If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It
Imagine:
You are in the best shape of your life and feel amazing.
You have your dream job, able to travel as much as you want.
You are happy & carefree, supported by friends and loved ones.
(This is the part where a quasi-guru steps in and tells you that it's all possible when you harness the power of the "law of attraction.") It sounds so good. It's exactly what you want...
But the reality? That's not exactly how it goes. Dreaming is fun, but in the end those dreams are just that... dreams.
Without clear direction, and a whole lot of work, it's difficult to actualize these things, even with the best intentions.
Unfortunately, dreaming is where a lot of people stop...
We imagine the possibilities but then have no clue how to achieve those things, which leaves us empty, frustrated, and longing. Sometimes we trust ourselves less, angry that we allowed ourselves to entertain those hopes.
The truth is, we can change. We can reach our dreams. We can create the life we want to be living... but it doesn't happen from just dreaming.
Nobody talks about that part. The vision board? That is just the first step. Now you need a road map.
A Clear Path to Creating Change
Magical thinking can become intentional goals by:
Taking Action
Dreaming is important. Without allowing your right brain to wander into impossible beliefs, it's likely we would never go anywhere. But dreaming isn't the end all—and for some of us, too much dreaming can actually be a set-back.
Dreaming is nothing without taking action.
You need a plan. You need specific, measurable goals that are realistic and achievable. Goals that you can provide you a clear roadmap towards your dream.
Staying Consistent
Sometimes us dreamers (enneagram 7, 9, or 4, anyone? 🙋) can propel ourselves into a plan, but too often that plan quickly becomes unrealistic, wither because because our goals were too lofty or because we expect that change to happen too quickly.
For example, your goal is to travel abroad, so you choose a date, place, and itinerary, while creating a timeline: Trip in 6 months, save up the necessary money over the next three months. Sounds good. But if your plan is to save $5000 for your trip, but your current savings is $50, then is that timeline realistic? Or if you've never travelled outside of the state, would it be more realistic to start with a domestic trip? These thoughts can be sobering.
But, wait, what about manifesting? Aren't we supposed to be able to do ANYTHING? How do we reach for the sky without tampering our dreams? This is where my bullshit meter goes off. Manifesting is not about getting anything you want. Manifesting is prioritizing and focusing on the things most important to you so that they can play an even bigger role in your life.
Being Patient
Will your dream still be worth doing if it doesn't happen immediately? The reality is that we live in a society of convenient, designed to target and feed into our every whim. Wanting something does not equate manifest something.
If you really want to reach your goals, you have to commit to being in it for the long game. You have to want it whether that goal happens in one week, one year, or five years.
Change is not easy. But it is necessary. Give yourself grace as you move through the process.
Being Less Rigid
It is a process. Where are my enneagrams 6s and 1s? 🙋You're not going to like hearing this, but creating change does not always come with exactness. Your goals can shift, your outcomes may be different than what you originally envisioned. You have to let go and trust in the universe.
As Gabby Bernstein says, "The universe has your back."
How do I know?
I've used this process to; change careers, recover from burnout, hit peak health and wellness moving into my 40s, devote more time to my kids (without taking away from me-time!), enjoy a happy marriage, thrive through 12 years of sobriety, embark on regular adventures, and so much more. This process is a part of my regular life. It has helped me in so many ways and it can help you, too. Join me for the workshop Turning Your Visions into Goals to find out how.
Comments