Enjoy the journey!
Reaching your goals one (very) small step at a time
“Maybe you can dream it and not do it,
but if you don't dream it, you will never do it.
Martha Beck
You’ve likely heard the words “If you can dream it, you can do it” but to me those words have never felt quite right. In fact, they feel a little untrue. Can we really make all our dreams come true? Perhaps some, but likely not all, at least not the way we originally perceive them. Thank goodness for our imagination as it can take us anywhere. We can dream whatever we want. And we can also change course and dream of something else if we want to.
I’ve decided that I believe in reality with a touch of magic. While it may not always be true that “if you can dream it, you can do it”, I agree with Martha’s quote - it is absolutely true that if you don’t dream it, you’ll never do it.
So that means that everything we really want to do starts with a dream, an idea, a thought.
What are you dreaming of doing in 2022? What small steps can you take to start working towards that dream? More importantly, who will you become in the process?
Here’s an example to think about: If your dream is to run a marathon and you’ve never run in your life, that dream may be a little out of reach right now. Your brain will give you all kinds of excuses and reasons why it just isn’t possible. But what if you started envisioning yourself as already reaching that goal? What does that version of yourself do each day? How does she show up in the world? What does she think? What does she believe? What does she need to learn/practice/do to achieve that goal? Maybe you will and maybe you won’t reach your goal of running a marathon, but I’m willing to bet that if you make a plan, with teeny tiny turtle steps leading the way, you’ll become a version of yourself that you’re very proud of, and you might just reach your goal, or another goal that excites you even more.
Or maybe that dream will be a jumping point for a new dream. That’s the cool thing – there’s no limit to what we can dream and what we can set out to achieve. Our minds, specifically our thoughts, are what get us there or hold us back. Our minds are sneaky though, they want to keep us in our very cozy comfort zone. Your brain will convince you to sit on the couch and watch T.V. instead of going for a brisk walk because, after all (your mind will argue), you’ll never reach that goal. Besides, it’s much easier and way more comfortable to sit on the couch.
Journal exercise - Become a Reporter
So what is your big dream for today, tomorrow, this year? I challenge you to get out your journal or a piece of paper and write it down. Then close your eyes and envision yourself achieving that goal. Pretend you’re a reporter and are interviewing yourself. Notice what you’re wearing, where you are, what you look like. Is anything different? Who else is in the picture? Did anyone help you achieve this goal?
Close your eyes and go deep within that successful version of yourself. What does it feel like to be her? What sensations do you notice?
As you continue the interview, ask yourself what steps you took to get there. You can start in general terms (i.e., exercised more, ate healthier, meditated daily, etc.) and then break those categories down into specifics. Get really, really specific and small (i.e., I started meditating for 2 minutes every morning before I got out of bed, etc.).
Now, look at that list and decide what tiny step(s) you can accomplish TODAY and DO IT.
Then do it AGAIN. And AGAIN. And AGAIN.
You get the idea.
Dream it. Plan it. Do it. If it doesn't work, learn from it and revise it. Do it again. Repeat.
Be the version of you that works towards her dreams. As Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said –
“Life is a journey, not a destination.”
Enjoy the journey!
———
I’d love to hear from you so please send any comments or questions to me at sharon@sharonashtonmindfulyoga.com. Feel free to share this email with anyone else who may be interested.
Please check out The Journey Within podcast at:
What is stopping you from living your best life? Get out your journal and a pen and take the new quiz on my website to find out:
Are you interested in learning more about life change & mindset coaching from a mind/body perspective? Please email me at sharon@sharonashtonmindfulyoga.com for more information or to schedule a free introductory consultation to see if coaching is right for you. You can also visit my website coaching page.
"I felt at complete ease with Sharon from our first conversation. She has a wonderful, gentle but firm way that made me focus on my thoughts / feelings so I could remove / change to move forward with a completely different feeling to what felt like obstacles. It was great having regular coaching that gently kept me accountable to actioning and moving towards my goals. Sharon has vast experience in so many areas, I felt that makes her an amazing coach.”
— Michelle Carney, East Galway, Ireland
You can access your free Find Your Inner Coach Guide including a guided visualization and journal prompts here:
If you’re interested in more inspiration and community around positive mindset, slow mindful yoga, meditation and mindful writing practices, come join our private Facebook group here: