LIVE YOUR DREAM LIFE NOW SESSION 5

Hello, Fellow Dreamers!

I hope you have begun to see ways to create your dream life using your "whys"! Make sure your dreams are also fitting into your priorities and values. That is what keeps them real and authentic to you.  You are one of a kind. There is no one like you.You are unique in all the world and that makes you pretty special. So your dreams are going to be unique and one of a kind also. Never quit dreaming and never give up!

But, let's face it,  sometimes things can get in the way of our dreams so today I'm going to share how to overcome the "obstacles" or "dream stealers" that might seemingly get in the way of your dreams.

                                  DREAM STEALERS
1)  THE INFLUENCE OF OTHERS

  We are bombarded daily with advertising that tells us what we should have and  we compare ourselves to others and what they have and these things can keep us feeling like we are lacking. Thus we are filled with a false feeling that we need more in life.  Do you have friends who are doing the things that you've always wanted to do? Are you feeling envious of  the situation of others? Do you let the media dictate your wants and needs? All these things make us feel as if we need more to be happy. This is a lie we allow ourselves to believe.  Below are  some remedies to help you overcome this "dream stealer". These are simple and I'm sure you've even thought of these yourself as you've formed your dream life list. Nevertheless, they are huge in the fact that doing them can make a BIG difference in your life.

REMEDIES: A) Stay focused on your own dream life, remembering your "whys". Don't be distracted by what others have or what the advertisers say you need. Keep your goals on your own "focused simple dream life".
                      B) Have an attitude of gratitude. Be thankful for the things that you do have. Start a gratitude journal writing down 3 things a day that you are grateful for. Work this attitude into your daily thinking so it becomes a habit.

                      C)  Serve others less fortunate than yourself.  Find somewhere you can volunteer and serve those who are needier than you are like a soup kitchen or whatever your community has to offer.  I guarantee this will help you put things into perspective. So you are a recipient of these organizations yourself? Serve anyway. I worked with young people whose families were recipients of these kinds of  organizations and yet I had them working with me to help others. They felt so good about giving that they didn't want to stop when their service was done. Warning! Serving others can become addicting! You have no time you say? Even just once a month can make a difference...to the people served, the organization you help with, and to you! 

 
                       D) Don't believe the hype!  Don't let the advertisers tell you what you want or need. Make an intentional decision to choose what you truly need and want. Again, focus on your own priorities.

2)  FINANCIAL MISTAKES

We've all made them...financial mistakes, that is. In my own life I've made some dumb financial decisions that, looking back, I wish I had been wiser. But who hasn't, right? No sense beating yourself up over them, however. That's in the past. It's time to move on and more forward! So if you're in a financial dilemma right now, it's time to come up with a plan and move forward with your plan. And you can still move forward with your dream life! How cool is that? Even if you're in control of your finances right now, a few tips won't hurt, right? So read on...

I'd like to share how we were hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and became millionaires overnight! Hah! But we weren't and we didn't. We were , however, able to overcome some financial situations, some of which were of our own making and some of which were....well... life! But first a disclaimer: I am not a financial expert or guru.  OK, I'm sure that doesn't surprise you but I had to say it! Here are some steps we took to move us out of a financial crunch to moving forward...painlessly and faster than I imagined. Our whole story is too long to share here so I won't bore you with the  details. And of course this is a simplified plan but something that can get you started.

REMEDIES:

A) Maintain an "I can do it" attitude. Your attitude equals your altitude! 

                          B) Put together a "spending plan". I like that wording better than a "budget". Make sure your plan allows for making more than you spend. OK, I know that might sound easier  than it is in reality.  In our  case, we had to make sure we were both working full time to get the bills paid off. So even if you need a couple of jobs temporarily, it's worth it to your piece of mind and your future.

                           C) Pay off your credit card debts with the "snowball plan".  Somewhere in your budget allow for an extra $50. Use this to pay down on your smallest credit card. After that is paid off take the extra $50 along with the amount you were originally paying on the smallest card and pay down on the next smallest credit card. You'd be surprised how quickly you can get these paid off.

                            D) Set aside a small amount to begin a savings account for emergencies.

This is just a beginning but it can help you get started! We were able to do more than we imagined following this advice. You can even still work on your "why" dream life while doing this.



3)  NOT KNOWING WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL

           This might sound confusing but this familiar quote will help you understand:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Everyone has things in their lives over which they have no control. We need to learn to accept those things we can't control. Seek serenity for these situations. But there are also things we can change and those are the things we should be focusing on. The "dream stealer" is  when we don't know the difference! It takes wisdom  to know the difference.

So I'm admitting here I was lacking in wisdom the first time I did these exercises. Yes, I do them more than once while dreaming new dreams and keeping myself in check. So here was one of my dreams: While I was growing up my family members were all in business.It seemed like a fun deal! So my dream was for my adult children, along with mu husband  and I to be in business together. Over the years I came up with some great ideas for all of us to be in business together but no one jumped at the chance.  I listed this in my dream life anyway.  Then it dawned on me that I was trying to make my dreams, my children's dreams. Newsflash! You can't dream for others.  At first this frustrated me! I was not going to be able to make my dream happen! But then I realized how silly this was of me. We each get our own dreams! Imagine that! So I had to let go of that idea. When I realized that they should be able to have their own dreams, it was actually freeing! I didn't have to keep trying to find business'  that would fit them! I could find the perfect business for me! That's when I moved forward with my Hob Nobber vintage sales! But guess what? They end up pitching in and helping me with it! Even the grandkids! It truly became a family deal and it's the business of my dreams, not theirs!

REMEDY:

        A) Follow the serenity prayer and seek serenity, courage, and wisdom.

        B)  Make sure you are dreaming your own dreams and no one else's. 



So keep moving forward with the "whys" of your dream life! it would be great if you'd share one dream that you've simplified in order to live your dream life now.

COMING TOMORROW: ANOTHER WINNER ANNOUNCED FOR THE GIVE-AWAY!