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Friday, January 29, 2016

The Joy of Dreaming

It was a few weeks ago. I was wandering through Target (my favorite pastime) and I had just spotted an inspirational dishtowel that I wanted for my kitchen (#adulting). It was in my hand, when my boss sent me a text about what he had scheming for ADVANCE that week. 

It was an idea that involved Kid President and Martin Luther King Jr. About dreams and how to inspire our students to dream bigger. It was inspiring and hilarious at the same time. At the exact same time, I looked down at the kitchen accessory in my hand and read the message on the dishtowel, 





I took notice then. All this dream talk wasn't a coincidence, but maybe something more significant. Have I quit my daydream? What's my dream? Did I need to dream bigger?

This past Wednesday, I saw one of the most inspiring movies I've ever seen. Joy, with Jennifer Lawrence. It's about how life can get real complacent, unintentionally, and how the great, significant tasks we do each day can accidentally cause our dreams and our creativity and vision to dry up. Her character in the movie got into the grind, and had never lifted her head back up to capture what was inside.

Don't let your dream lie dormant.
Let's ask these questions together..

1) What is your dream? What do you lay awake and think about at night? Where does your mind wander in the day? What makes your heart beat, what brings you passion? What are your hopes, what are your dreams? What is the vision you have for your life? What is that one thing that you want to see come to fruition - a dream that makes others better, that brings good to those around you? You have the power and the right to dream big dreams. 

2) Who is in your corner? As Joy worked hard and was met with disappointment, failure, and whispers of you can't do this, she had a corner that was greater. She had people who cheered her on, who believed in what she was doing against all odds. Who are those people for you? Who have you told your dreams to? Who is helping you on your journey, mapping out what steps you need to take? Who is encouraging you? Who knows about your dreams? Dreams die in isolation, but they flourish among many. 

3) What is that first step? Make that phone call. Send that email. Make that appointment. Have that conversation. Write that plan. Start saving that money. Make that list. Clear that schedule. Go on that trip. Read that book. Make that friend. 

You can do it. 
Don't quit your daydream. 
Dream big.