Alive and dreaming

Tomorrow I am giving a speech in front of over 100 people. They are victim support workers, psychologists, police, parole officers, volunteers for victim support.

Today, I am giving a speech to a graduating class of 8 people. They are individuals completing a three week career training initiative at the homeless shelter where I work.

In both cases I will be speaking about, as Joseph Campbell calls it, The Hero's Journey.

In the introduction to, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell writes, "A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man."

Today and tomorrow, every day I write here, in everything I do, I am coming back from my mysterious adventure, filled with the wonder of what I encountered and the knowledge that I have won a decisive victory for life. My life. In eagerly sharing what I learned, in continually learning from those with whom I share, I am creating the life of my dreams.

Taking our wisdom, our knowledge, our learning and increasing it through sharing it with others -- to inspire, to explore, to validate each other's journey -- is a gift. For me, it is vital. It is my purpose.

When I first got my life back on May 21, 2003 I didn't know where my journey was headed. I just knew I was alive.

Four years later, I have embraced the truth. It is up to me to determine where my journey takes me. It is up to me to map my path so that it heads towards my goals, leads me into more of what I want in my life so that I live every day fulfilled, complete, in awe of the wonder and beauty of my life.

In the past, I have been a passive voyageur on this journey of life. I let the winds of time, of fate dictate my direction. I was like a dandelion puff, letting the wind blow me where ever it wanted. Stopping briefly to plant a seed before carrying on. Directionless. Visionless. Without a dream.

I never thought in terms of "What kind of life do I want?". "What do I need to do to make my dreams come true." In fact, I was afraid to dream. To put down my vision for my life, lest I fail.

In my distorted thinking, I saw not dreaming as a way to keep me safe. I was wrong. It left me at risk -- of being swayed by other people's dreams (or nightmares), at risk of being continually uprooted, pulled in many directions without a clear idea of who I am, what is important to me, my values, beliefs, principles.

The failure was in never dreaming. In never creating a clear and distinct picture of my ultimate life. Of never giving myself goals, of never attempting to reach them.

Life is about having a dream, and creating a map that will guide me so that I get to where I want to go. Living life is about being all that I am meant to be. Of being filled with integrity, truth, honesty. Of being authentic, unique and my one true self.

Living is about knowing that dreams come true when I give substance to my life by following my dreams and and living my dreams every moment of every day. I am imminently capable of making my dreams come true -- but first I must have a dream to unfold.

If you are keeping your dreams folded up in the back pocket of a pair of tight fitting jeans, give your butt a wiggle and pull out your dreams! Unfold them. Give them air.

Let your dreams see the light of day so that you can create a map that will take you to where you are going.

Confucius said, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

Take a step towards your goal. Look at your dreams. Breathe life into them by creating a picture of what they are. Imagine your life filled up with your dreams. Imagine your life a living, breathing, walking testament to your dreams. Take one step and that step will lead to another.

I remember a time when I was terrified of taking that step. When I would tentatively edge my way towards the gate post leading from yesterday into my future, never daring to stop to see where I was going today. When I would peek around the corner of destiny and try to see what the weather was like on the other side of fulfillment of my dreams, closing my ears and eyes and all my senses to what was thundering around me today.

I was fearful of opening my eyes to the possibilities of my life when I allowed myself to live my dream, each and every day.

Because I was afraid, even when I took those tentative steps forward, I would fail. Not because I wasn't trying. Believe me I was trying! No. I failed because I didn't believe in me. I didn't believe in my dreams. I didn't believe I was worthy of living the life of my dreams.

I failed because I tried -- I didn't do.

Be. Do. Have.

Be committed to do what it takes to have what you want.

For me, that is a life filled with opportunities for speaking, writing, inspiring others to be their most magnificent selves.

It's a life in which I am financially secure. A life in which I awake in the morning, leap out of bed and explode into the possibilities of my day.

It is a life worth living.

Give your dreams some air today. Parade them around you. Hang them out in the sunshine. Let them breathe.

Surprise yourself. Get up. Dance. Laugh. Leap.

Get alive and dreaming.

Step into the journey of your life time confident in your ability to bring your dreams alive. You are awesome. You are perfect. As Mariane Williamson writes, it is not your darkness that frightens you, it is your awesome light. Let it shine!

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

A Return to Love

Marianne Williamson

Be your most magnificent self and live the life of your dreams today. Let your light shine and illuminate your world for all to see.