There’s No Other Way to Dream But BIG
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What are the desires of your heart? When you take a moment and search your soul for what those things are, do you think these things are possible for you? Our biggest critic and biggest hindrance to achieving our life goals and living out the desires of our hearts can be ourselves. We can have these imposter thoughts of, “Why me? I wasn’t born that way,” or “I didn’t grow up that way,” or “I don’t know how to do that,” or “Only a certain kind of person with a certain kind of degree/background/knowledge can achieve something like that.”
Those are thoughts that I can still struggle with today. Who am I to think that I can have more titles than mom and wife without diminishing the great honor that those titles carry? I don’t have a degree in marketing or finance, and I’m not a nutritionist or medical professional. How can I possibly write about these topics with any validity? Am I allowed to want big things for myself and my family? I don’t want to get disappointed, so maybe my expectations shouldn’t be too high.
As I’ve gotten older, it has been interesting to see how things I have experienced earlier in life have been simmering on the back burner of my heart and soul, just waiting for the right time to boil over. One of those instances was when my grandfather read Breaking Night by Liz Murray and gifted it to me for Christmas when I was in my freshman year of college at East Carolina University. This book is a perfect example of how anyone can achieve anything as long as they do the work to get there. The work isn’t going to look the same for everyone. Yes, some people are literally born with more opportunity and easier circumstances, but life is all about choices. The hardest part about any endeavor is making the next right choice. Born to drug-addicted parents, Liz became homeless in New York at fifteen years old. The final straw for her was when her mother died of AIDS. Liz found a way to get back to high school and graduated, won scholarships and made it to graduating from Harvard. HARVARD, Y’ALL. Today, she is married, has a family, is the co-founder of the Arthur Project and is a traveling keynote speaker. Oh, and no big deal, her book was made into this movie.
Although it’s been many years since I’ve read that book, the inspiration I received from Liz’s story has found fresh meaning in my soul for the woman that I am today. The events of her life remind me that there’s no other way to dream but big and to squash the imposter syndrome I can experience from time to time.
Revisiting this book reminded me that:
If she can do it, I can do it.
The desires of my heart are valid.
Putting myself in a box holds me back.
If she can do it, I can do it.
Going to Harvard isn’t a desire of my heart and I didn’t grow up with the same set of circumstances and adversities that Liz did. However, I do have big dreams and life goals that I want to achieve. I thought I had all the odds against me; I have a degree in Dance Performance for goodness sake. But what I’ve learned is that my life filled with dance classes, being in the studio and being on stage is what has actually prepared me for these moments that I am living out today and the future that I want. The grit and determination it takes to make it in a creative industry has served me well in all areas of my life. The discipline I’ve gained and work ethic I’ve cultivated have blossomed me into the problem solver that I am now. It took me a while to understand this, but dance is not my kryptonite; it is the superpower that has equipped me to make my dreams come true today. Powerful stories like Liz’s are an immense encouragement to me that despite where I’ve come from, my willingness and determination to get to where I want to go is absolutely possible.
The desires of my heart are valid.
While I am wildly grateful for where I’m at in life and for the things I have, I want to continue to grow. I want to reach more people, spend more time doing the things I love with the people I love and together with my husband, ensure that my family’s future is taken care of. Liz could have been absolutely fine with going back to high school and getting her diploma, but she wanted more for herself. She wanted the ultimate scholarly honor of attending Harvard University and did whatever it took to make it happen. This desire of her heart was seen as too big to some people in her life, but to her, it was a possibility that she chose to make into a reality. I believe that God put specific desires in my heart for a reason and that they are true, no matter how lofty or impossible they may seem.
Putting myself in a box holds me back.
Born to drug addicts and later becoming homeless, Liz had every reason to acquiesce to the adjectives of her life and allow them to become her identity. She made the choice to rise above her circumstances and figure out how to get what she wanted out of life. There was a time in my life when I didn’t believe I could do anything besides teach dance, perform and have a day job, if needed, in retail. Those things are wonderful parts of me, but that’s what they are: PARTS, not the whole. When I allowed myself to step outside of the box of “dancer with a day job” I was shocked. I had other interests, talents and gifts that I knew nothing about. When I released myself from this notion that I can only be a certain thing, the universe opened up. I still hold that title of “dancer” deep within my soul, but I don’t allow it to encompass my entire identity. I am uniquely and wonderfully made as a WHOLE person who is capable of absolutely anything.
This gift from my grandfather of this book is one that I will cherish forever. He was my biggest cheerleader and always supported me no matter what. This was another way that he wanted to get the message across to me that I am capable of greatness and not to squander my opportunities. If Liz could overcome all of that adversity, why couldn’t I dream big and make my life extraordinary? Don’t be fooled by something you think is your kryptonite. It just might be your superpower.
So, now what? The biggest factor in achieving your goals is creating a foundation of simple routines that set you up for success each day. I’ve got something just for you to help make that happen! In my free Morning Routine Maker, I show you just how quick and easy creating a morning routine actually is. Click the button below to get instant access to the life changing magic that is the morning routine. Brace yourself, you just might become a morning (read: routine) person!
To make our dreams happen, we’ve got to feel good, right? Our mind, body and spirit are all connected and if our body is out of whack, our mind and spirit aren’t going to be in tip top shape either. Something that is an important part of my intentional lifestyle to feel at my best is having a protein packed smoothie for breakfast. My Sunrise Smoothies are what I drink for breakfast every single day to pack in the nutrients needed for crushing my life & biz goals. Skipping breakfast because mornings are too chaotic to even think about eating something? Skipping breakfast because eating in the morning makes you feel nauseous? Skipping breakfast because you’re trying to lose weight? All of those are myths that can leave you feeling hangry and how can a hangry person achieve their goals? Let me show you the magic that are the Sunrise Smoothies and I bet all of those skipping breakfast excuses will fade away and your achievement will skyrocket.
How well do you know yourself? Do you know what really sets your soul on fire? Maybe you’ve taken a deep dive into getting to know yourself before but it’s been awhile. In the Happiness Helper, you’ll go through a quick and easy exercise to really dig into some parts of you that you may not have stopped to think about before. Once you’ve explored these areas of your likes and dislikes, you’ll experience clarity and may even be surprised at some of the things that make your wheels turn. Don’t live inside a tightly structured box of a narrative that you or someone else has placed on you anymore! Prepare yourself to feel empowered to go after the kind of life that YOU want to live; not a life that someone told you that you were destined to. Get ready to take a deep sigh of relief!
Putting small biz owner’s and serial entrepreneur’s plan into action with step-by-step breakdowns of long-term and short-term goals so you can obtain your version of success every day, month, quarter and year!