Dreams Coming True

It has been said that the only difference between a dream and a goal is that goals are written down on a piece of paper. Others have said that the way to make a dream into a goal is to simply remember it. How often have we set something as a goal and it's going really well and then something big happens in our life and we sort of get off track....and before we know it we've reverted back to old habits or behavior that is contrary to our goal. We simply forgot. The times I have remembered, whether I wrote it down or not, have usually resulted in progress; but somehow the action of writing it down creates the mortar that one day will hold the pieces of that dream together. I have to admit, though that oftentimes my dreams, well, they somehow manage to stay neatly tucked away in my heart.

Now sometimes there’s nothing wrong with holding things in our hearts because that is where they often take shape and gather energy (so I tell my dreaming self). One of my favorite words is ponder. I just LOVE the sound of that word, just saying it feels like you're closing your eyes and seeing a movie in living color where you and the events of your life are front and center. You can smell the air; you can feel all the emotion. You just let yourself feel it all. You might envision yourself being a certain way or looking different or accomplishing something really big, or maybe it's just holding there some wonderful thing that has happened to you just a bit longer to make it last. You are pondering . . . or some say day dreaming, but whatever. It’s actually quite a lot of fun to dream I think.

But, just dreaming (or pondering) does not get one very far. So, I’m here to suggest that it’s time to write some of these dreams down on paper that have been taking shape and gathering energy for, well, years. It’s time to thumb through the mental file, play the movies and see exactly where they take us. I found a great tool for this. Check out this link - http://www.futureme.org. It’s actually a website where you can write your future yourself a letter! The letter can be anything really, but I thought what a great tool to start writing down my dreams so they become goals, things I want my life to be about, what I'm aiming for in my work and leisure, you know, taking our lives off auto-pilot. And hopefully remembering so these grand dreams become reality.

Let me know what you think.

In the Quiet

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Learning to Listen

I'm in week three of the 1000 minute challenge, and I admit, I have fallen behind. It's not hopeless, but it goes to show once again that forming habits is often a mix of success and failure. I haven't given up changing my body, increasing my lean muscle mass, but the road beneath my feet is anything but smooth.

I've been studying imaginative prayer of late, inviting God into my imagination to experience His presence and His perspective on the many people and problems I bring to Him, and I've begun to see that when I give my own voice a rest, I can hear His...and it ends up changing what I ask for, what I say. I plan to bring the goals I have for my body into this place and just listen to what God is saying, how He's seeing the issue and let Him identify where my real struggle lies.

Yeah, I think it's time to listen.

Ups and Downs

Hello blogger world,

Picked up a book a few weeks ago called This Is Not The Life I Ordered by 4 women who walked together as friends through some of life's most difficult moments. Their stories are real, their pain is deep but their friendship is even deeper. Over the kitchen table, they shared their lives, encouraged one another, faced their fears . . . do you have friends like that?

I'm looking for friends like that. I have acquaintances, and even friends that I consider close. But, could I call at 4 in the morning if I was hurting? Not sure I could do that. I've been praying and looking for friends like this for a couple of years now, individuals who get me, who share my values and passions, and who are in a place in their lives where they have space for deep female friendships. Some, honestly, their dance cards are full and I totally get that. Still, I pray and wait.

Well, week one is passed on the 1000 minute challenge and I am a bit ahead of schedule with my minutes. Have done mostly aerobic exercise and need to work in the weights this week. I am not quite as excited as I was when we all first started, and I think that's to be expected. The kick-off is always started on the mountain top with a vision of great things, but once the journey begins, sometimes the trees block the view. I am still committed to doing the next right thing and not worrying too much about the results, but gosh does life ever tend to get busy at the wrong times!

The journey includes both the ups and downs, the mountain top and the valley and everything in between. It's good to have folks walking it with me, hubby included, and how awesome it would be to have friends I could call at 4 in the morning. Even with a friend or two like that, I think there are times where solitude and walking a path alone might be inevitable.

Cheryl

Photo courtesy Creative Commons

Hope in Numbers

I am so pumped! I've joined up with a group of folks who've committed to exercising a total of 1000 minutes over the next 35 days. We're calling it the 1000 Minute Challenge, and the goal is to increase our lean muscle mass through aerobic exercise and strength training . . . we all had a body comp done to get our starting points and will have another at the end of the 35 days to measure our progress. It's all being sponsored by the chiropractic practice of Dr. Mitch Mondo, Total Health in White Bear Lake, MN.

I don't know what it is about joining up with others that is so motivating, but it is undeniable that there is power in doing so . . .whether it's the competitiveness, the community we experience or just a simple nudge to get moving, working toward a common objective together seems to produce beautiful results.

We'll see where we are when the 35 days are up . . . and I'll be blogging about this for the duration and will report my own results here. So, stay tuned!

Photo Courtesy Creative Commons