Big dreams.
At one point in my life, having beautiful fresh flowers in my house was only a dream…
March 14, 2021
Sometimes a wave of panic settles over me. It’s true. Out of freaking nowhere. The other day I finally sat with this wave of discomfort long enough to realize where it was coming from. I actually felt the discomfort melt over my body.
Then I had an aha moment.
That discomfort comes when I’m not dreaming. When I try and shield myself and well, mostly my heart, by having zero expectations. Zero expectation is a great way to prevent disappointment and hurt but it’s also a sad, joyless way to live.
We must dream. We must give ourselves permission to dream.
Evidence of dreams are all around us. Almost everything around us is a product of someone’s dream come true.
Have you ever flown in a plane (it’s been a while for some of us, I know), but have you ever just felt a sense of magic as this large plane full of people and their baggage lifts off for the skies? I do. Every. Single. Time. That plane was someone’s dream.
Ordering grocery’s online and having them delivered to your home in a matter of hours, that was once only someone’s dream.
This past week, I walked my friend from LA around Greenville. This entire, magical little town was just someone’s dream at some point.
When I was a young girl I was often called down for day dreaming. But to me it was as important to daydream as it was to drink water or to breath. When I was in college, I can still remember walking alone and dreaming of my own apartment. I dreamed of a job where I was needed, where I often said, “I can’t believe I get paid to do this!” And well, that happened for me. A lot. I also dreamed of owning property and making the places I owned better. I did that too. I know this sounds strange, but I dreamed about my kids, a son and a daughter LONG before I saw their faces in person. Long before I was even married. I dreamed of writing a book and like magic, two happened. I dreamed of traveling to interesting places. I dreamed of big happy, take your breath away and make your heart swell love. And close friendships that last and grow. I dreamed of soft white sheets and tasting food from fabulous chef’s kitchen. Sounds kind of silly to say that out loud but I did. I really did dream my life forward on a regular basis.
And I still do.
I have dreams of living in another country for a while, learning to speak the language and meeting amazing new people. I dream of helping others the way others helped me when I was younger. And I still dream of big “make your heart swell” romance, love and adventure.
Let’s not let life and mistakes and fear ever take away our ability to dream. Dream bold and without apology. Because when you dream big, the Universe or God or whatever you happen to believe in, often adds in a few extra surprises. When you dream big, you feel more alive. And that’s how we’re supposed to live, with our eyes and hearts wide open to all that is possible. When we dream, and our dreams come true we lead the way for others to do the same.
Dreaming is the start of everything.
What are you starting today? What are your wildest dreams? Write them down and put them in your back pocket. Take them out and read them often. Get really, really specific about them. Close your eyes and see them happening.
Because I can say with certainty, dreaming is the magic of life.
