I feel like at some point I stopped dreaming, but I can’t pinpoint the actual instance. Like there was a moment when auto-pilot kicked on and I just sat back and settled for a life thought I “should” want.
Then I started to feel it. That buzz, like a fly you can’t see but it won’t leave you alone. That sense of wanting more, but being too afraid to uncover what might be there.
Maybe there are stories, passed down from generation to generation about what you do. You are handed the list and are rewarded for every check mark you accomplish. You are doing what you are “supposed” to do, why isn’t it making you happy?
You brush aside the feelings and find another hobby, another check mark to chase and hope that will quell the feeling of unease and unsettledness inside. And it might, for a bit. But our dreams have a sneaky way of coming to the light anyway…
So what if you are ready to finally take a peek at what your dreams might be? Here are 3 exercises I use to tap into that dream space.
1. “Wouldn’t it be nice…”
I love this exercise because it has a relaxed feel to it. I don’t get attached because it’s a hypothetical, but don’t be fooled. It is the perfect exercise to start tapping into what you truly want.
Here’s how it works. Grab a journal and at the top of the page write Wouldn’t it be nice… and then just start making a list of all the things in your life that you want to happen.
For example: Wouldn’t it be nice
if I got all my emails read today.
I got outside for a walk.
if I finished a module in my online course.
Let it be about anything and everything, big and small. You may not get clarity on your dreams immediately but you will start to open yourself up to dreaming again.
2. Ask yourself, “If anything were possible, what would I want to do?”
And now you write it all down. Well it might not feel as simple as that. There might be resistance or fear or just plain brain freeze.
So break up the dreams. Have a page for personal, professional, family, relationships, etc. By getting specific on the area of your life you are dreaming about it can get the mental juices flowing!
Set a timer for 5 minutes and write. Any dream, any wish and DON’T censor yourself. This is just for your eyes so let the dreams get big and fun! Play! It’s a dream, let your inner child come out and imagine with abandon!
3. Find a goal that inspires you and take the littlest of baby steps toward it.
Alright so this isn’t a question per se, but it’s an important step in realizing your dreams.
I assume you didn’t read all this way just to have a list of dreams and not do anything about it did you?
Good, so let’s talk baby steps. Out of your list of goals, there has to be something that intrigues you, gets you excited or that you just can’t stop thinking about.
That’s the goal we will work with. On a fresh journal page, write the goal at the top. Then start brainstorming what you could do next. Maybe it’s an internet search for more information, a phone call to someone you know or maybe it’s just acknowledging that this goal is important to you. Take that first step towards that goal. I think you’ll be surprised at the momentum just one baby step forward can make.
And then find the next step and the next, and so on until you are well on your way!
There may be some set backs, but don’t allow that to discourage you. Just find the next smallest step and get busy living your dreams!
If you are looking for more inspiration to keep you moving toward your dreams, be sure to check out the latest episode of my podcast, BYOB (Be Your Own Bliss). My guest April Mather has some fantastic advice on how to start tackling those dreams! Listen wherever you get your podcasts! Please share, rate and review to help others find this!
