it’s sunday – which means it’s creating dreams come true day. creating dreams come true is a free ongoing e-course and creative community to support you in living your dreams. if you are new, please feel free to join right in. the more creative dreamers the better!
sometimes we set out to make something happen, and along the way something changes – we change, our dreams change, our lives change – and the dream is no longer that perfect heart fit.
imagine you are in a sandy field where hardly anything except weeds are growing. it’s kind of dry and dusty, hot and uncomfortable. your dream is water. you can see a lake in the distance or you can’t even see it but you’ve heard it’s there or you just know it’s there and so you set off to find your dream – the lake.
so you journey for a few days or a few years and get to the lake. here it is. dream come true.
oh.
i can’t actually live on a lake. i don’t have a boat. the shore has these really sharp rocks, i’m really stressed out just trying to walk around. everything is harder than i thought it would be.
but.
now that i’m at the lake i can see this island over there. a sandy beach and blooming flowers and oh look! there’s a little hut already built. that’s my new dream.
and you set off to built a boat or learn to swim and get yourself over to that island.
often going after a dream gets us into a space where we can dream an even better dream for ourselves. from the sandy field you couldn’t have seen the island. all you could see was the lake.
but you can’t even see the island if you are holding yourself to the dream of the lake.
it’s really important that we believe in our dreams and go after them. it’s just as important that we check in with ourselves along the way and have permission to change course. like – let’s be free and easy with all of this. let’s not make ourselves unhappy chasing a dream. let’s not create rules for ourselves.
let’s not limit our happiness in any way.
in my list of 100 dreams i included: be the president of the board of the centre for conscious living in winnipeg. obviously, when i wrote that list that is something i wanted. however, when i was given the opportunity to do just that, i declined. it didn’t feel right anymore. i had changed, i kind of felt the centre had changed, and being president felt like it wouldn’t be any fun because there wasn’t the enough space there for my vision. carrying through and making that dream would have created discomfort and stress for me.
now i feel like i need to add – i was told by a wise woman at the time, who thought i should be president, that leadership is not about being comfortable. i get that. i do. don’t back down because it may get uncomfortable if in your heart you still want it. for goodness sake – don’t give up. but be flexible. listen to your heart and your intuition and be willing to change along the way.
when something begins to feel more more of a drain than a joy consider making changes.
and i didn’t walk away completely from my dream. i listened to my heart and my intuition and my feelings and decided to be vice-president. and i looked at the reason why i wanted to be president – that beautiful vision i had – and saw that i can use it elsewhere. i can use it with ABCcreativity. i can create that thriving creative community right here. and actually – my vision is a much better fit right here than it ever was at the centre. i just couldn’t see it before from where i was standing in the sandy field.
so what i am trying to say is that having some flexibility and checking in with our hearts can help us deepen our understanding of what we really want, and create the appropriate shifts in our dreams and our plans and our lives.
also – this means that we can be less afraid of adding a dream to our list, because adding the dream doesn’t mean that we now have to do whatever it takes to make it happen. it’s just something we’d like to do right now, and if tomorrow we want do something else – that’s cool too.
creative dream assignment: be willing to change
take a look at your list of 100 dreams: anything you’d like to change or strike off the list completely? or any new dreams you’d like to add?
creative dream check-in
please join the comments below and let us know where your dreams are growing and flowing and where they’re stuck. also share any questions or ideas about this week’s topic, or just say hello.
if you took a risk last week, i want to hear about it!
my check-in:
i am really getting into the flow with my unleash your creative magic sessions. like holy. i am getting great feedback from my clients and making adjustments and getting clear on what kind of packages i want to put together and offer on my website. i am working really hard at this and enjoying every second of it.
my garden is amazing – the abundance seedlings are no longer seedlings. it’s been hot and sunny and they are establishing themselves and really starting to grow. i see masses and masses of flowers in my new future.
also – i am making some amazing progress with my fire starter sessions (which i am an affiliate for):
seriously, this is the best thing i’ve ever done for my work. it is so amazing i keep reading one paragraph, stopping and saying “fuuuuuck!” out lout to myself because it is just so awesome. she writes with incredible depth and i want to go slow to get it all, but i also want to speed ahead and read more because it’s all so amazing. really. if you want to create a thriving prosperous business with authenticity, integrity and passion – this can help you.
and i am looking forward to hearing your updates!
andrea schroeder creates creativity workshops, downloadable creativity kits, art and guided meditations to support you in knowing and remembering that you are a creative being and you can create anything.
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Andrea
Hmmm where to start? Well last year I achieved my *then* dream of opening an etsy shop to sell my jewellery but after a few months (and few sales despite many hearts and people saying my stuff was beautiful) I kinda lost my mojo. I knew it wasn’t just down to the lack of sales so I sat down and tried to work out why I’d lost interest for something I’d wanted so badly.
The truth was my designs weren’t a true refelction of my aesthetic. I got bogged down thinking about how well things would sell and made pretty things instead of out-there eccentric, edgy stuff that was more ‘me’.
I also realised that I didn’t want be known as a jewellery designer, I wanted to be an artist! I’ve always wanted that.
I closed the shop and felt a weight lifted. It was difficult because I’d spoken about it so much, thinking it would make me happy.
Most of the time we find change difficult because we fear feeling like a failure or being accused of giving up because things are hard, but sometimes you have to know when to quit.
Now I’m working on being an artist; allowing myself to experiment and play!
I was intimidated by the challenge of making a living from my art and these are fears I’m still dealing with, but generally from a more centred place.
oh i hear you nats! good for you for staying in tune with your heart. sounds like you learned amazing valuable lessons that you are bringing with you into your art business. i see massive success for you with your eccentric edgy style!
I can’t say that I took any specific risks this week, although I thought about what I could do all week regarding looking into classes and grants. Towards the end of the week I started researching cooking classes in Scotland…and I’ve started fantasizing about learning holistic cooking and traditional Scottish cooking and finding a way to combine the two.
I’m still working on the “Not Giving Up” assignment and establishing my boundaries, which is key for me right now. I suppose I’ve been taking little risks by asking questions where I’d have been afraid in the past, sharing my opinion and honestly voicing my needs. Like when a friend asked me if I could photograph an event night at a bar last week. I told her that I really didn’t want to, so please ask others. If no one else could I would stop in for a little while. And it was more than okay with her! In the past I would have looked at is as a “should” and gone and been unhappy and exhausted the next day after getting home super late during a work week.
My plants are doing well…the grass looks a little wilty but the heather is getting bigger. It’s still pretty delicate but I’m looking after it. Trying to make sure it doesn’t get too dry.
Yesterday I did another preliminary purge in my apt and started to shift the organization around. I cleared some surfaces and just put everything into boxes to go through later and decide what to through away. In the meantime though, I have a clear computer and coffee table which has helped my head feel clearer too.
Lots of good stuff going on…though it’s quiet.
I wish you dare living your creative life, Nats !
It’s amazing how synchronicity affect the messages you’re posting here Andrea ! It seems like they resonate with each of our interconnected lives.
Today I received the most cheerful, the most thankful e-mail I ever received and, as a dream from my list was to “meet someone”, I’d like to change it to “meet this man in real life” and make it dream number one.
I know you have to be calm and don’t push up things to make them happen… So let’s be at ease with what synchronicity will bring !
And in order to let things happen, being creative remains essential because this man is a creative one… and that’s on creative occasions we met on the web.
So come on ! Let’s rock !
lee ann sounds like LOADS of good things are happening – and it does sound like you are taking risks. establishing healthy boundaries is a big risky job. especially if people are used to saying yes, and you start to give your first nos. so give yourself some credit, you’re doing awesome!
scylliane that is so wonderful. yes when we open up to our dreams synchronicity does swoop in and help us along. looking forward to your next updates on this! let’s rock!
At the beginning of the year, I was certain a big shift or change would be arriving this Spring. I have been thinking and searching within to determine how it is I want to spend my time/make my income. I had been hoping for an insight or inspiration into what it was I needed to develop to create my dream life/dream job. And then I got all confused and excited and tossed about from idea to idea and I lost sense of what it was I really wanted for myself. A shift has occurred, but I am still at my “old” job. My attitude has changed and I think I am settling into the notion that it is okay not to know yet where it is I am headed. This is my time to explore and learn without the pressure of making a living from my passions. I know teaching will be the place I end up, whether that be regular classes, workshops or online but right now I need to fill myself up. I need to learn for me. And then I can share with others.
I’ve also been redefining for myself what it means to live a creative life. All my life I wanted to be an artist but never voiced that desire for fear of others snickering and saying “who does she think she is?” Well, I realize the only one holding me back from declaring myself an artist is … myself. Others can snicker, others may have a different vision of what that means, but for myself I am quietly living my life creating and sharing and in my book, I am an artist. Wow. feels good to type that!
Thanks Nats for sharing your story … i am reminded it is called “work” for a reason and for me, it is challenging to keep passion alive when it becomes work. Others do it beautifully … just something I need to explore.
I love what you wrote this week and heartily agree with it Andrea. Some of the most amazing opportunities and experiences in my life have come about not just from chasing dreams, but also from then letting go of them and seeing what new dreams come up. I think when we see our dreams not as rigid ‘to do’ lists but this fun and constantly updated menu that we can choose from and play with the whole process is lifted from being goal oriented to enjoying the process of MOVING towards our dreams. It’s the journey, not just the destination that counts
So one area where I had some dreams but didn’t quite know what to do with them was in writing more poetry and fiction. As I make my living writing non-fiction I got kind of hung up about needing to make a switch toward what I really wanted – the more creative writing. Instead I decided to be less rigid about that dream and just enjoy writing the fiction and poetry and see where it went. I do get things published – just unpaid. I’ve had some great feedback about a poetry event review I wrote for fun that’s due out shortly, and I got to meet these incredible fun and wise poets as a result of just jumping it. Maybe paid opportunities will come out of it in time or when I get a clear vision of how to do it. For now it’s OK to be a student/apprentice with the fun dream and keep earning money with my other writing. Its still a move in the right direction.
Another dream that is moving on is that early in the year I wanted to be fit enough to run a 1/2 marathon and raise $2000 for charity. Well, I’ve done that now
and am really happy about it. But I know from experience there’s a tendancy to let my fitness lapse without a goal. I’ve started going to a hot yoga class whenever I can. Don’t know how long I’ll keep it up, but I think this is a great time to try something new, move forward and experiment in the health and fitness area. A very long time ago I once had a mini dream of being a yoga teacher (it was pretty far out in fantasy land as I only went once a week LOL) anyhow this is a fun way to play with the yoga dream/interest again and see what happens 
lis that time of exploring is so valuable and important. i’m so glad you are giving yourself that gift. you most definitely are an artist!
helen i love that – “constantly updated menu” that is so delicious. also simply being open to poetry and fiction and yoga is delicious.
Checking in.
I have to tell you that I really look forward to these posts every Sunday, Andrea. This week’s message really resonates with me. I agree that we need to give ourselves permission to change our minds, to alter our plans. I’ve been asking for clarity lately, and I finally feel like I’m beginning to get some. I kept asking myself what it is that I most want to do right now, and the answer I keep getting is to finish the romance novel I started about two years ago. The only problem is this little voice in my head that says, “Now wait just a minute. You’re not a writer, you’re an artist. And now you’re going to waste all this time writing something that probably isn’t even going to be read by anyone but your friends. Are you crazy??? You could be putting that time and energy into your artwork where at least you’ve had some success and have some credibility for pete’s sake!” That voice sure seems to have a valid point, and maybe I should listen to it.
But … I REALLY want to write this thing. I really want to finish it. I want that so much that it’s distracting me from the artwork anyway. I set a goal for myself to finish what I started there and I really want to do so.
So, yesterday morning, I started thinking, what if I gave myself permission to focus entirely on writing for the next three months? What if I put all of my available time and energy into finishing this novel? Then, I can decide what to do from there.
I could so relate to what Lis said about being an artist because that’s exactly how I’m feeling about being a writer. And the thing is, over 25 years ago, I felt the same way about being an artist! I was just a girl who wanted to learn to work with clay, to learn to sculpt. I started out with whimsical clay characters, and then moved on to teaching myself to sculpt dogs. And now 25 years later, I’ve had a book on creating polymer clay ornaments published, my work has appeared in several other collaborative books, and numerous magazines, I’ve been a freelance designer for both of the major US manufacturers/distributors of polymer clay, I’ve sold hundreds of whimsical clay figurines, and dog figurines, and ornaments, and pieces of dog breed jewelry, and so on.
If I’d listened to the naysayers back then, I’d never had done any of that. So, why am I now putting limitations on myself in regards to writing fiction? I remember reading a quote somewhere that said something like, “Don’t should all over yourself.” We get so caught up in what we should or shouldn’t do that we lose sight of what we most WANT to do. Thanks again for the food for thought Andrea, and thanks to everyone else who posted here because I get so much out of your comments too.
hi ginny. oh yes i love the idea of giving it three months and i am so glad you are listening to that little voice! that’s your creative magic and your intuition! i am so excited about what is going to come of this romance novel. please keep us updated along the way.
I took a risk today!
Our managing editor sent out an e-mail asking for submissions for our guilty pleasure shows. So I took a deep breath and returned it saying I’d like to take a stab at a particular show I like. I was freaked out but in a good way. She replied that my choice had been taken, but do I have any others? I felt a bit relieved and disappointed, but replied with another possibility. I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out if that one works. In the end, I’m proud of myself for taking the risk and feel bolder going forward!
way to go lee ann! i’ve got my fingers crossed for you to get the other show.
I got it! I’ll be writing about one of my summer guilty pleasure shows: Dr. Who!
Thanks Andrea.
The hard part now is not to listen to that OTHER little voice – the one that says, “Who do you think you are??? You’re not a writer! What makes you think you can write something anyone but your family and friends would care to read?? BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH”. But I’m doing my best to ignore it!
yah lee ann congrats!!!
ginny you ARE a writer! and we’re going to work on that some more in this sunday’s post – believing in ourselves and believing in our dreams no matter what.
Sounds great, Andrea! I’m looking forward to it!
I am still working on my list! I have had it as a draft for the longest! Is that bad? My dreams are constantly evolving tho.
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