A Dream is a Wish
Your Heart Makes

"A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep.
In dreams you will lose your heartache,
Whatever you wish for you keep.
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through.
No matter how your heart is grieving,
If you keep on believing,
The dream that you wish will come true.

--From Walt Disney's "Cinderella"

This past month my family has been dealing with end-of-life issues as my 87-year-old mother-in-law's health deteriorates. These life experiences cause us to pause and reflect on the meaning of life and how we embody that meaning in our day-to-day activities.

As I have witnessed my mother-in-law's declining health over the last few weeks, I have been thinking about all that she has accomplished that has been so meaningful to her. I am also aware of some of her dreams that will never be realized. For example, she always wanted to travel to Europe and visit many of the great art museums of the world. This was something that she put off for various reasons, even when she had the time and the money to travel. Eventually, her declining health prevented her from living out her heart's desire to visit these great European art museums. Her earthly life will come to an end soon, and this big dream of hers will never be realized. Although she has lived her dream vicariously through some of our family's travel and the photos that we've share with her, she will never experience the thrill of being there herself.

One of the gifts we have been given as human beings is the desire to dream about possibilities, along with the ability to establish goals, set intentions, and then lay out a plan with strategies and action steps that help us to make those dreams a reality.

When was the last time that you sat down and had an honest conversation with yourself and looked at what you really want? Have you taken the time to listen intently to what your heart desires...what dreams leap from within you?

Everyone has dreams. For some, their dreams are right on the surface, and for others their dreams have been suppressed for so long that it may seem like they don't even exist...but they do! To uncover your dreams, you must listen to yourself. If you listen to others, you may learn about their plans, hopes and dreams for you, and those may or may not coincide with your own heart's desires. When you follow someone else's dreams, you will never feel completely fulfilled, and chasing those dreams will distract you from focusing on what you really want.

To connect with your heart's desires, schedule some quiet time. Turn off all electronics and take a pad of paper and your favorite writing utensil to a place where you feel safe, comfortable, and inspired. Write down your dreams as you uncover them. Do not filter or judge whatever comes to mind, even if something seems outrageous or foolish. Jot down all of your thoughts on paper. Here are some questions for you to ask yourself:

1. What would you love to do, either for fun or for a living?

2. What would you love to accomplish?

3. What places do you want to visit?

4. What activities do you want to do?

5. Who do you want to meet or spend time with?

6. What would you try if you were guaranteed success?

7. What makes your heart sing?

After you have made your list, prioritize it. Which are most important to you? Which of these ideas calls out to you the most? Which ones are you ready to begin taking action on, starting today?

Although I love the Walt Disney song from Cinderella (lyrics provided at the top of this article), there is one important piece missing.  Belief is important, and so is taking action!  Once you are clear about your dreams, it's vital that you set your goals/intentions and create an action plan.  If you'd like to do some planning, I offer two resources that will help.  Click here to access a Master Plan template.  The template will make more sense after you review an article I have written about how to create a plan for the year.

Please note that the template mentioned above was created for whole life. You can easily use the same model to plan more specifically for your business, as well.  (Of course, your objectives, strategies, choices and actions will be completely different for business.) That being said, what you do in life you bring to your business, so I encourage you to pay attention to ALL areas of your life by doing a personal plan AND a business plan.

As I've looked through the lens of elderly people whom I love, I realize that life is way too short to not pursue your dreams. None of us know how much time we have left.

Now is the time to listen to the dreams and desires that are born out of your heart and mind ... to identify goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be.

At the end of your life, will you look back with joy or regret? Those who live out their dreams are those who live a joyful life and have a deep sense of peace when they near the end of their life.