Super Soul Saturday: Bold bangs, Bold dreams.

Let’s talk for a minute about your dreams. Your plans. Your ambitions. When was the last time you wrote down a big dream? Not a goal. Not a plan. AN ASPIRATION. By the time you are 30, girl, you need to be writing down your goals. I hope that I am not the first person to tell you the power of writing down your goals. In fact, you are 42% MORE likely to do something if you write it down. If I am the first person to tell you this golden nugget of wisdom, please visit this article and learn more: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marymorrissey/the-power-of-writing-down_b_12002348.html

We aren’t talking about goals today. We are talking about our dreams. Our dreams are scary. They require us to get out of our comfort zone. They require us to show up. They require us to grow. We have to put ourselves out there. Y’all, life is hard. There are already 1,000 that are making me grow (i.e. #momlyfe). So intentionally doing one more thing for the sake of “growth” seems crazy. I mean, 90% of the time, I’m in survival mode only. I’m ok in the shallow end of the pool, ok. No need for swimming lessons.

This year, as you have probably read, I have been super into podcasts and books. The books I’m reading- Brene Brown, Jen Hatmaker, Rachel Hollis, Cheryl Strayed, Annie Downs- are written by normal people. These women are just like us. They are married to a pastor. They are former elementary school teachers. Some are not even college graduates. They grew up with broken families. They are NORMAL. They know the struggle. They also dream big. They’ve made it happen. Quite honestly, I can’t get enough of them.

These ladies have inspired me and empowered me to step up to the plate. If they can do it, why can’t I? To be honest, I didn’t even want to admit my dreams to myself. Big dreams are so far from my reality that it almost seemed like a waste of time. I didn’t even have the brain capacity to expend on nonessential thoughts. Survival mode, remember? These are things that I would only bring up when someone at a dinner party asked, “if you won the lottery what would you do with the money?” This year, however, something ignited in me. I thought about all the crazy, big things that I want to do one day. Admitting it to myself was the hardest part. But after I did, it was easier to live in that fantasy for a few minutes.

I’m a resolution person. I love New Years. Something about new beginnings, a brand spanking new year. It fires me up, dude! Every January 1st, I feel like the world is my oyster. I am the master of my destiny. I can get a little carried away. I’m just excited about life. Back to the point: I love resolutions.

res·o·lu·tion

ˌrezəˈlo͞oSH(ə)n/

noun: resolution; plural noun: resolutions
a firm decision to do or not to do something.

Who doesn’t love a FIRM decision? No back and forth. No ifs, ands, buts, maybes. It’s decisive. It’s black and white. It’s objective. You’re in or you’re out. I freakin’ love that. Resolutions require you to be resolute.

res·o·lute

ˈrezəˌl(y)o͞ot/

adjective: resolute
admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.

Can you think of anything more worthy of your time, anything greater than living an admirably purposeful life?  

Have you caught on yet? The common theme that extends to the very core of who I am? Certainty and Stability.  Resolutions are the essence of stability. Resolute people are certain. I feel like I just did a magic trick. Ta stinkin’ Da!

Every year, I make a point to be very introspective the week after Christmas. I spend a lot of  time reflecting on the previous year- what it meant to me, who I am, blah blah blah. Then, I think about where I want to go, who I want to be, what  I want to accomplish.

This year I made a list like I always do. Personal goals, Professional goals.  My personal goals were good. They were SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely. Let me tell you what they were not. They were not daring. Not grandiose. They did not push me or stretch me beyond my comfort zone.

Original 2018 goals:

• PR the Chicago Marathon
• Read 1 book every month
• Run a trail half
• Eat a healthier diet (more than meat & cheese)
• Maintain exercise regime

This list was lackluster to say the least. I rolled my eyes at myself. Then, I gave myself a pep talk. Girl, what do you really want? What makes you excited? What are the bold and daring desires in your soul? What are your big dreams? Then I made a new list.

Big Dreams 2018:

• Find a creative outlet: start writing!
• Explore Ph.D. programs

I have always wanted to write a book. I feel silly just admitting that to the world wide web. I remember the first time I ever said it out loud. My husband was standing in the kitchen. I sat down at the bar, and I said, “can I tell you something kind of crazy that I’ve never told anyone?” Aaron looks at me with a lot of concern.  I can tell he’s a bit hesitant. I mean, he knows. There is no telling what’s about to come out of my mouth. I said, “I’ve always wanted to write a book. I think that I’m going to start writing.” Aaron didn’t look at me like I was crazy. He said, “I think that’s great, Nanners.” Just like that. All of the sudden it didn’t seem so crazy. It was so big. So stupid. So outlandish in my head. As soon as it was spoken into life, it became perfectly ordinary.

I want to write a book one day. You hear that, world? Heck, I want to write lots of books.  I want to be an author. I want to write a memoir. I want to publish my research on at-risk children, mentoring, and narrative therapy techniques. I want to publish a funny, witty tell-all like my S.H.I.T. blog. I want to write. I want to put my work out into the world. Not to be rich. Not to be famous. But just for the sake of creating.  I have no idea how to write a book. I’ve never had training in Fine Arts or Creative writing or communications or any sort of formal English training. I just know that I have a burning desire deep down to write and to share.

This is my crazy dream. I bet you have one too. Maybe you want to create something like jewelry or pottery or painting. Maybe you want to own your own business one day. Maybe you want to be coastal. Maybe you want to run a marathon. Maybe you want to dye your hair pink. I so want to dye my hair pink. The point is, there is something daring that you want to do deep down. I’m here to tell you, Do it. Don’t tell me why you can’t. Don’t tell me all the obstacles in the way. Here’s your challenge. Write down your goals for 2018. Give yourself the side eye. But THEN, write down your big dreams. You don’t have to share them. You don’t have to embark on some quest. Just write them down. What do you have to lose? Nothing. What do you have to gain? A 42% higher chance of them coming true. If you’re feeling bold, tell them to someone that you trust. Take your crazy ideas. Your wildest imagination. Your greatest ambition and speak it into life. Then, tell me what happens.