"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."
Goethe-German Poet, Novelist
What's on Your Bucket List?
Do you have a dream or goal you've put on the back burner, something that has been simmering there for awhile? Often we do not know what we want but we do know that we have a longing or feel discontent with some part of our lives. When we pay attention to our longing and discontent we will often find our dream. It may be a financial goal, a dream to start a business, a yearning for a life partner, new friends or improving an important current relationship, creative endeavor such a writing a book, traveling, or improving your health and well being.
Forgotten Dreams
We cannot always know each others dreams, yet everyone has a dream. We are evolving and expanding beings. Just as the world and universe we live in, evolves & expands so do we. When we stop evolving and expanding we are stagnating and dying.
Often, however, we have forgotten our dreams and begin to sleepwalk through our life wondering why we feel so tired, empty or lonely. We may self medicate with the medications of our choice, including mindless TV, Internet surfing and the other well known legal (or illegal) substances.
The Comfort Zone
Sometimes we stay in our comfort zone (CZ), where life is predictable, easy and often monotonous and boring. We've been doing the same mindless job for years, living in the same way. We are not meant to stay in the CZ indefinitely, even though during periods of our life we may need to re-group here; remember we are evolving expanding beings. The research over the past few decades on the mind/body connection indicates this down to our very DNA and cells. Our body sheds the old and renews itself continually.
When we choose to stay too long in the comfort zone what happens? Often discontent overcomes us or major events occur shaking our world and creating chaos & uncertainty and pushing us out of the CZ. Major illnesses, family or other crisis, divorce, or death will get our attention. When our world is shaken up we may want to retreat back to the CZ to re-group, yet life will not ever be the same. After a crisis we often re-examine our lives and begin to make changes.
As We "Wake Up", Self Doubt & Confusion is Common
As we begin to "wake up" we can go through a period of self doubt/confusion. It may look something like this: We get an idea, it seems brilliant and (sometimes it comes from left field which is often our intuitive factor) we get excited about the possibility and often what happens next is pretty normal and common. Just as soon as the idea comes into our heads we begin to doubt ourselves, "Who am I to do this"? "How can I possibly do this in a lousy economy?" This is not the time, however to spend energy focusing on the HOW, but just time to get clarity on the WHAT. What can happen at this point is that when our confusion confronts us we give up on the dream, finding plenty of good excuses for why it just won't work.
The Only Thing Worse Than an Excuse is a Good Excuse
I dreamed of having my own business for 15 years before I had the courage to create my dream. I also had a plethora of excuses. First I was too young, too inexperienced, not business savvy, didn't have enough money, the kids were too young, then I was too old and finally my ultimate excuse; the economy was lousy so this was not a good time to do something so "risky". Do any of these sound familiar to you? Life does not wait for us to show up and the time kept ticking away as I became more and more discontent.
My Wake-Up Call
In 2005, after the unexpected death of Susan, a very close friend whom I had known since my first year in college, I finally stopped making excuses. Susan had just turned 53 and was an entrepreneur, and although she had felt frustrated with her progress as an emerging business owner, she was courageous in going towards her dream.
It was my wake-up call to live the life I had envisioned. I may not have taken the risk to live my dream for many years if this sad event had not occurred. I was living in my CZ, especially in my career as a Social Worker. Even though I was no longer was passionate about this work, and was discontent, I was settling.
Life is unpredictable and everyday is truly a gift. After Susan's death, I took baby steps towards my dream of self employment. I faced self-doubt and set-backs. If someone had told me it would take 5 years before I would realize my dream of full time self-employment, I might have been very discouraged but I would not have given up. You see, once you know what your dream is, and you commit 100% to it, there is no turning back.
I will not tell you it had been easy and I still have a larger financial goal for my business, yet I would not change my path. Everything has been in perfect order, even the struggles and challenges. Now when I work with clients with similar issues I have a greater understanding and ability to support them, having been there myself.
What Do You Need to Do to Live Your Dream?
First you must give some thought to what you would really love to have in your life. Again, pay attention to your longing & discontent. If money, time and all the other excuses we often come up with were not issues, what is it that you would do? Start there. What good excuses must you discard? People who learn to harness the power of their thoughts and use them creatively and successfully know how to do this. However, at first they were like you and I and needed to challenge their thinking which requires both knowledge & support.
Life is very short and this precious life we are given is not a dress rehearsal. Now truly is the best time to live your dream(s)!
As Mary Morrissey often says in her teaching, "You know all this, I'm not telling you anything new, you just might not know the power of knowing this yet."
If you are interested in learning about the specific steps to take when building your dreams, in a supportive, group coaching atmosphere, you will be delighted with a new program offered through the Life Mastery Consultant program, The Dream Builder. This program, complete with 16 teaching CDs, 1 meditation CD and workbook provides the steps that most people miss when building their dreams. Contact Valerie at (509) 466-0377 for more information.