Chasing Your Dreams.

So, I have dreams, as many do, but I'm also developing the courage to chase them, which I'm so excited about. The foundation was definitely laid by my parents. They always made me feel like I had the most amazing ideas and looking back I'm really grateful for that, because some of them were just flat out bizarre, but they never discouraged me from any of them.

Now that I'm married (eek!), my husband is my biggest encourager and I must tell him at least, ten new ideas a day; from parenting techniques, to inventions I think are going to change the world, to revolutions I want to start (I know, I'm kind of crazy), and he, just as my parents did, has nothing but positive feedback and support to throw at me. I don't know how I got so lucky, but through these three human beings supporting me, I literally feel like I can do anything. 

I think that feeling is rare and I'm not an expert in anything, nor will I ever be, but I thought I'd offer some words of encouragement to all the dreamers out there. It might be harder to believe in yourself if you don't have those people that encourage you day in and day out and I just want to tell you, you can do it! 

So to start:

1. Admit you have a dream. A BIG, BIG dream! 
I had the epiphany a few nights ago, that I wasn't brave enough to say my dream out loud and actually call myself what I want to be, which is a published author. I feel, the first step in obtaining that goal, is actually calling myself a writer. That was scary and hard to do. I told my husband a few nights ago, "I am a writer." And he just looked at me kind of like, 'Yeah, you are, you write all the time.' Which gave me even more confidence, because he already views me as the person I want to be. So I just reaffirmed it to myself, telling him again, "That's what I do. I write. I'm a writer." This step was so, so small, but I can't even tell you how happy I am that I admitted my dream. It feels like I took a huge leap forward. **Disclaimer: only admit your dreams to a few people that are the absolute, closest to you, because you do not need any discouragement when you take this first plunge into chasing your dream!**

2. Envision.
This is kind of along the lines of meditating, but I think you should take about 20 minutes a day to yourself and just envision what you want your life to be. I'm a true believer in your thoughts become things, so you better know what you're thinking, before you end up somewhere you never wanted to be. You have to picture your success. If you can't picture it, how can anyone else? If you don't believe your thoughts become your reality, that's fine, but still take these 20 minutes and it will excite you to work hard and figure out your next step.

3.Work hard and honestly and help other people get closer to their dreams.
Then, get to work! Lots of people's dreams are big and scary and you actually have no idea what the heck you're doing. You'll be a complete novice, but if it's your innate dream, you are most definitely supposed to be chasing it! So don't be scared. Dive in and learn. Mess up, redo, mess up again, and keep going. The most monumental lessons are from failure, so don't shy away from your dream, because you think you can't handle it- you can! Take your failures in stride and learn. Don't try to take a short cut either, because that is not chasing your dream, that's chasing money. If you have a solid dream, put in the honest work it takes to achieve it. Along the way, help people get one step closer to their dreams too. Dreamers helping dreamers, doesn't that sound nice? :) 

4. Be grateful and enjoy the journey.
Life's a journey. Your life is here and now. Work hard for your ultimate dream, but appreciate the day you're in, the space you live in, the people around you, the hunger you feel inside, notice that and appreciate it. If you don't stop and recognize all of that now, you won't when you're successful either. All the cliches are true, we're only promised NOW. So embrace all it has to offer. You don't want to chase your dream, numb to all around you, with the thought, "Once I get there, I'm going to relax and look around and be happy." No, no. You need to relax, look around, and make the choice to be happy, now.

4. Keep trucking and stay open.
One of the biggest things I've learned is that you'll be chasing one dream and be bombarded with other ones that will lead you on a completely different path. Be open to that. Chasing your biggest dream is noble. You may never achieve that specific, dream, but staying on that path is going to put great things and people in your life. Listen to your heart and follow it. Just by doing that you're going to connect with the people you're supposed to connect with and your life is going to be better than you have ever imagined, just by staying true to yourself.

With those 4 things, I really believe, you can achieve whatever you want! And it's really funny, because I just write on this blog, I have 2 kids, my family is slightly in debt, we've moved back and forth too many times to count the last few years, we only have one car, we live in an apartment, and I always get the compliment, "You're doing so great! I'm so proud of you!" (Not just from my parents either, ha)! It just makes me laugh though, because if you look at my life on paper and measuring it by things, I don't have much and I'm not doing that great, but if you look at my life by the happiness I feel and the love that surrounds me, and the fire I feel within to chase my dreams, then I am living a completely, abundant life. :) So, remember what counts and if you don't have anyone on your side to support your insane dream, you've got me! I believe in you :).