Following Your Dreams

Follow Your Dreams

​My daughter gave me a necklace for Christmas.  It’s a pretty, simple, elegant silver ring with the words Follow Your Dreams etched into it.  I love it.  My girl knows her momma.  Knows that I’ve been itching for more, but too afraid to go after the things that I really want.  Always coming up with excuses or finding what seemed to be legitimate reasons for why I couldn’t do certain things.  I would let the wrong people influence me so I would catch myself giving up or procrastinating. This thoughtful gift gave me permission to go find the “more”  I am so desperately needing.  So, more than the esthetics, I’ve decided to take the advice of the jewelry and my girl.  2014 will bring on a different set of resolutions for me.  Instead of following my usual routine that helps me get through the year, I’m going to focus on things that I think are going to make me happy.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to dive off the deep end, but this year I’m going to add goals that specifically will get me closer to my dreams.  If the goal doesn’t get me closer to where I eventually want to be, then it gets put off lower down the list.

Which leaves me to decide what my real dreams are and create a break-down list of things I need to do to get me there.

The dreams, they have to be realistic.  They can be big, fantastic even, but they must be reachable.  Most of my “dreams” have been put on my long-term goal list.  Meaning something that I could eventually reach, but I’m not in any real hurry to get there.  And every once in a while, I’d work on them.  But this year, I’m switching things up.  I’ve decided to pull a couple of my smaller dreams, ones that could actually be reached in twelve months, and bring them into focus.  They are the ones I’m going after this year.

The break down.  My usual goals, which have become habitual, like setting money away for savings, or paying down debt, simplifying life, those are still in place.  Every year, I try to add new goals to always help me continue to grow and become the Elizabeth 2.0 version.  This year will be no different, just more focused.

You can do it too.  We can compare notes!

What are your dreams?  Are there a couple that could be reached in a year if you concentrate specifically on them?  What do you need to learn to get you closer?  Are there any books, courses or college you need that will benefit you?  Do you need to start setting aside money for your dream to come true?  How much?  How much can you afford to set aside each week?  What time adjustments to do you have to make to work on these goals?  Do you have a support team in place?  If not, who could you ask to encourage you?  Who could you call on to help you?  Think of people that could mentor you, support you, teach you, fuel you.  Can you handle the naysayers that ARE going to come at you?  Create your timeline of how long and when things need to be implemented on your plan.  Break things down to where they are comfortable and reachable for you.  If you try to take to big of bites, you’re more likely to get intimidated and give up. (Trust me on this...)  Plus, the smaller completions, the more you have to celebrate!  And you’ll look forward to the little successes almost as much as the big one.

It’s a new year.  Time to wipe the slate clean and make 2014 the year you want.  Make it the year that when you look back on it from 2015, you’ll be proud.  And you’ll have grown as a person and your self-confidence has gotten bigger: stronger making your future options better and better.

I’m excited at the possibilities of 2014.  I am excited to seem my dreams come a little closer.  I’m excited to hear what you are doing to make your dreams come true.

It’s 2014, y’all.  Follow your dreams!!

---