In You Will Find Your Way, I wrote a couple of poems about how I suddenly lost my ability to dream.
Perhaps you can relate. Maybe you went through a traumatic event and your ability to dream disappeared in the wake of this. Maybe pondering on big dreams for yourself feels selfish when there are so many horrific things happening in the world. Maybe you've only been able to focus on getting through each day, one day at a time, and simply don't have the spoons to look to the future. I get it, I've been there.
I remember noticing when my ability to dream started to return. It was quiet at first. I'd hear a little whisper of a thought occasionally. Then, that voice started to get louder and more frequent. What felt like bigger, bolder and more audacious dreams started flooding to the surface.
I was relieved. Being a big dreamer had been so much a part of my identity. For a long time, it had also been a significant part of my job - helping others identify and achieve their dreams. I felt lost when that capability disappeared. So witnessing that part of me beginning to return brought a spring to my step and perk to my days.
But before I even realised I had done it, I parked those dreams for later. They were too big, too unrealistic, too far away. I convinced myself it was best to focus on the here and now and to be happy with how lucky I am. Now was time to take care of my kid and myself and to get through my long list each day. There was plenty of time to focus on those dreams later - they would make an excellent focus for the future.
Last week, however, both my therapist and life coach & peer mentor (who do not know each other) both prompted me in separate sessions to look to the future and I began to share some of my goals with them. Both encouraged me to spend more time in this dream space. Both reassured me that my goals are not unrealistic. Both communicated in their own way how I was already living in alignment with these dreams and could continue to progress them now. I was ready.
I was encouraged to spend some time connecting to and unpacking my goals, to perhaps write about them in my journal or to create a list or vision board. So I created the above pictured page in my bullet journal to help anchor myself into my hopes and dreams for this next chapter of life.
I share this story with you in case it's a timely reminder or message for you today too. Here's to us each enjoying some time future tripping this week...
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