I am about to complete 34 years of life! Of all the things that I can think about myself, the first one that pops into my mind is…I am a dreamer! I live to live my dreams. That does not mean that my life is roses and butterflies, but it means that I am constantly chasing them, even when I am in the middle of a storm with thorns.
Growing up, my parents supported all my dreams. The little ones, the big ones and even the crazy and most impossible ones. The only thing they told me and my brothers was: “Make sure you are doing something that you love! And work hard for it!”
This past month while visiting a museum in Australia I learned that the Aboriginals’ culture is based on something that they call the the “Dreaming”.
The Dreaming is a complex framework upon which the lifestyle beliefs of Aboriginal culture is based. The Dreaming is the time when Creative Begins were actively creating the world (…) Aboriginal spirituality is linked to the Dreaming
The Aboriginal beliefs are much deeper than what I wrote above. But I just loved the essence of this ancient belief, which is everything starts with a dream. I too am a dreamer. And I want to share with you my own dreaming process…
{I wanted to take some dream-like photos for this article. A few years ago my godmother gave me this beautiful butterflies wings, I never knew it what to do with them. But they were so pretty, so I kept them on my closet… It was fun to be a butterfly for a day!}
DREAM
It sounds pretty obvious. But sometimes I get so busy and caught up with my “to-do list” and every day chores, that I forget to feed my dreams. My dreams never start if I never take the time to think about them. So everyday I think about them, even if it is just for a few minutes.
WRITE DOWN
I don’t have all my dreams figured out when I write them down. So I just write the key words, or I draw something that reminds me of what I want, and I put it on a place where I can see it everyday. It is my little reminder… Deepak Chopra said: “Always go with your passions. Never ask yourself if it’s realistic or not.”
SHARE
Once my dream is clearer, I do what my dad once taught me: “Share your dreams with people that will help you to make it happen.” That does not mean that they are going to make it happen for me. But sharing with them allows me to clarify even more, and also creates a support system. It is more powerful to dream together!
WORK FOR IT
Work! Work! Work for it! I learned (and I am still learning) that if I don’t do it, no one will do it for me. If I don’t believe in myself, no one will. If I wait for someone’s approval, I will never do it. Study. Research. Learn. Ask questions. Try it, stand up when you fall, and try again. Ask for help. And work, work, and work some more. Now I understand why my parents told me: “Make sure you love it!”. Because a lot of times in the middle of chasing my dreams, I feel like giving up. Indeed it takes a lot of energy and work for dreams to come true.
BE PATIENCE
Dreams populate my mind, heart, and soul everyday. I feel like I need a thousands lives to put everything I wish into practice. This step is so important for me. If I gave my heart and soul and the dream still does not seem to be close enough to happen, I remind myself to be patient and to trust life. Sometimes it is not the way I want, and there is a bigger reason for it. But, I just need to trust it.
BE GRATEFUL & SMILE
After working so hard and for so long on my dreams, sometimes when they start to unfold in front of me, I forget that I am living the dream that once felt so far and impossible. So every night before I lay down in bed, I stop for a few seconds to be thankful for one more day! Those are very precious seconds…
GO BACK TO STEP 1
That’s basically how it goes! For me, is a endless learning process. It is how I live and will live my life…chasing “The Dreaming”.
How do you chase your dreams?
some dreams are worth sharing…
Mariane
