Living the dream...
When I was growing up I had many dreams and aspirations. The idea of having a dream was indoctrinated at such an impressionable age, it almost seemed foreign not to have a dream of some sort.
Follow your dreams and all your wishes will come true. Is that all...? Shouldn't there be more to it than that? How does it get translated or understood? Do we actually understand what it means, or are we setting up young people and ourselves for a disapointing reality check.
We’ve become the “Yes we can” society, there is nothing we can’t do. Indeed a positive sentiment but really, can we? Do we have the tools and teach the coping skills required to living out our dreams; or do we just say these things to make ourselves feel better and convince ourselves that we’re doing the right thing. What happens exactly when things don’t work out like we want? Can we embrace defeat or do we just sugar coat it with a little white lie or two.
Could the laguage be slightly skewed or is our interpretation warped?
Life was different when I was a kid. Sports were about team work; always more fun when we won and when we lost, we tried harder. We weren't coddled and told 'you're a winner' when we weren't and competition was healthy and normal. It almost seems a far fetch idea in todays standard. It's as if we setup life today to be fool proof, without fail. The fear of being inadequate or a failure is so consuming, we do whatever it takes to avoid it. But really, what’s so wrong with losing or failing? Isn’t losing and failure the building blocks of character, strength and determination? Learning to deal with loss and disappointment at any age is a part of growing. So why are we so scared to let ourselves fail or lose.
Maybe it’s no fault in our dreams only in our perception and realistic expectations. Maybe we should know what we’re getting ourselves into, make some educated decisions and accept whatever outcome with no preconceived notions or expectations.
Following your dreams has a lot to do with losing and failing. To be on this path is always the road less traveled. It is extremely difficult and sometimes horrible. It will test you relentlessly every inch of the way. Sometimes it almost seems as if it even taunts you. But it is in this struggle you will find yourself, your worth, your center and your pursuit of happiness.
Having talents or acute skills is just the first step in a list of many steps, and they alone won’t manifest your dreams. It also doesn’t entitle you to be worthy of something you feel deserving of. You have to nourish and work your dreams every day. Dreams happen not the way you intend, they have a knack of working out how they’re meant to happen. You’re never really in control of anything; all you can do is choose to walk the path. It’s never easy or simple. Just focus and walk hard, forward and onward.
Dream BIG. It comes with much heartache and you will fail and lose but you will also WIN. Dreams are made of the stuff that makes us whole. Be determined and avoid unrealistic expectations. Remember success is relative and the only person that you have to prove anything to is yourself.
I stopped chasing my dreams; I figured I’ll eventually meet them somewhere down the road.
