Reach for the Aging Stars

I did a “thing” yesterday. A thing to resume working toward fulfillung a dream I had nearly given up on. It started with being deep-down honest with myself. The answers weren’t exactly pretty, but they were insightful. Honesty and insight I can work with, excuses I cannot.

If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse.” — Jim Rohn ENTREPRENEUR, AUTHOR, MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

Due to age and physical issues, I nearly decided to give in to all the voices I have heard around me my entire life echoing in my head. Those voices became so familiar, they almost became my own. The voices telling me, “You’re too old, you’re physically compromised. That’s ridiculous! What if you get hurt? What about your family? You are so selfish! You can’t do that!”

Well, I told those voices to shut-up. They were making me tired, unsure of myself and unproductive. I decided I was giving them too much power to say, “I told you so!”

I am over half a century old - not old by many standards, but also not young. I remember being twenty and never imagining this age would come, and when it did, my life would be all figured out and dreamy. It’s not. I now imagine how I will feel when I’m sixty or eighty or 120 and knowing that, rather than doing what I needed to do, I gave up the effort to reach my goals. Or I could die tomorrow and it’s sad to think I didn’t do what it took to take the next step. I just gave up.

When I was younger, I changed pretty much my whole world to find what I wanted. It was good, but it wasn’t all easy. This time, I plan to change some significant issues, but not my whole world. I really like my husband, my daughter and where I live, there is just something missing. I can replace it from here, though. I want to.

What I’m saying is that you’re never too old to go after your dreams. There is never a time to give up, especially without it resulting in regrets - regrets for never having seriously tried; for choosing not to put out the effort or sacrifices.

The thing is, I’m not starting from a completely blank slate this time. I’m starting from experience, and having a decidedly clearer picture in my head of where I want this to go, and how I’m going to get there. It won’t be easy, but I chosee sacrifice now over regrets later.

Having a dream means having something in your heart that won’t let go. No matter how old you get, or how much you ignore it, it won’t go away entirely. No matter what you do, it keeps niggling at your soul.

“A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true.” -- Greg Reid

A goal made into a plan is doable. You can follow steps. Before long, if you follow your plan, step-by-step, you’re living your dream!

Does following a dream mean throwing responsibility out the door? Of course not! It means doing what it takes, though, to make your dreams a reality. Your timeline and effort may look quite different than you imagined, but you can certainly make it happen with some kind of structure.

Making it a reality, requires making a plan to get there. Some kind of plan. Even tiny steps move you forward. The time it takes doesn’t matter as much as the intention. Time will pass anyway - you may as well make it productive.

Also, realize that your plans will not all proceed smoothly. You will encounter obstacles. Don’t regard them as complete discouragement and a reason for giving up, but use them as obstacles to catapult you forward. Take a little time, rest, re-evaluate, but don’t quit.

Thank you for reading! Have you put your own dreams into action?