Chatting with a dreamer.....

The other day I had tea with a fellow dreamer.

She’s living out her dream.  As she shared stories of her journey so far -- there was fresh excitement in her voice and new joy in her eyes.  She’s worked hard, sacrificed and juggled multiple roles to reach this point in her dream. 

We cried – dreams really do come true.

Part of her dream involves rescuing the oppressed and exploited.  She is a warrior who has joined the ranks of other brave freedom fighters on a mission to combat horrific injustices.  This strong army is committed to fan the flame of hope in the hearts of the hopeless, forgotten, and cast aside throughout the farthest reaches of our world.

I’m living out my dream too – but like my fellow dreamer, I’m learning that endurance, discipline and balance are all part of keeping the pace on this journey.  

I need endurance to keep going when the road to my dream leads uphill.  I find that the slightest rejection, tremor of fear or rising insecurity can slow me down.   It happens to all of us, doesn’t it?  We think our dreams are too lofty, too expensive or too time consuming and push them off into a remote corner of our heart.  Don’t give up on your dream!  Try spending time with other dreamers who will cheer you on – its amazing how quickly our strength is renewed with just a few words of encouragement. 

I need discipline to continue pursuing my dream.  Discipline involves training and having a regular pattern of ongoing behavior.   Some dream journeys will require that we set aside a specific time each day, each week or each month working on our dream.  Try developing a plan and setting a regular schedule that will take you farther down the road of your dream journey. 

I need balance so that I’m not thrown off course.  For me, balance is my greatest challenge amidst this particular season of life.  As a wife and mother, four other lives depend upon me for certain needs – and believe me – there are many needs to be met!  Many of you have jobs and family obligations that require a significant amount of your time too.  So – maintaining balance amidst life’s priorities will enable us to devote time to our dream while fulfilling our responsibilities.  We may have to enlist the help of those closest to us – sharing our dream with them and asking for extra understanding and support during a busy season.  Having those you love involved in your dream journey can be extra-rewarding – they share in the joy of a dream fulfilled!

What about you?  Is there something you’ve dreamed of doing but don’t know where to begin?  Or – perhaps your dream seems so out-of-reach that you have long since shrugged it off as silly or unattainable.  You may be surprised at how easy it is to take that first step towards realizing your dream.  Putting your dream on paper is a good place to begin – and while you’re thinking about it….consider sharing your dream with someone who has achieved theirs.  Chances are they have some journey stories that will encourage and inspire you.  

“There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other” – Douglas H. Everett

If you have a dream that you would like to share – I would love to read it.  Take that first step of writing it down and email it to me at carolmandersen@gmail.com