Dream a little dream...

"You'll see it when you believe it."
— Wayne W. Dyer

Remember when you were a child and someone asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up? What did you say?

An astronaut?

A ballerina?

A football star?

The President?

Doctor, lawyer, scientist?

There were no limits to what you could imagine for yourself.

But childhood ends and with it, the gift of limitless possibility. We grow older, become more jaded, experience the pains of heartbreak and disappointment, and close off that lushly creative part of ourselves. We become "practical", "realistic" adults. What a shame...

Now, I'm not saying that blind innocence and naivete is a better option. What I am saying, however, is that we can miss an amazing opportunity to give ourselves permission to dream again, as we did when we were kids. How can you know if something is impossible if you don't try? How can you know what dream is "too big" if you don't go to your edge? How many times have you heard of someone who, against all odds, has done something that no one else believed was possible?

Here are just a few examples:

the Wright Brothers

Thomas Edison

Rosa Parks

Michelangelo Buonarroti

Leonardo da Vinci

Coco Chanel

Mahatma Gandhi

Madonna

Nelson Mandela

Louise Hay

Close your eyes...imagine your deepest desire...your wildest dream....got it?

Now, what's stopping you from making it come true?

Oh, the possibilities....

We can't plan life. All we can do is be available for it. 

- Lauryn Hill

I am continually amazed by how, when I stop trying to orchestrate the events in my life, the most amazing things happen!

In the past week, I have made a conscious effort to simply remain open to possibility...in my life, in my work, in my everyday encounters.

I have stepped outside of my comfort zone in conversations with new people and have tried to engage with people on a more personal level. Something as simple as saying hello to the person standing in line ahead of me at my favorite local coffee spot can lead to the most remarkable conversations....

What I have learned is that I can sometimes become so focused on the next task on my mental to-do list that I miss the opportunity to connect with the people around me. The events of this week, while not earth-shattering, have helped me to reflect on the ways in which I have been un-available for my life. I cannot focus on "what might have happened if...?", but I can let this serve as a reminder, once again, to be present.

Give it a try:

suit up, show up, and live your life consciously.

You never know what might happen...

Believe in the possibilities...

"Your own positive future begins in this moment. All you have is right now. Every goal is possible from here."

— Laozi

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving last week! Mine was filled with good food, great people, and a lot of gratitude...and yet...

Have you ever felt that there was one area of your life that could use some work, but just didn't know how to take that first step? Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the thought of starting something new or (finally!) taking steps to stop doing something that was no longer serving your best interests? Have you found yourself obsessing (just a little bit) about how things would be different if you could change that area of your life? Does the thought of all of this make you so exhausted that you just want to take a nap?

Sound familiar?

Yes, I know...I've been there too.

I am currently in this very place regarding my exercise routine (or lack thereof) and eating habits. This time of year is challenging for me because I love to bake and I LOVE to eat the finished product. I am a pro at procrastinating when it comes to working out, even though I always feel better when I do it.

I am incredibly empathetic to my Edited Space clients who struggle with organization. Making a decision to do something different is hard enough, but actually taking the action, whatever it may be, can be overwhelming! I understand that inner voice that says, "I know how to do this...I don't need any help." And I also understand the shame that comes with the realization that despite your good intentions, you have done the exact same thing...AGAIN!

What I have learned is that, in some areas of my life, I have to reach a certain level of discomfort before I am willing to change. I wish this wasn't the case, but it's true; however, acknowledging that there is a problem often speeds up the process. Asking for help can be critical to your success.

So...I made a decision to take steps to do things differently.

Over the last few days, I have shared my struggles with people whom I trust and asked for their help and support. Today was the day to begin making some changes.

I am happy to report that I went to a new yoga studio that I have been wanting to try. I have made a commitment to make at least 3 classes this week. It is a commitment to myself and my well-being. I will share my successes as well as my struggles with you in this forum and I hope that by doing so, I am helping someone else.

What are you struggling with? Have you reached your tipping point? Are you ready to consider making some changes? Are you ready to ask for help?

I love the quote by Laozi, which appears at the beginning of this post. It fills me with hope for a brighter future and reminds me that anything is possible.

I hope it inspires you as well.

Remember...anything is possible!

Dreams...

"I'm telling you, people. Everyday we wake up is another blessing. Follow your dreams and don't let anyone stop you. Never say never."
— Justin Bieber

My friends will tell you, I am not "up" on all the latest music. I am an old soul, I guess, and, though it pains me to say this...I just don't get a lot of the new music. Give me the stuff I grew up on or give me some good old Louis Prima, John Coltrane, Miles Davis...you get the idea. So, I chuckled to myself when I found this quote from Justin Bieber. I know who this kid is, but know nothing about his music...based on this quote, I might see what all the fuss is about!

So, on to today's post!

I spent some time reflecting on how powerful it can be to "give voice" to your dreams. First, let me say that I think it is incredibly important to allow yourself to dream in the biggest, most creative way you can. Don't hold back...dream BIG! I think that some people ( I know I was once one of them) can get so bogged down in the minutia of practical, daily life "stuff" that they close themselves off to the beautiful possibilities that exist all around them. I imagine these possibilities as little pixies, waiting for us to acknowledge them, breathing life into them and giving them a chance to blossom. Acknowledging your innermost dreams can require a huge amount of faith, and sometimes involves working through some deeply rooted fears. There can be some serious "housecleaning" involved! I think our dreams often end up buried inside, covered up with years of accumulated fears: "what if"s, "I should've"s, "I can't"s, "it's too late"...you get the idea.

As I reflect upon my life this year I can see tremendous growth in some areas that I had struggled with in the past. Maybe it's just simply that I'm getting older...ugh...or maybe it's just the result of past events that led me to the place where I realized that I wanted to take some chances. For me, taking risks and following my dreams has had a snowball effect. It's amazing how things have turned out! To be fair, it hasn't all been wonderful, but if I have learned nothing else, I know that I don't have access to the "big picture." I believe there is a divine plan and I know I don't have all the pieces of the puzzle. I trust that things will ultimately work out the way they are meant to and that I will be taken care of.

A few months ago, I shared that I celebrated my birthday this year creating a "vision board" with some dear girlfriends. It was great fun, unleashing some creative juices, trying to find words and images to represent my deepest wishes and dreams. One of my friends, who had done this before, shared how powerful the experience of creating a vision board had been for her. She showed us one that she had made last year, and then pointed to everything that had manifested in her life since then. It was remarkable and very inspiring.

This morning, I looked at my own vision board...I was amazed to realize that some of my own wishes and dreams had started to come true! It was a very powerful moment for me.

I'm at a point in my life when the need to understand how things happen is not as important to me. And thank God for that! I used to get so tied up in trying to figure the how's and why's of a situation that I got stuck in that obsession. Now, I try to show up, do my part, and then get out of the way so that the universe can do its part.

For me, acknowledging and "giving voice" to my dreams is my way of saying yes to the possibilities. By denying your dreams or keeping them hidden you are essentially keeping yourself closed off to what could be...it's like shouting NO!

Remember when you were a little kid? If someone asked you what you wanted to be when you got older, what did you say? An astronaut? A ballerina? The President?

Anything was possible!

As children, we possess the most expansive and fertile imaginations...sadly, we tend to lose access to them as we get older. But, the good news is that that creativity is not lost...

Why don't you try to dust off your imagination? Give yourself the chance to explore your innermost desires.

Give yourself the opportunity to believe, for a moment, that anything is possible.

Give yourself permission to dream...BIG!