Plans and Dreams

Still musing on the first day of the conference and the amazing Values Clarification Workshop led by motivational speaker, Paul Robinson of the Wilder Center for Communities. Towards the end of our 3 hour session, Paul gave us two beautiful gifts:

First, he gave us a chart to map our dreams and picture the life we wanted to have and the things we wanted to accomplish. I uploaded my Map of Dreams chart in a Word document, so that you can make one for yourself.

Secondly, he told us to make a plan and let go of all the non-essentials. He reminded us that we could have all the passion, ambition, intelligence, talent, and perseverance in world, but if we didn't have a plan, none of that will help us get anywhere.

As obvious as all of that sounds, life can place some lovely, surprising, practical, financial and downright tragic distractions in the way of our dreams. And quite frankly, it's easier get off track and lose sight of our dreams than it is to stay focused, disciplined and committed to them.

After completing my MFA in Playwriting, I was lost as to what to do with myself. My life mentor, Amparo Garcia Crow, advised me to envision how I wanted my life to be in 5 years.  Once I had a picture of what that was, then every step, every decision, every job, every connection, every­­­ breath would lead me closer to my dream.

Officially, it took me six years to live the life that I had envisioned, but it worked. It wasn't easy and life certainly threw more than few distractions my way, but it did work. And I've been living this life for the past few years and could for many more. But lately, I've been feeling a need for something new and different, something that pushes me beyond myself. It's time for me to envision a new life for myself, to set new goals, and to dream new dreams. I can hardly wait for what's to come.