Reach for the Stars

Raise your hand if once upon a time you wanted to be a princess...   or maybe an astronaut (I wanted to be Samantha on Bewitched and make magic by wiggling my nose... I have control issues.).  Maybe you'd be a movie star, or hunt lions on an African safari.   Nothing was out of reach!   As we got older though,  we got the message that dreams and goals needed to be within limits and be realistic.  Problem is, sometimes by the time we're adults, we've forgotten how to dream at all.  Do you  really believe everything is possible anymore?  True, I've likely lost my chance to be in the Ice Capades (silly dream for a girl who was too scared to strap on ice skates I know)  but there are still dreams worth pursuing!

You've heard of a bucket list, right?  It's a list of all the things you want to do before you "kick the bucket".  It's a great way of remembering who we really are under the mounds of dirty laundry and sticky floors and endless to-do lists.  Jack Canfield, in his amazing book, The Success Principles (everyone from 10-100 should read it), suggests making a list of 30 things you want to do, 30 things you want to have, and 30 things you want to be.

Be  realistic enough to know you'll never be in the NBA now, but otherwise to  dream BIG.  Don't worry about when or how you'd do these things, just write.  If you keep asking yourself what you really want, you'll be surprised at some of the answers!

At first I found it really hard!  As a mother, I find I'm often busy focusing on what my kids want to be when they grown up, rather than on anything I might still want to do.  I admit I still haven't finished and I kind of put my list aside.  Just putting those dreams on paper, gives a little nudge to your subconscious mind and you'll be amazed at how you begin to see the opportunities to make some of those dreams come true!

Here are some of the things on my list.  Some are just too embarrassing to share because I'm a dork, but maybe this will inspire you to write your own list.  Have your kids begin one, and teach them to reach for the stars.  "When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either."  Leo Burnett

1.  tour Europe
2.  learn to play the cello
3.  provide an entire Christmas for a family in need
4.  buy a family cabin
5.  overcome my fear of rejection
6.  find joy in every moment
7.  develop unfailing confidence
8.  re-landscape my 3 acre "yard"
9.  achieve financial success with my business
10. get season tickets to Pacific Northwest Ballet


So......   what's on YOUR bucket list!  Click on "comment" and share a couple...  you just might inspire someone (including yourself).