‘The Future Belongs to Those Who Believe in the Beauty of Their Dreams.’ Eleanor Roosevelt
Do you remember what you wanted to be when you were a child? Even if it changed from week to week can you remember what some of your childhood dreams were?
Mine was to be a writer. I loved the book ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott and the character called Jo March wants to be a writer when she grows up. I used to watch the 1949 film over and over, dreaming of finding my true writing voice as Jo does, wanting to have a wooden chest in the attic with my name on it and drafts of writing stored in it.
When I was just a little older, I remember there was a Scottish comedy series called ‘City Lights’ and in it Gerard Kelly played a character that worked in a bank but had dreams of becoming a writer. His dreams were thwarted many a time and he became laughable, because he was so far from his dream.
I somehow learnt from this that to claim to want to be a writer was something to be ridiculed, so I decided instead to choose the super sensible role of ‘clerk,’ whenever an adult asked what job I was going to do. ‘Clerk’ was one of the options in the career book we had at school along with nurse and teacher. The clerk in the book had a neat blue suit and looked purposeful.
When did you cut your own dreams down to sizes required by the opinions of others?
Here are five dreams not to give up on and one you really should.
1) A writer – Begin now. Get a notebook and free write. Buy yourself a copy of Julia Cameron’s ‘The Artist’s Way.’ Fire up your fire starter sessions with Danielle LaPorte. Go old style with pen and paper you love or scribe your soul onto the screen in pixels of heart fire.
2) A ballerina – I practice ballet for an hour six days a week. I never wore a tutu when I was tiny. I learn the French terms as we go along and my ears get confused hearing demi-plié as Debbie-plié. I’ll never be a professional ballerina, but I can still enjoy how the moves make me feel.
3) A mother or father – Before I had a little one I was a mother to my flat-coated retriever. We chose a dog school as though we were choosing a prep school. If you want to mother or father there might be a way of parenting that would suit you, even if it is not what you at first envisage being a mother or father to be. The idea of what a parent is in our society is too narrow. Look at mother earth; she does not play favorites.
4) Meeting your perfect partner – As long as you understand that perfect includes bits of gorgeous imperfection, as we are human. If you do not have your perfect partner yet write your wish list of attributes, put on some amazing music that energizes you and rain dance them right into your life. They are relying on you to turn up at that moment in time when you meet, so try not to hide out.
5) Having work you love – Don’t stay in your job to collect the leaving gift on retirement or the perfect pension / 401K. I mean how much do you actually want those store vouchers, wouldn’t you rather, you know, do amazing things, meet incredible people and life a life that fills you will utter joy at the awesome wonder of it all?
What about all the years in between? ONE LIFE and this is it. Or if you believe in re-incarnation MANY LIVES, but this is the one for now!
And the one to leave behind:
Angelina and Mr Clooney are taken, married, now ‘move along the bus there please.’
What dream did you give up on that you plan on claiming? Did any of these ring true for you? Tell me know in the comments.