The Loneliness of Vision 

We're totally team purpose over here, but being a visionary person committed to living on purpose isn't all roses and calm vibes. Here at Purposerosa we believe vision is how you live your purpose with impact, but bringing a big vision to life can be a lonely process. And if you're just starting out and don't have a big team or even another collaborator, that level of loneliness can become counterproductive to your overall vision and purpose.

Purpose often requires us to show up fully, with the presence and space to receive and give. But any vision-bearer will tell you that creating things from scratch requires incredible focus and lots of commitment to see it through, which is not always easy with the emotional, spiritual, and physical demands on our time and attention. 

Not only is vision work often something you do on your own (which can get boring very quickly), but it's also likely something that doesn't yet exist in the world and only YOU can bring it about. So not only do you need the stamina to birth the vision, but you also need the enthusiasm to get other folks to buy into it too. It's a fine balance. If you don't have a system in place to replenish your social or support needs in every part of the process, you'll quickly get off track and begin doing yourself, your vision, and your purpose a disservice. Take it from me - don't waste your time trying to do everything all alone. Get support to launch the vision and live your purpose.

Don't get me wrong, there are times when you need to be alone to do the work. Planning, executing and creating are usually solo processes at the beginning of setting a vision. But more often than not, there are times when you need to be in community to do your best work. Launching, replenishing and re-dreaming are phases of vision bearing that benefit from a community setting.

Community isn't romantic or perfect, but it's collaborative and you need that dynamic to grow.  

Coming of age in New York during college was an amazing experience that I'll always be thankful for. I was able to become part of several communities that inspired me to thrive. Whether it was art, poetry, fashion, church, or fitness, I was constantly surrounded by people who reflected my values and were also committed to growth. As much as I loved it, sometimes solitude or a change of scenery was completely necessary to bring my visions to life. I often traveled outside of NY to rebalance, visit family, return to my roots, see the world, and work in a new environment. And while I'd miss the generative nature of the city, the time away allowed me to experience a whole new way of living that has shaped my creative vision process.

Many of our lives stopped in 2020 we told ourselves it was just the pandemic. But the truth is, many of us just needed an entire reframe for how we were doing life. I've personally been restructuring my approach, processes, and systems for bringing projects for Purposerosa to life. For a long while, I was doing admin things in an untenable way and it affected how I could show up for my community and myself. Throughout the process, I've learned some hard lessons about productive and unproductive loneliness. Continue reading to hear what I've learned from living my vision and managing the loneliness of it:

Productive Loneliness

How to know when loneliness is productive:

🌹You're able to produce at a higher level than when you're in the company of others.

🌹Your creative ideas are becoming more and more clear because you have time to think about what you are bringing to life. 

🌹You feel more regenerated than ever and as a result show up more fully in other interactions.

Useful practices for productive loneliness: 

🌹 Establish mindfulness routines like meditation or prayer to check in with yourself when you notice your needs shift into counter-productivity. 

🌹 Keep a vision journal to complement your process and analyze your ideas in a nonlinear way.

🌹Speak with a talk therapist to reflect on your experiences in a healthy exchange that helps you develop awareness of what's working or not working for you.

Unproductive Loneliness

How to know when loneliness is unproductive:

🌹 You're too much in your head and not taking action in the areas you want or know you need to take action on.

🌹You find yourself craving connection and distracted by social media or other apps as a result.

🌹Your social and creative relationships are suffering as a result of being alone.

Useful practices for unproductive loneliness:

🌹Create opportunities to meet new folks either virtually or irl. A simple hello or compliment can go a long way.

🌹 See if your favorite communities are hosting real-life sessions, retreats, or conversations that you can join

🌹Make a habit of finding spaces in your neighborhood that inspire you to feel your best. Whether it be a bookshop, a local garden, a special boba tea shop (my personal weakness), or an upscale restaurant - being intentional with where you spend your time makes it easier to connect with folks you resonate with.

The reality is that vision-bearing, especially in service of social impact, the greater good, and your life's purpose can feel like a ruthless and thankless process if you don't set your self up to be supported in it. But consider this a friendly reminder that you don't need to be alone if solitude is not serving you. If you're interested in a community of purpose-driven women improving their process for seeing their vision through,  Sign up for the next Vision Session waitlist.

Or if you're enjoying your productive loneliness era, consider integrating our Mirror Your Vision workbook into your process and learn over ten easy-to-implement vision tactics. Thank us later 😉