Let's be honest, we don't start our lives depressed and defeated. As children we are full of creativity and the sky is the limit when it came to our dreams. We are unstoppable beings and our outlook on life is bright and full of possibilities. It's not until we get older, begin to absorb the beliefs of those closest to us, and have more responsibility placed upon our daily lives that we begin to feel disempowered. We fail at things, start speaking to ourselves negatively and this my friend, is when we begin to feel that our dreams are just that.... a dream, never to become reality.
This is where I call bullshit and ask you to listen to what I have to say...
Now, I have been there and I have felt that, just as you have. But what if I told you there was a way to undo the bullshit beliefs you've adopted over the years and gain the spark of your dream back?
Do I have your attention now? Good.
First, we need to identify why we give up on our dreams:
Fear of failure: Failure is just a lesson on how not to do something for optimal results. Pay attention to the lesson, apply the lesson, then try again. If you are afraid to fail you will never achieve anything great.
Lack of belief from those closest to you: Support from those we love and want acceptance from is normal. However, we cannot put our dreams on hold because someone doesn't hold the same vision we do. In cases like this you will need to find your own support system and keep moving toward you goal. We have carried around the Limiting Beliefs of those closest to us for too long. It's time to put them down.
Boredom/Plateau: Dreams should never be boring so if you feel bored, look at your dream again and be honest about if it's something you really want. Sometimes boredom can occur when you hit a plateau because you feel stuck or like you're spinning wheels. This is normal and you should feel more frustrated than bored.
Lack of a clear outcome: Wouldn't it be great if there was Google Maps for life?! Unfortunately we don't have that (yet) so it can be scary when you are unsure where your actions are going to take you. In all honestly, if your actions are in line with your dream or goal, you'll get there and the uncertainty has more to do with leaving your comfort zone than anything else.
There is a quote from Walt Disney (the king of failure and determination, in my eyes) and it says....
"All our dreams can come try, if we have the courage to pursue them" -- Walt Disney
Courage is an important thing when you are trying to create the life of your dreams. You need the courage to step out of your comfort zone, to face your limiting beliefs head on, to write a new narrative for your story and who are and what you truly believe in your heart, not just what you think your are supposed to believe. Having courage is not always easy, but it is necessary.
Here are some tips that you can use so you stop giving up on your dream and begin pursuing them with energy again:
Change the story: By story, I mean your Limiting Beliefs or the bullshit you tell yourself as to why you can't do something. You need to rewrite these before you can successfully move in the direction of your dreams. You need to empower yourself and it starts with your story.
Find your purpose: Why are you working toward this dream? If you don't know or don't feel connected to it, you have to ask yourself why am I doing this? You need to feel connected to a dream in order to put the dedication needed to achieve it into play.
Make your own map: As dreamy as dreams can be, we will never achieve them without some kind of a plan. One of the easiest ways to do this is to Turn your dream into a SMART goal. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time) This can work as a compass for you to ensure you're on the right track and it can allow you correct your focus, if needed.
Create Opportunity: The distance between success and failure is perspective. Every time you hit a road block or something doesn't work out as you hoped that is a chance to create opportunity. There is a lesson in those moments and you need to decide if you are going to learn it and apply it or just throw your hands up and say I can't do this. The choice is always yours.
Celebrate all wins: Every step you take in the direction of your dream should and must be celebrated, no matter how small! I'm not saying go out and buy expense stuff or gorge on food but you need to celebrate. The positive energy you create by doing so creates a momentum and confidence that will propel you forward on your journey.
Creating the life of your dreams takes dedication, focus and effort. We can honestly overcome anything that life throws our way as long as we do the necessary work to improve our mindset and realize that we can only control how we respond to situations and nothing more.
Are you ready to start rewriting your story? Let's go!
(Ready but feel that you need some help getting started? I will be offering 1:1 coaching soon and would love to chat to see if working together would be a good option for you.)
