CREATING YOUR TIMELINE (Instructions)

In the Timeline Assessment you will be plotting your life story and it's key events, moments, decisions, or choices. This timeline becomes the backdrop for the assessment you will do based on what you draw. Here are the facets that we will examine as you go through this process:

• What themes or stories have been at play throughout your life
• What has been the underlying level of consciousness or belief construct behind these patterns and events
• What was the environment in which you were experiencing these events, and who were your predominant influencers during them.
• How these underlying beliefs have shaped your following decisions, events, or actions.

There will be multiple passes as you compile your information. 
In the first pass, you will plot on a timeline what comes forward right away into your memory for each period of your life as noted on the worksheet. You can extend the worksheet into later stages of life such as "Thirties", "Forties", etc. The worksheet provided is just a guideline - using a large sheet of paper is preferable!
When you have completed the first pass, jot down the emotions and memories that came up during the process in the course journal playbook - this is valuable information for your assessment too!  Do not assign meaning, just note it down for now.

In a different color pen, you will then annotate who were the influencers at those periods of your life. Jot down the names or group reference (for example, my best friend, her group of friends, my parents, a mentor, etc) In these annotations, make notes, circle words, jot down what was important about this relationship relative to the event or timeframe.

For the third pass, annotate your inner environment during each phase on the timeline. Jot down the emotions, feelings, struggles, or situations that were most formative in that part of your life. Consider and jot down in the journal how those emotions or similar situations may still be showing up in your life today. Are there parallels? 

For the fourth pass, annotate the stories, rationalizations, beliefs, justifications, or what you were avoiding in each point of the timeline. Journal on how those stories may still be showing up today in your life and experience. 

When you have completed this assessment, you will have a very busy and colorful timeline page! And valuable data to use for the next steps of this important exploration.