It's Ok...Dream Big

When we were younger, we did it all the time. There was always time for it and when we did, it was almost like we grew wings. 

Why, as adults, do we grow away from dreaming? It’s as if it just slips away, month after month, year after year.  I’m not talking about dreaming of getting, I’m talking about dreaming of becoming.

A fireman, jet fighter pilot, race car driver, captain of a cruise ship or dancing on Broadway, each of us had a dream that was bigger than who we were.  Maybe even so big others laughed at us.

Could it be this is why we gave up on our dreams?  To avoid being laughed at, humiliated or even embarrassed?  Maybe we started believing others when they said “you could never be that.”  “What makes you think you’re good enough?”

Life tends to take on a different meaning when we have a goal or a dream.  We have something to work for, something to motivate us, push us and cause us to work hard. But more than just motivation, we need to believe we are worth going after what we want. 

Jack Canfield, the author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, says that low self esteem can be traced back to most of the problems our society faces today.  How does low self esteem over take us?  Usually by accepting what others say to us.

Not intentionally, but we tend to put a lot of weight into others approval or disapproval of ourselves.  Doing so, makes us change our actions to please someone else.  Meanwhile, putting who we are and what we want to do with our life on the back burner.

Literally, we tell ourselves that what we want is not important.  Someone else’s view and opinion is more important than our own.  After allowing this a handful of times, we have given away our self esteem little by little until years later, we have no more.

Overall, most people mean well and have good intentions.  How they portray it though, is entirely another topic.  We can’t always expect someone who we love or look up to guide us in the direction that is best for us.  Simply put, people cannot give you what they do not have.

There has always been someone to come along and tell us we weren’t good enough, you’re stupid or even crazy for trying.  I know this well as I have had many over the years.  A few times, it was the people closest to me.

 But once I started accomplishing a few things with my life, it was interesting how those people just seemed to disappear.  That unsupportive negativity vanished once I went and accomplished what I set out to do.  The same thing will happen for you too once you realize you are worth more and are the single most valuable person in your life.

No really, you are!  If you can’t learn to put you first, how can you possibly take care of or truly value anyone else?  It starts with you.

Next week, we will get into part 2 of: It’s Ok… Dream Big and why your self esteem matters more than you think.

Have a great Friday everyone, be blessed.