Picture this scenario: You’re lost in thought, thinking about something you’ve always dreamed of, while sipping your hot latte in the Spring sunshine. You begin to laugh, how silly of you to think that this dream could ever come true, right? WRONG.
What are dreams and are fantasies?
Dream is understood as a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal and fantasy is the faculty or activity of imagining impossible or improbable things. But what if your dreams didn’t actually have to be just fantasies? What if you could actually make them happen?
When and why did we stop dreaming?
When I was young, I used to regularly visit the local park with my mother. One morning, while swinging what felt like “as high as the sky”, I remember vividly saying, “one more push and I’ll reach the rainbow” of course this was just a dream; a fantasy, it was never going to happen. Looking back on that moment, I realize that later aspirations have been shaped, bumped and moulded by the people around me. By the expectations of society. By my abilities, self-beliefs and confidence.
Someone once said that dreams are hard to keep alive. In a world where we’ve almost become robotic, attached to our mobile devices, answering emails in our sleep, living our lives through social media – this has never been so true. But holding onto our dreams and believing in them may be key to our happiness. Recent research suggests that having aspirations to work towards and having an optimistic outlook on dreams can positively affect our wellbeing and overall happiness.
Imagine if your dream actually came true. It absolutely can. And if you stick with it, it most likely WILL (or some version of it).
How would that make you feel? Would it make you more likely to dream some more? Would it make you feel happier? Stronger? More confident? If like me, by imagining this, you are feeling energised, this is your moment.
But how do we make dreams happen?
Start by writing down your dreams and evaluating them – are they realistic? Can they actually be done? Are they a dream or are they a fantasy? Meeting Brad Pitt while picking up your morning Starbucks and later going on to marry him is probably not going to happen but starting the doggy friendly coffee shop that you’ve always talked about? Absolutely it can happen.
Find someone who has done what you want to do – the likelihood is that if you’re dreaming of something, it will be based on something you have already lived or seen in the past. Look for your role model, what did they do? What traits did they have that made them so successful?
Make a plan – the best way to make something happen is by doing. Create a roadmap, set timelines and collect resources that will allow you to execute your dream.
Find an accountability and motivation buddy – this one is key. Find someone who believes in you and your dream, someone who will be there when you feel like you aren’t making any progress or when you are failing. Find a buddy that will cheer your wins and give you a big and tell you it’s okay if you make a mistake along the way. You might even consider hiring a coach!
Seize the opportunity and execute – stop waiting for the perfect moment, forget about the “what ifs”, distance yourself from those who don’t believe in you, those who envy you and those who won’t come with you on your journey. You don’t need them.
Dreams can take many forms, they can happen while we sleep, while awake or lost in thought. Don’t downplay any of them. Sometimes we can go places in our minds that help us formulate goals and plans that will shape our future. No matter where you have come from, no matter where you are on your journey today, if you’re feeling exhausted, deflated or pessimistic, I’ll take the opportunity to remind you of the wise words by Lupita Nyong’o – “no matter where you are from, your dreams are valid”
If you’re looking for inspiration on someone who made their dreams come true, you need look no further than at my photo. I’d be happy to share any portion of my (many) obstacles I’ve overcome, so that I now have a rather incredible life.
AND if you are a woman who wants to stop messing around with “giving to everyone except herself” – hardly ever taking the time or energy to fill her own cup…
…and wanting peace, tranquility, inspiration, and creativity…you will want to consider Discovering What you Want this summer then completing that exploration with the Green Goddess Retreat on the beautiful shores of Kezar Lake in North Sutton, New Hampshire Aug 6-9, 2021!