Q. What was your childhood dream?
(I'd love to be a Philanthropist, rich enough to give away millions to others, but that's another story.)
Before you tune out and think, yeah, it's a little late to be an astronaut...just stop and think...I bet you didn't dream about being an overworked, under appreciated employee, killing yourself to barely scrape by, tired all the time, wishing you had more time off. Am I right? Well then, play along.
When we're kids and even teenagers, we dream about what life could be like for us. We haven't been soured by the world, jaded by unfair business practices, we probably didn't hate people as a philosophy. Back then, we were full of hope. We felt unstoppable. When we weren't being told we couldn't do anything but what we're doing right now, we thought about what a different life would look like. Take a few minutes now and try that again, forgetting the negativity you know now.
Did you ever want to be a cowboy? Writer? Musician? Singer? Actor? Nurse/Doctor? how about a Vet to help sick animals? Did you want to travel? Own your own business? All these things are still possible for most of us. All it takes is to begin - begin taking baby steps intentionally in the right direction.
For example, if you wanted to become a writer, you could take a class at your local library or community college (or even online) to improve your skills. Nowadays you can publish your own eBooks to get started. It's not like the old days where you had to invest thousands of dollars and get one of only a few national publishers to pick up your book. I have several friends that have done just that.
Let's say you wanted to be a musician. I know a few people who quit their "day job" to begin a career doing what they love, being a musician. Most of them are solo artists who started in small restaurants and coffee places, then worked their way up to bigger and bigger venues. Some even put out multiple CDs (although with everything being electronic now, that's become easier too).
Want to be a cowboy or homesteader? Consider what steps you'd need to purchase some land, either work from home, be willing to commute to a job in the nearest town, or if possible, retire. You could purchase whatever you need whether it's horses, cattle, or farming equipment, depending on your situation. Start small, work your way up, Live the life you've always wanted.
I've always wanted to help people. As a kid, I wanted to be a teacher but I knew there was no money in it, and as schools changed to a kid-run, undisciplined, no consequences environment, I chose to homeschool my own three kids instead. I poured my best into those I cared most about. Now as adults, they are well-rounded, hard-working, respectful, thoughtful adults. My next passion came in the form of women's ministry in my church. I've gone back to school at a time where I'm old enough to be my fellow students' parent. I'm working my way through a psychology degree so I can help others, hopefully women, who need help overcoming abuse, broken homes, and other tragedies. My dream now is to help them become all they were meant to be before people and life broke them.
Anyway, there is a dream hidden inside each of us. Take some time to think about it. What is it you could really enjoy becoming? Once you figure out, take the first few baby steps in that intentional right direction.
