If You Need Encouragement Today | Nov 2020
I sense that there's someone out there that needs to hear these words today.
If it's you, please let me know, because I wrote this post just for you.
I sat down and didn't even know what I was going to write about,
and these words just spilled out.
I'll be your cheerleader the whole way.
I promise.
Let me set the stage.
You have a dream.
A great big fluffy squishy dream that seems just shy of impossible.
Or,
you have a smidgen of a dream
that shifts and whispers as the days pass by.
The dream inside you has been there for decades.
Or,
you have a dream
and it just surfaced the past few months.
It's an unexplainable longing.
An undeniable urge.
Something you just must
create or change or tackle or chase.
But there's this pesky nemesis involved.
Dog-gone-it,
it prattles on without permission
and bosses you around like, well, a boss.
It's this knuckle-headed thing we call fear.
And here's what typically happens.
We think we'll do the thing.
We're gonna start.
Tomorrow.
And then
fear starts blabbering in our ears.
We let its voice speak loud and proud
and somehow,
without even knowing it,
fear slowly slides in,
shutting down our dream.
Yet again.
We quietly say,
"Ya, probably not a good idea.
You're right.
I don't think I can pull that off.
What if I fail and everyone laughs?
What if?
What if?
What if?
I held my writing dream close to my heart,
needing to soak in it
before sending it out into the world.
While the reason for holding my dream snug
was a mixed bag
- and I can share more about that another time -
one of the reasons I tiptoed into the dream
instead of diving headlong
was out of fear.
It took decades, friends.
But Friday I let it take flight,
still fearful but willing to take the risk that
my dream was worth chasing.
It was time.
It is time.
I have cried many tears of joy the past few days
as so many have reached out
and affirmed the dream in me.
I've been blown away, actually.
I can't even.
And as always,
when I sit in my happiness
I do tend to think about the one that
doesn't get the happy response they're looking for.
I sit in the tension of wondering why
I have the good fortune of many cheerleaders on my team,
while others sit all alone in their dreams,
feeling defeated,
longing for even ONE somebody
to say,
"You can do it!
Chase that dream!
Say yes to the hard work!
I believe in you!
It IS time!"
It actually makes me cry to think of all the lonely dreams
left on the sidelines of our lives.
If that's you today,
I want you to know I am deeply saddened
that you're not hearing a chorus of affirmation
for your dream.
That you're wishing upon a star that someone
- anyone -
would say
"You have what it takes."
While I can't tell you when it is the right time
to actually start chasing your dream and
stepping from dream into reality,
I can tell you with confidence
that if I can do it,
so can you.
You actually do have what it takes.
Take one baby step today.
Share your dream with one safe person.
Heck, share it with me!
I promise to hold it tenderly and carefully
and I'll be here cheering from the sidelines
when you say,
"I'm all in!
It's go time!"
We don't have to chase every dream.
And we don't have to make every dream come true.
And there is a right time to unleash our dreams.
Quite frankly, we don't even have to have dreams, right?
But if you're a dreamer like me,
here's my point.
Fear shouldn't have victory over our dreams.
If you're not chasing your dream because you're scared
then I say,
kick fear to the curb
and stomp on it like a bug on a rug.
(What a very weird thing to say,
said in my best Jim Gaffigan imitation.)
Fear doesn't get to win!
Easier said than done.
I know.
But maybe,
just maybe,
you needed a little pep talk today.
So I sign off with a hearty
"Stop putting it off.
Start chasing.
Stop listening to your excuses.
Start doing the hard work.
Stop letting fear boss you around."
For someone,
TODAY is the day!