Old Red Book
Write Your Personal Biography... What Will It Say About You?
Note: I have used this activity with many clients over the years and found it to be challenging and very effective. It is actually is an exercise I first used with my high school students, then realized the power it has for each of us. Read the little story (scenario) and consider what you would like to see in your own biography. It helps you plan ahead and you can learn quite a bit about yourself in the process. Your exercise challenge.
THE SCENARIO
On a lovely spring day, far in the future, you are walking down the business section of town when you notice a lovely little used book store. It intrigues you, so you walk in and look around. The musty smell of old books and the feel of history and other people’s writing envelops you like a comforting blanket. It feels like home.
The clerk walks up with a cheerful grin and open heart. “Welcome to our store. How can I help you today? Are you looking for something special?”
“Not really,” you respond. “I just noticed your little shop and felt drawn to come in and look around. I’ll just browse for a while.”
He smiles and says “Take your time and enjoy. There are many lovely books in here.”
So you wander around the store reading the titles, touching the binders of some of the books, with no real goal in mind. Just enjoying yourself.
Suddenly, you see a red leather-bound book on a nearby shelf. Something about it intrigues you, so you go over to see what it is.
As you get closer, the gold leaf lettering on the binding surprises you. You wonder “What is this? I must be reading it wrong.” Then when you pull it off the shelf it hits you. You read the title correctly: “A Biography of (your name).” It is YOUR NAME on the red book. It claims to be a biography of YOUR life! It really is YOU!
Do you dare open the book? How ready are you to even think about reading the story of your own life written as a future biography? Well, you do open the red leather-bound book with gilded gold lettering and begin reading the story of your own life…..
YOUR EXERCISE
What do you hope it will say? What concerns do you have about the contents? Presuming this could be real, what would you like your own biography to say?
Take the time to carefully consider, even meditate, upon the story you want others to know about you and your life. What goals have you already achieved? What do you still want to accomplish? What do others know and think about the life you have lived? What lessons have you learned? How grateful have you been for the lessons and the achievements in your life? What type of family, interpersonal, career, and spiritual life have you lived? What else would you want to find written in that lovely red leather book about your life? Take time to simply consider these ideas.
Then write down notes, ideas, questions, and anything else that comes to mind in response to these questions. Be thoughtful and honest. Dream big while you do because anything is possible.
Then write a one to two-page biography of your own life as if you are a historical writer relating the lifetime of the special person you are, based upon your realizations from this activity. Take your time. Be inclusive of the topics you describe: family, relationships, career, health, accomplishments, spiritual journey, etc. Again, DREAM BIG while you write your story. Include the things you would like, yet don’t yet see a way to accomplish, like abundance, wealth, joy, success. Include more than you currently believe possible, yet desire. Feel free to write, put it away for a bit, bring it back out so you can edit and add to it until it feels right to you.
Read it over several times to be sure that what you are affirming for your future life is exactly what you wish. Feel the power of the life and future you have just created for yourself. What you sincerely ask for and accept as real is what you manifest.
Keep your manuscript safe. Read it from time to time. Feel free to edit it for even greater outcomes. You are the master of your life. When you send out doubt, fear, anger, or depression, that is often what you speak the loudest in your heart, mind, and verbally. When you send out acceptance for wonderful things in your life, keep the energy positive, and follow through with the belief and tasks that manifest those wonderful things, they appear in your life.
I wish you well on your journey into manifesting your future in wondrous ways. Congratulations for your efforts and growing belief in who you are and what you can accomplish. Blessed be!
By The Way – I’d love feedback on whether writing your own biography affects you and/or your life plan in any way.
Please feel free to leave a comment below.
Your thoughts and comments are valuable to me and to other members of our community.
Love this idea. Very thought provoking
It has worked very well with many people. (Sorry I did not see that you had responded until now). I have from time to time wondered what my own legacy or biography would be. Years ago when I discovered and started working with this activity it was clear that it is a true challenge to take an objective look at who we are and who we want to be, and how that is perceived by others. It can have a profound impact on goal setting and how we chose to live life.
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Have fun thinking about your own autobiography!
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All you need to begin with is simple notes and ideas. Be kind to yourself and don't try to write a perfect thesis. This exercise is for your benefit. So relax and let it flow as ideas occur to you.
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