Excavating your Dream...

Is your dream machine stuck in a holding pattern? If you’ve been living on auto pilot; moving through one circumstance to another and doing only what you thought you should or had to do, you might want to spend a little time and effort on changing your routine. If you don’t find the time to explore your imagination how will you ever know what your dream is? Ruts, isolation and repetitive lifestyle patterns are dream killers. If you do this long enough you become stuck in auto pilot and might not remember how to fly the plane on your own!

Remember the saying old habits die hard? That may be true but it doesn’t mean you can’t change them. This is the effort part of the deal but it is actually fun once you get started. You need to remember it’s not enough to just think about it, YOU HAVE TO DO IT. If you continue on the same path it will absolutely lead you to the same place! Be brave and step outside the box. Here are some ideas to get you going; once you start I’m sure you will have your own good ideas. Don’t be stingy, share them with us.

1. DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. Actually, make that ANYTHING DIFFERENT and completely out of the norm for you. Try to think of something that is fun and a little bit, or a lot, of a risk for you.

1) Have a hen, (girlfriend) party and paint henna tattoos on each other. You can buy kits that come with stencils. It’s fun and it isn’t permanent.

2) Hmmm, if you’re really feeling brave you could get a real tattoo! A little something to celebrate finding your dream.

3) Decorate your bike. Get a funky bell for your bike and clothespin a playing card to the spokes of the wheel. Remember that joyous noise and feeling when you were little?

4) Fly a kite behind your bike. Don’t have a bike? Rent one.

5) Go to the book store and find a book about what interests you; a place you want to visit or live. Then make a collage about it or create a story with stick figures of your visit or move.

6) Get a tarot card reading!

7) Find a piece of old furniture that appeals to you or purchase something unfinished and paint it with wild colors and designs.

8) Take up calligraphy.

9) Take a short day trip and wander the shops and sites.

10) Buy and learn to play an exotic instrument. Maybe a washboard, harmonica or small drum.

2. STOP COMPARING. I think this is biggest detriment to being happy and creative and it is so engrained in our society. Learn to appreciate yourself and discover your unique talents. We all have them. Be your own person and stop thinking about what anyone might think of you or your ideas. We are not meant to all be the same. How boring would that be?

3. FIND SUPPORTIVE FRIENDS. Seek out those people in your life that are supportive and applaud your ideas. Enthusiasm, creativity and positive attitudes are contagious. This is exactly what mastermind groups are about. Attend one of these groups and you will come away inspired and filled with new momentum. Why not create a group of friends that are also trying to find or achieve their dream. Try meeting once a month to brainstorm and come up with ideas on how to explore and help each achieve your dreams and goals!

4. LEARN TO BE A LITTLE SELFISH. This could be the hardest change to make. As women we are so accustomed to taking care of others first and it does not serve us or anyone else well. If we are not happy, vibrant, fulfilled, growing and confident we have very little to offer anyone else. Get used to this and voraciously guard your “me time”. This is important. If you find resistance from those close to you in the beginning, persist. They will thank you in the end. When your life feels better, theirs will too. It really is a win-win situation.

“The Important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are;
for what we could become” - CHARLES DUBOIS

At the risk of sounding like a broken record…. Time is precious. Women today will live healthier and longer than ever before. It’s exciting, exhilarating and a little frightening to be blessed at this time of unparalleled opportunity for women to craft a life we love. Take a little risk and get those creative juices flowing again.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover" -- MARK TWAIN

For more ideas on how to transform your Midlife to your Bestlife visit us at www.womenintransitiononline.com.