I was 6 years old when I first realized that this was not the life I was meant to live. With my nose stuck to the cool windowpane of the aircraft, I pondered on what I thought would be my best life. We returned to India, and the gap between what I thought life should be versus what it was, increased by the day. Mind you, I had a happy life, but far from the one I dreamt of.
As life rolled on, the gap in my dreams and reality started to widen. I could recall my past lives even as a child. But the glories of my “dream world” did not find acceptance in this logic-based world. Slowly, I started moving in the direction of what my parents thought best for me. I applied myself whole heartedly and pursued my studies, and passed out with distinction and went on to do a Masters in Business Administration as well. Life moved on the lines of logic, practicality and predictability.
My dreams were something I
thought about in odd moments, never to be pursued actively. Under the constant pressure of “accepting things and being content” and “don’t dream big, we are middle class people”, those dreams increasingly became an intricate part of the forbidden road.
Fast forward to today, and I can happily tell you that Dreams do become reality and I Am the Living Proof of it. What got me here? What got me to pull out those dreams from the books of “You can’t have this Life?” Well, I am sharing what got me where I am today, living those very dreams.
The first thing is that it is okay to not really have a clear idea about what your dreams are. We have all been so cultured in structure, that dreaming is almost a sin. What does help in these situations is to sit with yourself and know a little more about what you are passionate about. This is YOUR time. In the first few minutes, it is normal to have thoughts and lists going on in your head and be assured that it will clear away. Asking yourself about what you truly enjoy is a good place to start. There are some good apps like ‘Calm’ that get you into this mode quickly.
The second thing is that dreams may have nothing to do with making money. For example, it is okay to dream about writing something for your own self without the pressure of publishing it. The mistake most people make is that they think that dreams must translate into commercial success, or success of some kind. What if it was intensely personal and just for you? Think about it.
The third thing is to take one tiny step everyday towards it. If your dream is to run or have a fit body, then even walking 100 steps extra every day is good. If you dream of writing something to inspire people, then even a short blog or a poem is good as long as you do it daily. Consistency matters, and often is the differentiator between people who make it and those who don’t.
Last and not the least, the fear of being judged. Have the courage to talk about your dreams, no matter how others may judge you for them. You see, the Universe loves the bold. And your self-worth is certainly not measured by people’s point of view.
No dream is small, no dream is insignificant. It is yours, it is magnificent, and it is your individual signature! Own it, create it and see how magic happens.
This is your Life. Make it a Masterpiece.
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