Free to Dream

(longer than usual blog post warning… 800 plus words)

I wonder what you think about the subject of dreams and dreaming. Are you the dreamer type or more of a realist? Do you have a dream? Better yet, are you living one?

Sometimes we get stuck in the dream process because we are either off track, it’s not time yet, or there is more revelation is to come.

I consider myself a dreamer, which is both good and bad. The good is I love to dream about possibilities and I find it rewarding to dream-talk with friends. The bad is sometimes dreamers get stuck in all the talking and never the doing. I’ve been there. More than once. One reason I struggle “doing” is because I have a hard time landing on what dream is the God-sized dream for me.

For example when my husband and I talk and he says, “What would you do if you could do anything?” I honestly can’t answer. Or I say, “I want to help people.” How’s that for clear and dreamy?

What does helping people look like? Define it, Tiffany.

Well, that’s where I’m at.

Defining my dream.

Again.

At age 45.

At one point I thought I wanted to be in women’s ministry. I have that written in my prayer journals, more than once.  Then I wanted to be a full-time writer and write books. But I found out that was too “butt in chair-ish” for me. Add the word speaker to my dream list. And I still love speaking (actually I’m speaking on Saturday), but I’m not sure that’s fully “it” either.

The truth is my dream is changing.

Because I am changing.

I’m becoming more ME.

In the past few years, my dreams of writing, speaking and ministry seemed dry. I felt a pause and a slight shift in my heart. I felt restless about going forward, so I surrendered my dreams and waited. Waiting led to a tough season where I lost interest. My priorities changed again because of a move and then a demo and remodel. And now I’m finally on the other side of that so I’m blogging again. Meanwhile the whole direction of my dream feels different. I finally feel I have a clearer focus on WHO I am and WHO I can help and WHAT I can help them with.

I want to coach creative people, which uses both writing and speaking and it can be done for ministries, too. Coaching has amazing variety. I can coach one on one over the phone. I can blog. I can do local workshops. I can use my photography in my slideshow presentations. I can create downloaded resources, products or books if I want. I can travel. It’s similar to my original dream ideas, but it’s also different. I love that I can go beyond the church to help.

I want to help “creatives” like writers, speakers, artists, photographers, or jewelry makers, because I am one. I’m an artist in many ways. I see life in art form. I want to help women since I am one. I want to help teen girls and twenty-somethings find out what they love and what they value because I didn’t know this when I was young and it’s life-changing. I want to help people slow down and live with wonder (Truth is I’m a forever kid, fascinated with life’s little pleasures.)

As a life coach, I get to ask people more heart-centered questions and then listen to their answers. Love that. I get to brainstorm about the obstacles that stop them from moving forward, like fear, procrastination, perfectionism, comparison, lack of time or money. I get to dive into all the possibilities of helping a creative person live with more focus, purpose and passion. I get to help creatives live out their dreams!

So I’m launching a website to start my life coaching business in 2014. I’m excited. And I already have 80 blog post titles drafted. Talk about working out of the overflow of your heart, that one hour brainstorming session surprised me. Who knew I had that much to say already? God did..

All of this discovery connects my earliest years to my today. I see the connection. It makes sense and feels right. Because I’ve always been curious. A good coach remains curious. I’ve always been more of a listener than a talker (unless you tap my passions ha). A good coach listens with her heart. And as an encourager, I get to cheer on creatives. I’m analytical too, so that helps, unless I over-analyze. Hello! What could be better for someone like me? This is my sweet spot. It’s how God created me to be. I can thrive and grow here.

I can live my dream.

I can help people!!

Until the next something changes. . .  🙂

 

So friends, no matter how old you are or how ridiculous your dreams sound, please keep dreaming.

PS Creatives, please, please keep creating. I live to experience more of your beauty, your wonder and your art. I’m on the lookout for what you create. And I’m cheering you on without you even knowing it. Us, fellow creatives must stick together. OK?

(For previous posts from this series, click 31 day blog series: Live Free.  )