The Background
This week I have been participating in a Dare to Prosper Challenge. I have enjoyed it and gotten a lot out of it so far. Yesterday I was challenged to go on a Prosperity Date, an activity that would allow me to borrow energy from my future prosperous self. The goal was to do something in the energy of prosperity.
My Reaction
When the challenge was first presented, I felt somewhat reluctant. I’m not sure where this reluctance was coming from, but if I had to guess, I would say that this activity was outside of my comfort zone. I will also note that in the past, I have struggled with similar assignments. When I worked through The Artist’s Way, I found it easy to do morning pages, which requires a lot of discipline. Interestingly, I still do morning pages every day and have for upwards of five years. I found it more challenging to do the artist’s dates, which allowed me to connect to my creativity and my inner child. There may be an aspect of denying myself fun, pleasurable experiences here; I will explore that later, probably in my morning pages!
Getting Over the Hurdle
It is important of me to complete all aspects of this Dare to Prosper Challenge. I allowed myself to do a little brainstorming, asking what would feel really good, abundant, and prosperous to me? I also wanted to complete this challenge for relatively cheap; just because I’m going on a Prosperity Date does not mean I need to break the bank. Through my brainstorming by journaling, I came up with some ideas.
Part 1: Hot Cocoa and Macarons with Rachel
I decided that my prosperous self would love taking a friend out for a treat. I have been wanting to buy Rachel, my daughter, some hot chocolate from 231 West for a long time now. It’s a little on the pricey side, but it is delicious! I have also been interested in trying a macaron for quite some time now. I took Rachel to 231 West, and we each had a hot chocolate and one macaron. She had a birthday cake one, and I had a chocolate one. We tried each other’s, and while both were very tasty, we both preferred hers.
Then we drove to Presque Isle, but most of the island was closed. Still, we enjoyed the time together and took a selfie with the Superior Dome in the background.
Rachel specifically noted that she really enjoyed these experiences, and I found it so fun to share some of my Prosperity Date with her.
Part 2: Virtual Recliner Shopping
When we got home, I went online and found the perfect recliner for me. It has heating and massage functions. I have been wanting this sort of recliner for quite some time, but I hadn’t picked out the specific one I wanted. At around $350, I believe present me will obtain this recliner within the year. It’s funny. When we actually shop for what we are looking for, it becomes much more real.
The recliner I picked out can be found on this page. And here is a screen shot of it:
Part 3: Bubble Bath
I ended my Prosperity Date with a bubble bath. I lit some candles, turned off the lights, and added some stress reduction bubble bath (my favorite type, available from Bath and Body Works), and allowed myself to relax. I blessed the water with the intention of prosperity. As my muscles relaxed, I enjoyed the sensation of being fully present in my body.
Conclusions
I actually loved this experience of a Prosperity Date. Throughout the experience, I felt very present, abundant, and grateful. I am grateful to Jolie Dawn for giving me this challenge, and I am grateful to myself for accepting it. Perhaps my biggest takeaway is that I am able to create an amazing, abundant-feeling experience, and it requires spending very little money. This is something that I can choose to do for myself at least a couple times a month. Further, I can connect to these feelings of prosperity and abundance anytime I wish.
