1. The Creative Challenge of Midlife Kathleen Brehony, Ph.D. 252-473-4004 www.fullpotentialliving.com ACORN Model©. All Rights Reserved.

2. A Short Film You will see six people playing basketball – three are wearing black shirts and three are wearing white shirts. Each player can do one of three things: 1. Dribble 2. Pass the ball 3. Bounce-Pass the ball CAREFULLY COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT PLAYERS IN WHITE SHIRTS BOUNCE-PASS THE BALL TO ANOTHER PERSON IN A WHITE SHIRT.

3. Life-Balance Techniques The Wheel of Life Exercise The Wheel of Life is from Co-Active Coaching; Laura Whitworth, Henry Kimsey-House and Phil Sandahl; Davis-Black Publishing, 1998.

5. SWOT Analysis InternalExternal StrengthsOpportunities WeaknessesThreats

6. Where you are now and Where you want to be? Gap Analysis

7. What do you need to do or change in order to increase/improve any of these areas that are lower than you would like them to be? Write down some strategies that you can implement to change the balance in your Wheel of Life. How can you use your strengths or circumvent your weaknesses (SWOT) or your GAP Analysis in order to improve your Wheel of Life?

8. Peak Moment, Living Our Values & Finding Our Life Purpose 1.Think about times in your life (at any age) when you did something that left you with a deep feeling of satisfaction or fulfillment. Make a list of 8- 10 of those experiences. Write them down. 2. Share one with another person in this room. Pay attention to your body. 3.Look over your vignettes, ask yourself what you were doing that gave you such a feeling of satisfaction. Using the present tense, record those for each story. 4.Ask yourself: “What value was I honoring when I participated in each experience?” Use “I” statements. Write each value on a separate index card. 5.Place your cards in a line in front of you. Order the values in terms of most to least important. 6.How are these values expressed in your life right now? What do you need to do in order to live these values more fully? How do these values relate to your own life purpose?

9. The Critical First Two Steps Toward Self-Realization/Individuation All PotentialConcentration

10. The Teleological Process of Life

11. The ACORN Model A ccept your dreams and urgings of your heart C reate a plan to live your dreams O rganize your life and imagery around your plan R eward small steps N ever, ever give up

12. ACCEPT the urgings of your heart Write down one big dream in your life that you have not yet accomplished. List at least 5 reasons why you must accomplish this goal.

13. CREATE a plan to live your dreams List at least 5 specific actions you can take to turn your dream into a reality. Look honestly at the obstacles or challenges you must get past. Write them down.

14. Organize your life around this plan. Write down 2 specific actions you will take THIS WEEK (make one small and one large) to actualize your dream. List these two goals and give each a deadline.

15. Reward small steps Write down 2 ways you will reward yourself for the accomplishment of your 2 goals for this week.

16. Never, ever give up Write down the names of people whom you expect to be supportive of you living your dreams. Brainstorm ways in which you can elicit their support and help in getting your momentum going. What other activities/groups will fuel you? Write down the names of people who might be threatened or challenged by the changes you plan to make. Brainstorm ways in which you can reduce their influence on you. What other groups, activities, responsibilities might drain your momentum toward your goal? Brainstorm ways in which you can reduce these influences.

17. Write down any and all feelings you are experiencing as you complete this written exercise.

18. Copy this, sign and date it, and have a witness sign and date it. Right here. Right now. Proclaim Your Commitment My Pledge I understand that life is not a dress rehearsal and that I have the Creator-given right and responsibility to live up to my full potential as a human being. I have an inalienable right to live with passion and meaning. The urgings of my heart and my dreams have pointed the way. I make this promise to myself: I will carefully, dutifully follow the plan that I have thoughtfully written down so that I will not die guessing. Signature___________________________________ Date:__________ Witness____________________________________ Date:__________