Dreaming Again: Part Three

This post is third in a series. Click here to read Part One: Dreaming Again and
Part Two: Three Steps to Jump Start Your Progress

If you are clear about what your dream is, now is the time to make it a priority. Anyone who has accomplished something will tell you their success came through hard work and sacrifice. It didn’t happen overnight. It is easy to watch others and envy their success without understanding all the effort they invested to get there.

Look at your dream again and evaluate what it will cost you to make progress. It may cost you actual money. I guarantee it will cost you time. I often must evaluate if I have the emotional capacity on any given day to write, and sometimes the answer is no. Whatever the cost (money, time, emotions, etc.) decide if it is something you are willing and able to pay.

If your answer is yes, get moving! Add a line to your household budget to pursue your dreams. Schedule time in your calendar. Block it off and protect it at all costs. Reschedule other engagements if necessary.

If you count the cost and are unable to handle it currently, that’s okay. To everything there is a season (Ecclesiastes 3). Though my dream began when my boys were toddlers, I didn’t have the time to make writing a priority. That didn’t mean my dream was invalid or that I misunderstood God’s vision for me. It just meant I needed to wait. Sometimes waiting is the most holy and hardest thing we will ever have to do. The Bible is full of stories of people waiting to see how God would fulfill their dreams. Joseph, Abraham and Sarah waited decades before they saw their dreams fully realized.

If you are unable to prioritize your dreams right now, your next step is to wait. While you wait, consider if there are smaller steps you can take towards fulfilling your dream. Small steps may include reading a library book related to your dream or saving a few dollars every week as an investment in your dream’s future. Waiting doesn’t mean you are not making any progress; it simply means progress looks different than you originally thought.

Be Kind to Yourself

My last piece of advice is to be kind to yourself.

If you find your inner dialogue consisting of things you’d never image saying to a friend, stop. On this dream chasing journey there’s no room for negative self-talk. Remember, you are a child of God (John 1:12). He created you on purpose and with purpose (Ephesians 1:4), and He placed you exactly where and when you are meant to be (Acts 17:27). God doesn’t make junk and He doesn’t make mistakes.  You are not the exception to this truth (Jeremiah 31:3, Psalm 18:30). God loves you; remember to love yourself.

Sometimes life throws us curve balls and unforeseen events, and circumstances will require us to pivot our plans. It is okay to adjust; it is necessary and very smart. Changing your mind on something isn’t weakness.  It is simply realizing the situation is different and adapting.

When you make a wrong turn in your car, you don’t stop where you are and give up.  You reassess your location and find a new way to get there. Like the insurance commercial says, “life comes at you fast,” and sometimes you must reevaluate your current situation and forge a new path to your dream. Your dream may even morph into something you didn’t originally expect or plan.

A friend of mine wears a shirt that says, “A year from now you’ll wish you started today.” This applies to so many areas of our lives, but particularly to our dreams. It is my hope that this blog series will help you make progress on your dreams and that a year from now you’ll be grateful you started today. I would love to hear about the dreams you have and any steps you are taking to move forward, share yours below in the comments.

My next blog post we’ll explore how I’ve brought my children in to participate in my dream and how I’m teaching them to pursue their own. Stay tuned.

Up next: Teaching Your Kids to Dream – Dreaming Again: Part Four

 A Personal Note

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