Dream

When was the last time your dreams came true? For me, hosting my first Wellness Social was a dream two years in the making. At the time, I remember talking to a yogi friend and admiring the confidence and ease in which she hosted local events. I marveled at her courage to charge for her time and the satisfaction of bringing people together in the spirit of health and community. "Can I do this? What do I have to offer?", I thought. There, a seed of desire was planted. It took many months of confidence gathering, like a steam locomotive, and countless detours to finally arrive at this place of manifestation.  

"Follow your dreams" means keeping your foot on the path and surrounding yourself with others who want your success. Yet it is easy to overlook just how difficult that first step can be. When people have a hard time articulating their dreams, I find there is usually an internal block involved. The question "What do you want?" may feel overwhelming, and what rises in the mind is an impenetrable wall. "I don't know," is the response, but the truth is, we often do know what we want. Perhaps we have not given ourselves permission to dream, because we believe someone else will lose out. Or maybe it's a fear of failure or success or being judged. Maybe we have spent years in fight or flight mode, a state which doesn't exactly leave much room for daydreaming and creative exploration. Only when we put ourselves in a safe, supportive, nurturing environment can we begin to unfold the petals of desire one by one. 

The good news is you are never too old to start. Recently at the Senior Center where I work, a counselor led a "caring circle" with a few of our members. She asked, "What's your dream?", and, within the circle, each person was invited to speak. For some, this was the first time they had been encouraged to openly share their ambitions and experience validation from others. Whether you are 17 or 70, dreams are always fresh and alive within us, if we can plant ourselves in the right soil. Following your dreams means giving yourself permission to experience all your heart and imagination have to offer -- then taking a brave step forward.