“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

When was the last time you were flooded with excitement about something that was all yours? Something that set you on fire and drove you to jump out of bed in the morning? It could be from an accomplishment, a hobby, or a happy feeling based on something you did. If not, is there a chance this passion in your life is on pause or that you feel stuck from an experience that was different than what you expected? 

I felt a little stuck

A little over five years ago, I had to find a new way to re-infuse joy into my life after I stopped working for a couple of years for my kids. While it was a good long-term decision, it felt like my life had become all about cooking and cleaning. I was mourning the loss of glamorous trips to San Francisco and New York for market research and the money and freedom that came with it. WHY would I give up such a wonderful situation, which was practically a dream job for me? It was out of love that I had decided to pause some of my own passions so I could be there for my three kiddos more. But over time, I started to feel restless and needed a change.

Fast forward five years later. I’m truly happy that I have found a way to channel my ambition into other things. I grew my own interests (such as coaching, competing in Olympic and sprint triathlons, learning to row on a 24’ boat, and other adventures) while watching my kids quickly grow. I’m happy I was home to see my 16-year-old learn to drive. Any my 10-year-old play the trumpet out of the bus window on the way to school. And my 14-year-old decide that she was meant to live in the ’80s (in a time before everyone was on social media – ha!).

So, my question today is, have you pressed pause on your dreams? Or have you felt a loss of unmet expectations and what you thought things should be? Or maybe you paused your passions during the past couple of years due to the pandemic? Are you now ready to reignite your passions?

Are you willing to dream a little and take some steps toward feeling energized and excited again? If so, I believe it is your time to thrive and shine! 

Questions for you to consider

• What did you dream about being or doing when you were 10-years-old?
• What did you definitely NOT dream of being or doing?
• This week, could you schedule a time to unplug and dream, journal about it, and then take one step in that direction? 

Begin!

I’ve always felt the first step is the hardest and most intimidating. Once you write down your dreams, focus on the first step, not what will be required for the next 10 steps. Start with the first week, not the first year. Begin with a plan for the month and the rest of the year will fall into place. 2022 can be a great time to make some of your dreams a reality! 

~ Kristi