I Have a Dream

Who and what are you surrounding yourself by? Is it inspiring you? Is it propelling you? Is it bringing out the best in your character? Is it moving you forward?

To inspire, means to take in a breath. To put breath into. To give life. 

What is giving you life today?

I was thinking about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s, speech last night and it hit me fresh that his dream wasn’t something realized when he dreamed it. It wasn’t some kind of strange prediction. It wasn’t a reality yet in the world he was surrounded by. But that didn’t stop him from having that dream. From holding on to this holy idea of the world he wanted to live in. And that dream inspired him, it propelled him, it likely changed the trajectory of his life.

Do I think he had discouraging days? Do I think he had days when he wondered why he was given that dream? Do I think he may have gotten distracted once in a while? Yes. Yes. Yes. It’s hard to hold on to a dream when there is little to no evidence of it becoming a reality.

Here’s what I know:

1. If you aren’t connected to a greater source than you, you need to be. Discouraging days will come and you need to be able to lean into something greater, more powerful, more compassionate than yourself.
2. Take inventory. What’s stealing your dream? I guarantee dream stealers will come. This could be spiritual, emotional, relational and so on.
3. You cannot sustain yourself by yourself in the long term. Be connected to other’s who inspire you. Sit at the table of Wisdom.
4. You don’t live in a bubble. Everything about your life effects someone else. EVERYTHING. Let that sink in. In our juvenile understanding of independence, we we think we live a life without consequence. That’s simply not possible. It’s not how we are created. If our lives weren’t meant to alter someone else’s, we’d be born out of thin air, and not incubated and given birth to through another human body. Your life touches countless others. Be responsible.
5. All people may not share in your dream, or may be on a path that’s different but parallel.  They may not share in it, but they WILL be inspired by your pursuit of it.
6. Live in your Truth. Live Authentically. Don’t hide. Own your mistakes, own your shortcomings, your circumstances, your history, your strengths, and the hope for your future.
7. Be Unselfish to everyone. Even when that means hurting them with truth and love or creating healthy boundaries.
8. Life is short. That is all.
9. The World, chaotic as it can be, is not lost just yet. Let’s not give ourselves that level of self-importance. It’s worth fighting for!

It’s hard to dream by yourself. Whenever I find myself feeling like an un-tethered little life boat, I have to make a big effort to connect myself to what inspires me! Once I am connected and filled up, out of the outflow of this inspiration, I can inspire other’s!
What is the Dream you have been given for your life and the world around you? What are you doing to align your life with that dream? What do you need to do to get there! Who is inspiring you along the way? Who are you helping and inspiring along the way?

I’m blessed to be on this journey with you!