We all have one. A big dream. It could be about what we do – be a writer, a teacher, a nobel prize winning scientist. It could be where we live – in a rugged cabin in the woods, in the tropics, on the moon. It could be who we’re with – a romantic version of our perfect mate or family. It could be how we spend our time – at an easel painting, running 50 marathons in your 50th year, hanging anywhere with your BFF’s. The possibilities are endless.
The fact is, you, like me, probably have many big dreams.
Some of them you may have already accomplished. For me one was publishing my first book and being part of a best seller (not the same book).
Others seem like they may never happen. For me I’d love to perform at Carnegie Hall. I’ve never been to NYC and don’t do much performing anymore, so that looks less likely. Still, I keep it on my list as you never know what miracles the universe will bring about.
Others are so close you can almost taste them. I have one of those right now – going to Paris. Paris has been on my list as long as I can remember. I even have a theory that I might have led an earlier life in France as I often feel a measure of homesickness when I think about it. That dream will be coming true for me in only a few short months. Yesterday I booked the hotel and flights for my boyfriend and I to spend a week in April in the City of Lights.
There were many times that I’ve thought about going to Paris. Any time the subject of travel comes up. Whenever I see pictures of anything France related, see a movie or read a book that takes place there. When I eat French food or hear French being spoken. Even randomly at unexpected times. It’s always on my dream boards. It’s been on my mind a lot for a very long time.
And just as often, it has seemed like it may never happen. Things just never seemed to come together, mostly the money thing. It simply seemed out of my reach.
Some of the keys to getting this dream to finally come to fruition are:
- patience
- never letting it die and most importantly –
- taking steps to make it happen.
For years I’ve been talking about it. Dreaming about it. Hoping for it. Last fall I saw a groupon for a deal to Paris and Nice in February. I mentioned it to my boyfriend. He said there was no way he’d go to Europe in winter. I was disappointed and considered booking it on my own. I didn’t take action and the deal expired. Not long after that I saw another deal for Paris in March. This time I pushed a little harder. He agreed to go, especially knowing how important it was to me. Unfortunately, neither of us could pay for the trip as our credit cards were maxed. The next step was to get that taken care of. It took longer than I would have liked so the March deal also expired. With perseverance research and a little nagging, we finally booked our trip for April. We spent more than we would have if we’d booked one of the other deals and now we’re going at a nicer time of year and found a deal on an amazing historic hotel right near the Seine and all the major attractions.
What big dream are you going to make happen this year? As you consider your list, remember that you need to DO some things to make it happen.
- get it out of your head and on paper. Make a vision board, write out your intention – do something to make it more concrete.
- tell someone. Accountability makes us more likely to take action.
- make an action plan. Writing out the steps, however small, that need to be taken will help you be more focused and clear.
- stay positive. Even when things seem to conspire against you, realize that the universe may be testing your resolve in order to give you a big gift or that one scenario may have failed because an even more amazing one is just around the corner.
- celebrate. As you make progress, celebrate each little success. This will give you more energy to go onto the next step. Stay focused on the goal while acknowledging that you’ve come a long way, baby!
It’s time to follow your big dream. Here’s to a great year of dreams coming true for you!
Hugs, Christie – The Bad Kitty