Angel-Sister-Friends & Dreams

Be careful out there!! When you throw your hands up and say “Yes!” to your dreams...and mean it, you never know what might happen.

When I wrote the last post, I meant all of it. It wasn't until a few days later though, while listening to another talk on the Inspiring Women Telesummit, that I actually paused the recording, threw my hands up and said outloud, “Yes!! I am ready!”

I told God, in that moment, that I was game for whatever project He had in mind. I didn't know where we were going, how we were going to get there, or who was going along for the ride. But what I did know was that it was travel time! I said it. I meant it. And then things started moving quickly.

Over the course of a few days, all sorts of unexpected serendipitous events occurred. They all pointed directly to one of my long standing dreams. You know the one that you stand like a kid outside a candy store with your nose pressed to the window drooling over. THAT dream. The BIG One. Things started moving for IT.

Delicious opportunities, insights, and meetings happened. Right on cue with the good stuff came the Old Ghosts (past memories, labels others gave me, and experiences I'd most often rather forget) fussing and chattering...filling my head with questions, doubts, and fears. “This can't be for me. I'm not ready for this. I can't do this. Who am I to think I could pull this off? I've never successfully done it before. I must be crazy to think I can do it now!” Ghosts can be pretty darn tough and they don't fight fair. They even go so far as to use folks closest to you to whisper their old lines. Don't fall for their tricks.

Fortunately, like in any good movie, the cavalry came thundering around the corner just in the nick of time! Angel-Sister-Friends delivered encouraging messages out of the blue. I received calls, notes, and comments I wasn't expecting. Most folks had no idea what was happening for my dream in that moment. Most didn't know I was dancing with the Old Ghosts either. However, Old Ghosts are no match for dreams being born under the watch of Angel-Sister-Friends.

I told one Angel-Sister-Friend that I was “walking blind but it feels right”. Her comment was “for the sake of the Debbie doubter in the middle of you wanting to get out, you have spent 40 years learning to feel your way in the dark so I'd say your sight is 'right on”. I do believe Lisa Nichols would give her a cookie for holding me accountable for my own greatness even though it wasn't comfortable in the moment. Thank you Angel-Sister-Friend...you know who you are!

It can happen. It IS happening! It's what I've asked for all along. No, it's better than what I've asked for all along...and it is RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. All I have to do is graciously accept the invitation to go on the adventure of my dreams.

It doesn't look like I expected.

It isn't where I planned it to be.

But it's even better!

And it was hiding in plain sight all along.

I had to get ready...really ready. You know the kind of ready in your soul that says ok no matter what I'll jump and fly on faith. That's the kind of ready I had to get to. 

Understand this, I am Her Royal Highness, the Queen of the Cliff-Hugging. I do a great wind up and get ready act. I get in place, wings firmly attached, ready for take off, and run as fast as I can toward the edge. Screeching to a complete halt just moments before running out of ground under my feet. I always tell myself “Whew! That was a close one!”

Do you ever get tired of hugging-the-cliff, pulling-your-punches, and living in the “whew that was a close one” moments? I am so tired of being an ”almost-success” that I decided THIS time I am going for it. This time, fly or fall, I am NOT going to stop until I either soar on the winds of success...or gravity slams my fluffy oh-so- round body down into the dust. (visualize the Roadrunner and Coyote cartoon)

Picture me clinging to the inside of an airplane with a parachute strapped to my back. Angel-Sister-Friends are there pushing me out of the plane as I am screaming “It's not my turn! I can't fly!!” You know what happens next. Yep...they shoved me right outta the plane. Thank goodness they did.

Good News!! Angel-Sister-Friends are on duty even when they don't know they are on duty. Has anyone ever said exactly what you needed to hear even though neither of you knew you needed to hear it? Has anyone ever shown up, responded to a post online, sent you something, or just called when you needed it most? That's an Angel-Sister-Friend at work.

Be mindful. You are an Angel-Sister-Friend to others. You are also on duty...even when you don't know it. Share the encouragement. Be there when you are nudged for no good reason. Send that note, respond to that post. You never know when you are right up in the middle of midwifing a dream's birth for someone else.

I'd love to fill you in on more, but you'll have to wait a bit. Some fantastic things are in the works. I'll let you know about them as soon as they are set. In the meantime, strap on your parachute, get into the plane, take some Angel-Sister-Friends with you, and let your dreams fly. You'll be glad you did!

Dare to Live Your Dream Outloud

Do you ever feel like you live two completely different lives? If you are like me, you have the “real” life...the one with the dishes in the sink, laundry to be done, bills to pay, others to care for, job to maintain, and so on. Then, there is the “dream” life...the one with a place in the mountains where I develop and lead amazing workshops, create fabulous art, write inspiring articles and books, and have the most interesting dinner parties. Are you with me on this?

Who told us we can't have both? Where is the rule that says we can't be living our “Real Dream” life now? What stops us from having it all? If you are like me, old ghosts, whose voices are memories of experiences from the past, often are the culprits. Someone somewhere, told you that your dreams weren't rational, realistic, valid, down-to-earth, or worth pursuing. Maybe they laughed when you shared them. Maybe they can't see or understand your vision. Have you ever let that stop you or redirect your dreams? I have. Many, many times.

If you are like me, you ache to find that tribe of others like you. The ones who understand and appreciate your dreams and desires. You crave the community and companionship of folks pursuing their own dreams. Your soul hungers for the creative energy that comes when support, enthusiasm, encouragement, and accountability are freely given together. Does that sound familiar?

For most of my adult life, I pulled my punches on my dreams. I would go running into them full-speed ahead...then at the last moment, you know, right when things are about to get really good...I'd come to a screeching halt. Why?! What is THAT all about??? I'd done it so many times that it had become as natural as breathing. Smile and nod if you understand what I am saying...if you are living your dream life silently, or in a whisper.

I heard a fabulous comment today. I was listening to the recording of Lisa Nichols' interview on Devaa Haley Mitchell's Inspiring Women Telesummit. Lisa said, “When I am 75 years old and I'm sitting in my rocking chair, do I want to say I did it...I threw everything in, or do I want to say I got tired and gave up?” Wow. I surely don't want to say I gave up...do you?

Lisa had many, many more wonderful things to share. Here are some of the notes I took from her talk.

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*Doesn't matter where you are now, what matters is what you know you can do.

*Ask your self how can I give more, serve more...

*An inspiring woman is selflessness, yet responsible for her own self-care, not a martyr mentally. She carries responsibility for forgiveness, is a place of love, and energy source, and a representation of kindness. She gives herself what she needs to fulfill those responsibilities. She cares for herself to be here for the marathon not just the race. She understands boundaries. She sets an example of self-care. She stands up for what's right, even when it's not popular. She holds her sisters accountable for their greatness even when it may be uncomfortable in the moment. (Did you read that line?! ) She holds her sisters accountable for their greatness even when it may be uncomfortable in the moment. (Wowzers! That's the kind of sister-friend I want and need in my life.)

*When you let your light shine you allow others to see parts of their self they may not have otherwise been able to see. (Do you see a pattern here? Being who we are meant to be is not selfish...it is an act of service to others.)

*Start shining one “watt” at a time. Light doesn't shine at max wattage overnight.

*Give yourself permission to shine a little brighter, love a little deeper, forgive a little quicker, to let the world see a little more of you.

*Give yourself permission to be who you were born to be in the first place.

*Look at your blueprint. It comes from greatness. “Your blueprint is dipped, soaked, and marinated in greatness and fabulousity and gianormity.”

*At times I worry more about your perception of me than my knowing of myself, but now I choose to just be.

*Give birth to your greatness one watt at a time.

*If no one else understands your vision it is because God only gave your vision to you.

*Take all options off the table. Commit to making it happen no matter what.

*Be willing to be inconvenienced by the conviction of your dream.

*”There is nothing that you could want in this world that is about serving a higher power & serving humanity that you are not worthy of.”

*”I choose to believe that I am worth what I am walking toward.”

*My past does not in any form equal my future.

*It is not in spite of my past that I get to be successful. It's because of my past that I am perfectly qualified for a time such as this. I am hand picked for this journey. That's not in a braggadocios way, not in an arrogant way. That's in the most humble way of service possible.”

*What if you gave yourself permission to play big? What if you stopped making excuses?

*How would you drastically change the next 5 years of your life if you knew without a shadow of a doubt that you couldn't fail? “You'd get a great experience or a really great lesson...and you can use both of them.”

*What if you stop apologizing for your greatness? What if you became outrageous for your own breathtaking future?

*”When I'm in the valley, I commit to not take out real estate.” Commit to go through the valley. *Don't mistake a speed bump for a stop sign.

“ You may not run up that mountain. You may not soar up that mountain, but your have the right, Baby, to crawl up that mountain as long as you keep going.”

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Thank you, Lisa!! If you want to hear all of the talk by Lisa (and oodles more) go to www.inspiringwomensummit.com or look them up on Facebook under the same name. Registration is free and oh so worth the time.

So talking about the dream life versus the real life...Do you want to blend them together into one super-fabulous fulfilling life? How do we do it?

I think it comes down to choice and courage. We have choose to give our self permission, as Lisa mentioned, to be the person we were meant to be. Then, we have to bring forward the courage to take one little, tiny, step at a time in the direction of our dreams. We must keep moving forward.

We must reach out to find others like us to hold our hand and our heart. This journey is not just about you or me. It's about all those other lives we touch along the way. It's about making the world a better place by finding our voices and living our dreams outloud.

I'm ready. Will you join me? The world needs our light.