Start Living Your Dreams
By Cheryl Rainfield
Posted Saturday, October 2, 2004
Dreams. What are dreams? Dreams are soul food. Dreams are things
that give us hope. And when they come true, they often give us joy and
happiness. Dreams are important for us to hold onto, and to follow. I
know when I have a dream inside me, and I listen, really listen, and
work towards it coming true, I am filled with energy, and hopefulness,
and happiness. Often, when people let go of a dream, when they lose
it, something dies inside.
If dreams are so important to the soul, to happiness, then why do
so many people try to discourage us from following our dreams? Maybe
it's because they're afraid of seeing us blossom into our full selves,
because that's a place they've never dared to go themselves. Maybe
it's because their own dreams have withered away. Or maybe it's
because they're just scared, scared of the happiness and energy that
comes from a person following a dream--and scared of the vulnerability
that someone can open themselves up to when they truly follow their
heart.
It shouldn't matter what other people say about your dreams. If you
have a dream that makes you feel good, follow it. Don't let sour
criticism spoil your dream. Hold onto it, and do the best you can to
make it come true. Hold onto your dream in the long nights it takes to
get where you want to go--and notice each small step of success as you
get there. Nurture your dream. Nurture yourself.
But other people aren't the only ones who put down our dreams, or
try to suppress us. Sometimes we can be the most critical of our own
dreams, by dismissing them or telling ourselves that they can't
happen. When we let go of our dreams, we let go of a part of
ourselves. We suppress a part of ourselves. And that can deaden us
inside, to emotions, to hope. It can bring a lot of pain--because
we're not letting ourselves reach for something that fulfils us. We're
not letting ourselves try.
Not allowing ourselves to follow our dreams, or even to just dream,
can eat away at us, and cause us to become bitter, angry, and
self-loathing. But following our dreams--ah, that's what releases us.
Even when it's hard--even when it's scary and we feel like giving up
and we can't think how we're going to get there--even then, there's
something that feels right to us, deep in our souls, something that
speaks to our hearts and makes us feel alive.
Dreams are vital to our well being, and we should all have them.
What can you do to bring yourself closer to your dreams? Follow these
steps and you too can be following your dreams:
1. What Are Your Dreams?
It may take you a while to figure out what you really want, so take
the time you need. Listen inside yourself, listen to what you really
want. It doesn't matter if you think it can't come true, or if you
think it might be silly. Ask yourself what it is you've always wanted
to do.
2. What's Stopping You From Putting Your Dreams Into
Action?
Are you afraid, in some part of you, of succeeding? Are you afraid
of being happy? Do you think you don't deserve to have something good,
or something that wonderful? Are you afraid of being different than
other people, or of appearing silly? Or does the dream just feel too
big, too huge to accomplish? Find out what's been stopping you. Really
look at it, examine it. Then ask yourself whether your dreams and your
happiness are more important than that thing, and if you can work with
it, with those feelings, toward what you really want.
3. Writing Out The Steps
Think about what you need to do to get to your dream. Write out the
steps towards it.
4. Taking Baby Steps
Then break down the steps you need to take to accomplish your dream
into steps as small and as manageable as tiny baby steps. Even if you
just do something as small as write down one thing on a list to do, or
write down a phone number of who you're going to call, you're making
steps towards your dream. SARK calls this micro-movements.
5. What Are Your Next Steps?
Figure out what would help you take a small step towards your
dream. Do you need to tell someone your dream to make it real? Do you
need to allow yourself to feel something? Do you need to write it out
in a book, or draw it so you can see it?
6. Hold Onto That Dream
Continue taking mini steps toward your dream coming true. Try to
always be gentle and kind with yourself, always. And when you do do
something, even something you'd consider miniscule, celebrate it.
Notice it. Know you're coming closer to your dream. Feel the joy and
wonder of that.
So reach for your dreams. Follow them. Believe in them. And they
can come true.
About the Author
Cheryl Rainfield may be contacted at (http://www.CherylRainfield.com)
cheryl@cherylrainfield.com.
Cheryl Rainfield is an artist and writer. She has an inspirational
website that offers free loving e-cards, screensaver, articles, and
virtual affirmation cards online. (http://www.CherylRainfield.com)
Amapola.Net source for this article:
http://developers.evrsoft.com/
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