Don’t Give Up On Your Dreams.
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Truth be told, I’m not a natural optimist. It’s taken me endless workshops, self-help books, prayer circles, Yoga classes, and even funky bath salts, to have the little bit of optimism I do have.
The spiritual community I was involved in for many years suddenly collapsed. This made me really question my belief in positive thinking. My striving for a positive life began to feel like a lot of work, and it used to be so much fun. I wondered when my life would actually be good. Where was the girl who used to get up at 5:45 am for a spin class? Who chugged green smoothies and actually really liked them? Who lived for her artwork and even her thoughts?
She had big plans, and this world was just getting her down. The soulmate did not show up, the trip to Paris never happened, the beautiful garden never took root, and the kitchen with an island was never installed.
Perhaps like a lot of Americans, I was born with a midlife crisis. For me, time is always ticking away. When I’m waiting in line or doing some everyday task, I think I should be creating or doing something that’s on my big list of things to do.
I may not have control over everything that happens to me, but I can be present in my life. I can stay in the game, and I think you should stay in the game of You. Our gifts are wanted, and there is a big reason why we have them. What if the glory is just beyond one more note, one more paragraph, one more prayer, or one more risk? What if we are just one more thought away from the big idea or big connection?
I remember seeing a VH1 Behind the Music episode about the rock band KISS. Paul Stanley was being interviewed and he discussed his early days of financial struggle. Fans would write about wanting to see his mansion; he didn’t quite have a mansion yet and he was still really broke. He made the comment that it’s easy to be happy when life if good, but when bad things happen, you are showing people who you really are.
That being is really an art form in itself. Who do we want to be when all these tests happen? How will we build ourselves up in the meantime? We need healthy coping mechanisms like walks in nature. The stars, the ground, the moon, the birds, the rivers, the oceans, the mountains, the flowers, etc. never disappoint.
Usually when I want to give up something, I need to remind myself why I started. When I’m creating, I feel like I’m authentically me 100%. It’s the feeling of pure joy. We should also all stay in the game of being our best creative selves because we can change our world (or at least our little corner of it). I wonder how amazing life will be in 100 years. Being a settler is a lot easier than being a pioneer.
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Patricia Biesen
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