My nature is such that I tend to be a bit of dreamer. My theory is that when I was younger and things would get stressful, I would retreat into my imagination. It was a safe, peaceful, beautiful place where nothing could go wrong, fostering my “dream big” mentality. It was what got me through those occasions and, I am grateful to have such a vivid creative side that allowed me to survive some of those darker moments.
My images were a comfort to me and this allowed me to feel happiness when everything around me seemed to be falling apart. My reflections were mine. I had complete control over them, no one could take them from me, so I got in the habit of hanging onto them and thinking that perhaps someday they would become reality.
As I grew into adulthood this ability to “dream big” has been a double edged sword. I think that many situations in my life have manifested as a result of having a vision, but here is where things went wrong:
-Many times my vision was so big that I felt defeated when it was not happening fast enough. This resulted in me giving up too soon. For example: setting your sight on a marathon when you have never run before, or trying to qualify for Boston on your first try.
-I wasn’t looking at the value in the small steps along the road to achieving my larger vision, which, again, resulted in me giving up too soon. Sometimes we need to take a deep breath and relax, dreams do not happen instantly and, everything from the easiest run, to the most difficult speed work is part of the process. Be in the moment and appreciate what you have, right here, right now without lossing sight of the big picture.
– Getting where you want is not an easy path. When I would hit a difficult moment often times it hurt so bad I would throw up the white flag in an effort to avoid pain. Not that different of a response than when I was child. Our nature is to avoid pain, when sometimes you need to learn to navigate through it. Example: you have a tough week of workouts and you get off track the following week because you are tired or sore. Or you become injured and you throw in the towel instead of taking charge of your recovery.
-Sometimes our dreams are too specific. Often times I would have these liner thoughts of how things should look in my future. ie: I want to qualify for Boston or I want to get a certain time on a race. When we do this we overlook the small accomplishments like running a race without stopping or improving your time from race to race. Be grateful for what is happening today and, continue to hang onto the vision of what you want. Accept what you have right here and, right now, it is all part of the process. Accept more and, expect less.
-Your ultimate dream may look different than what you have in your mind. We have all seen those pictures of “What you feel Like” “What you really look like” pictures. Well the same goes for dreams they, might be manifesting and your not even acknowledging them. This goes along with being too specific, accept what IS right now and be grateful, it’s not as bad as you think. Look back at how far you have come and be proud of yourself today, it might not be perfect but look at what you have, not what you don’t have.
Life is so much like running. It is a journey and there is a destination but you must focus on the steps in between that lead you to the ultimate purpose. If you always focused on the finish line it would drive you crazy, so much so that it could cause you to quit if you are not careful. I love to “Dream Big” but often times need a reminder to enjoy the process. I am so grateful for how far I come without losing sight of my distant finish line. Dreams do come true, but not without a Captain at the helm. Today, I am navigating through a small section of my own personal sea of dreams.
What are your big dreams for yourself?
What challenges have you encountered along the road?
