"To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act" - Anatole France
I'm not sure when I first started developing a dream list but it was probably over ten years ago. I started off by just writing down every dream I had for my life and trying not to edit the ones that seemed 'crazy' and 'unachievable'. Over time, the list has evolved, been added to and taken away from. I update it periodically because life changes and priorities change and things you once thought you really wanted to do sometimes change.
For example, one of the items on my original dream list was to get SCUBA certified. This one dream has resulted in a lot of chewing and stewing. I looooove snorkeling and checking out gorgeous fish and coral in beautiful, crystal clear waters but there is one small problem....I am TERRIFIED of sharks! No, I have never, in my entire lifetime, seen "Jaws"!! I am not sure where my big hangup came from, but I definitely have it! So, the SCUBA dream was on the list and then taken off and now I am considering putting it back on again. Maybe I just have to put on my 'big girl panties' and face my (rather irrational) fear of sharks? I have faced other fears and felt fantastic when I did something even though I was scared...why not this??? But I digress.....
I've noticed that by putting down my dreams in black and white, I am more likely to take advantage of opportunities and make them happen. If I had never written down that I wanted to visit the Metropolitan Musuem of Art in New York, I wouldn't have known to jump at the chance to go there on our visit to NYC a few years ago.
Some dream items are small (learn how to downhill ski), some big (send my parents on a trip), some 'fluffy' (ride in a limosine), some more significant (financially support an orphanage or children's home). A good dream list has a real mix of ideas where some are quickly obtainable and easily checked off and others may take a few years to accomplish.
A dream list can be an inspiration, but God may have completely different plans for your life : - )
one thing on my dream list is go to moncton and hug my cousins. xo.
ReplyDelete