thrills; a decline in extroversion could indicate that they’re satisfied spending time with the people they already love. That may involve adjusting to what they can’t control, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re reacting to a bad life—just a different one.
Faith Hill, The Curious Personality Changes of Older Age
“Psychologists used to follow the same line of thinking: After young adulthood, people tend to settle into themselves, and personality, though not immutable, usually becomes stabler as people age. And that’s true—until a certain point. More recent studies suggest that something unexpected happens to many people as they reach and pass their 60s: Their personality starts changing again.” (Source)
[Maira Kalman’s art from The Principles of Uncertainty]
Research has shown that when people get older, they commonly recalibrate their goals; though they might be doing less, they tend to prioritize what they find meaningful and really appreciate it.
Faith Hill, The Curious Personality Changes of Older Age
Braveheart, we assign all kinds of narratives to the details of aging. In fact, we are literally spoon-fed all kinds of narratives and judgments about aging. (Most of which are undesired and, frankly, demeaning.)
- Introversion is not a fear-based choice.
- It is personality style characterized by a preference for the inner life of the mind over the outer world of other people” (Psychology Today).
- It is the choice to focus [give time and energy] “to one’s own thoughts and feelings rather than with external things.”
- As someone who used to live “out loud” and extroverted — never understanding why anyone would choose quietness and being alone — I get it now. 💗
- Side note: I have imagined a humble conversation with my beloved Mimi, apologizing to her for pushing so hard for her to “get out more” and to participate in local community activities when she was in her 60’s and 70’s.
Imagination is absolutely critical to the quality of our lives. Our imagination enables us to leave our routine everyday existence by fantasizing about travel, food, sex, falling in love, or having the last word—all the things that make life interesting. Imagination gives us the opportunity to envision new possibilities—it is an essential launchpad for making our hopes come true. It fires our creativity, relieves our boredom, alleviates our pain, enhances our pleasure, and enriches our most intimate relationships.
Bessel van der Kolk
The saving grace of my creative practice has been to prefer the inner life of my mind, and to envision living differently — continually imagining my life beyond past losses and sorrows, routines and default role choices.
- To live a life of my choosing, to its fullest point of joy and meaning. 💗
- To explore all the many possibilities of my wild and precious life. 💗
- To support my ever-evolving self — even as that is only possible via trial-and-error. 💗
Yesterday was all about celebrating by birthday by doing what I wanted to do (and on a small scale).
I started with a list of what I wanted to experience for the day, but the progression of said list was interrupted by the need to resolve some issues regarding ongoing home repairs.
- And yet … even that turned into something I wanted to experience. (Including time with one of my favorite people!)
It also included an unexpected revelation about how much life shifts and how what we enjoy changes over time.
“Browsing in a book store” was on my list. This is something I haven’t done very much in years (and it completely stopped in 2020) — so it was first on my list! 💗
- Yet … once I got there and started walking around, I realized that browsing in a book store no longer held the joy or the endorphin-charge I remember. 😏
- It took a bit pondering, but I realized that when going to a book store was such a mood-booster for me — inspiring new ideas and offering never-seen-before books and journals and miscellany — I wasn’t reading online (books, blogs and other digital content). Also, I wasn’t participating in book discussions (online and in-person).
- Tracking back to when a trip to the book store was a delight, I remembered it was also treasured time I shared with my son.
- There was also a brief time when I had joyful “book store time” with my eldest grandchild, but the most salient memories were when I was with my son.
- And, actually, shopping at Target was more of a must-do with my eldest grandchild whenever they visited. 😉
This morning I reflected on how so many of my preferences have changed during the past several years.
💡I remembered reading the article I cited in the beginning of this post.
- I remembered how I have been consciously using what I already have (art supplies, books, etc.) after a major purge during our home remodel in 2021.
- I remembered my turning point toward peace and ease as a priority; less busyness and embracing slow being fast enough.
- I remembered the video I watched about [slow living], inspiring me to explore the whole of my living, and reduce it down to the essentials I want in this moment, now — this season, of my wild and precious life.
[cards from Lisa Congdon’s “Live Your Values” deck]
I reviewed the value cards of my truest priorities right now — as a point of alignment and recalibration — to assess specific default activities of my dailies.
- As in, what do I keep saying I want to be/do — but not actually experiencing/living?
- I felt inspired to “open the discomfort portal” (ala Nic Antoinette) and,
- I created a mind map my thoughts:
Right brain planning is grounding (calming) for me; it is a way to observe + explore + celebrate my habits. 💗
Related: 🎵 i am [Unwritten] by Natasha Bedingfield | 🎥 “Facing death reminds you to live fully.” -Lizzie Allan
What does all of this have to do with planning?
Chronicling the details of our days is a way of understanding ourselves + mapping our desires. Tracking (and reviewing) our thoughts and routine activities reveals our beliefs and values — and helps us to discover our pace and rhythms.
Showing up for ourselves on the page along with setting aside time and space on a regular basis for both tangible and intangible processing is how we come to identify our desires + get clarity.
- Everything is an opportunity. Everything we have lived and loved, questioned and lost is a part of who we are.
And, Braveheart, there is enough time and space and energy for our dreams and desires, wishes and want-to’s (even when we doubt that enoughness).
Our dreams take time. Without some type of visual chronicle to serve as a “map” — as well as a reminder and directive — the timelines of our desires and experiences become jumbled. What matters most becomes forgotten and ignored.
Having a system, a scaffolding of sorts, provides us with starting points + helps us to show up for ourselves on the page as we align our values with our actions.
- The 2024 Annual Kit provides instructional content to guide you in establishing a right brain planning practice.
The 2024 Annual Kit includes:
(1) Guide — content and principles regarding a right brain planning practice to foster your attention regarding your “constellations” [patterns, habits and rhythms] and compassion.
(2) Prompts and Template Pages — basic principles for a right brain planning practice including monthly guide words, prompts, art and themed content to provide a framework for a calendar year.
Thank you kindly for your presence here, Braveheart.
I appreciate your interest and support.
~love & good wishes~
2024 Right Brain Planner® Kit | field notes | Right Brain Planner® FAQ
2024 Right Brain Planner® Kit [Theme] Kaleidoscope Perspectives ✨ [Focus] — Noticing Beauty (within the kaleidoscope of your living: the ongoing, ever-changing “formations” of color and meaning)
❤️ Braveheart, as the Creator/Artist of Right Brain Planner® I am ever-grateful to have the opportunity to share my creative work online + support other creators since 2008! 🎉 This is possible, in part, by {you} and your presence here. But also because of the support of my Ko-fi patrons and the other other member/subscriber communities I host (via their presence, input and subscriptions).
P.S. I have been devoting more time to writing here about my creative practice. 😊 I hope you will join me here, Braveheart. 🎉