Posts tagged ‘dreams’

April 30th, 2009

Reading the Signs

w20-11The other day, I took a walk and noticed a big sign that read, “Road Work Ahead.” Then I thought, what a great representation of life.  Right when you think you’ve got life figured out, some obstacle, a roadblock, challenges you to rethink your life and you’re stuck asking yourself that age old question, “Why me?”  

Life IS about change after all and though we sometimes want to avoid it, there will always be more roads to build, more paths to heal, and more decisions to be made.  The great thing is that the choice is always in our hands.  Do we, for example, when faced with an obstacle turn around and run the other way, keep trekking on, or take a break and reflect on where we’ll go next?  

Regardless of how we respond, the great thing about signs is that it reminds us that life can be as magical as it was when we were kids.  The magic lies in the small, seemingly insignificant events filled with miracles and signs of hope that’ll lead you to the real gold at the end of the rainbow, your dreams.  The key is to open our eyes and hearts to possibility and be fully present in every day moments like these and have the courage to take a deep breath and plow ahead.

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April 28th, 2009

Suffering from Busy-itis?

self_care_cards_lgI bought these great Self-Care cards from Cheryl Richardson ($10.85 from Amazon.com) awhile ago which I used to use when I counseled kids.  Once in awhile I like to take them out and randomly pull three in a kind of fortune-telling for fun game.  Today I chose Silence, Tenderness and Relaxation dealing with resting, doing nothing and being kind to myself.  I thought it was an interesting trio especially since I have been home sick for a few days.  

Catching the “busy-itis” bug most of my life has made doing nothing seem extremely difficult for me.  Even being sick is not enough of a reason for me to lie down and do nothing for the day.  I tried it yesterday and looked out the window, noticed how dirty it was and spent an hour cleaning it.  

While my hubby is enjoying himself watching TV or surfing the Internet, you can usually find me washing dishes, working on an article or planning my next project.  I even asked him the other day, what would happen if he didn’t watch TV or play his online computer game.  His reply?  “You want me to stare off into space and do nothing?”  Although it seemed kind of funny at first, I started to wonder, maybe all of us need to tune out from the outside world every once in awhile, so that we can learn to turn in to ourselves.  

The way the world is today, we’re constantly doing something-updating our Twitter or Facebook accounts, texting our friends, or even writing our blogs.  Are we becoming more connected or even more disconnected these days?  As a child I would sit and look outside my front door at the rain drops falling on the concrete and dream.  That’s when the sound of water falling engendered relaxation and creativity, not anxiety.   It made me wonder how much of us today take the time to just be.  

Pulling those three cards was an “ah-ha” moment for me.  Hopefully it will be a constant reminder about the importance of nothingness.  It is, after all, in nothingness that we gain insight, develop problem solving ideas, heal and recuperate and begin the process of creativity from potential to reality.

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April 24th, 2009

Keep Fighting the Fight and Follow Your Dreams

When you’re venturing out in the world to do something big, something that’s important to you, whether it’s starting a business or finding your purpose, it’s easy to get discouraged.  The more we have to give the world, the greater our fears of being rejected.  The world can seem like a cold, harsh place where any feedback can feel more personal.  It’s a lot easier to do something safe, then to take a giant step outside of our comfort zones to really risk our most valuable treasure…our souls.

That’s why I have so much admiration for those who risk it all.  Who put their hearts, financial security or even practicality on the line to go for what really matters.  We have only one life after all!  Why not live it to the fullest degree possible?!  

And for those of us who are not there yet, or who are there but still have bad days every once in awhile, this post is dedicated to you!  Keep going.  Don’t give up.  The rainbow is right around the corner.  And the gold that you find will be more precious than the kind around your neck or finger.  It’s the knowledge that you did it!  You took the risk.  You put your heart out.  You are truly alive!  And honestly, that’s all any of us really want or could ask for.  

Here’s a prayer I found on Beliefnet.com and by Vienna Cobb Anderson for all of you dreamers out there!

We pray for the dreamers of this life, O God,
for those persons who imagine new possibilities,
who long for what others cannot perceive,
who spin dreams of wonder and majesty in their minds.
Defend them from ridicule and harsh criticism,
from self-doubt and lack of faith in their dreams,
and from abandonment of this call to make things new.
Grant that from their dreams
may come forth blessings for humankind
to enrich the quality of life
and the wonderment of us all.
Amen.

– Vienna Cobb Anderson

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April 16th, 2009

Think You Don't Have What it Takes to be Successful? Think Again

I’m noticing a pattern these days with successful people and you may be surprised by what I’ve observed. On Oprah, for example, Carrie Underwood said she never dreamed that her life would be about singing.  She said although it would have been nice, unlike other people, she never spent her life dreaming about being a singer-that everything just seem to come easy for her.  On one of my favorite blogs, This Young House, design couple John and Sherry Petersik have transformed themselves into superstar designers receiving a flurry of media attention on everywhere from CNN and HGTV to DIY and The Nest magazines.  When asked how they were able to obtain such coveted opportunities by Decor Medley, the couple said that a lot of it was by chance.  The publications sought them out and essentially came to them after having seen their blog.  What started as their desire to renovate their 50 year old ranch house and blog about it to keep their friends and family updated, transformed into a full blown successful career.  I know of a lot of other people personally who found their life calling “by chance.”  In fact, Oprah always says, “Find your passion and the money will follow.”  Her own successful path began when she was pulled off of the regular news and dumped onto the morning show.  She said she felt like things just fell into place from there felt she had found her passion.  This got me thinking…Maybe we all have a calling that’s just waiting for us to be brave enough, open enough and ready to take the call.

Tip: Try finding something that comes easy for you and that you enjoy.  That seems to be the secret at least for the people in these three stories. Also, check out Jean Chatzky’s article about finding your passion.  

The main idea is that these people were not trying desperately to make money but were driven by their dreams. It seems that connecting with one’s true purpose not out of fear or desperation but out of their desires and passions, led them to live a life that financially provides for them.

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March 25th, 2009

Hope in a House Plant

We live in a stressful society. Today, the possibility that anything is possible, good or bad, can often be overwhelming. Keeping up with the Jones for example, has now turned into, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” and how can anyone keep up with them. Where opportunities abound and so does imbalance and instability, having hope these days may feel like a second job. That’s why today’s post is of a simpler nature.

It’s the story of a “little house plant that could.” I’ve killed probably every single house plant I’ve ever own, along with my fish. Thank goodness my other pets are still alive. So when I asked the clerk at Trader Joe’s if this plant would be easy, I really wanted to know if it was worth the investment. Would this $6 flower plant last longer than a bouquet of fresh flowers? Well surprisingly enough, I’ve had it now for about a year. This little miracle has inspired me to never give up on my dreams. It’s a survivor. Every once in awhile, it looks like it has taken its last breath, but then it starts growing new leaves. I think it’s a simple reminder of the importance of hope. That when all seems lost, you never know the treasures waiting to bloom, just around the corner.
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