Recently, I had dinner with a friend. I told him about my dreams, being travelling, writing, and writing about travelling. Following my recent travel blog on Italy (and Sicily), I want to discover southern Italy. It had been on my bucket list for long but I had forgotten about it. A 21 April 2017 WSJ article on living in southern Italy captures the atmosphere I’m looking for. Slow living and slow food are good descriptions for that feeling.
I asked my friend which dreams he has. My question caught him by surprise. It took him some time to realise that he still has dreams. I am glad that he has because having dreams (goals) is important in our life. Once you stop having dreams then your life does not seem to really matter anymore. Having dreams (goals) and making plans is vital to life. Else you will regret living in due time. Please watch this remarkable Facebook video by Prince Ea. Hat tip @AB.
In the vacuum between my old and new dreams, I felt kind of lost. I was burning my boats before building something new. That seemed counterintuitive because usually I have backup plans. A recent Learning Mind article explained my subconscious actions: I was discarding my old dreams as I did (and do) no longer believe in them, and also making room for new dreams.
Furthermore, having an exit strategy does not imply a strong belief in new dreams. Allegedly, this is why Hernán Cortés ordered to burn the boats of the Spanish conquistadors when embarking the Yucatán Peninsula and invading the Aztec Empire. This left his soldiers with only 2 options: victory or death (source). An exit strategy would have offered them a 3rd option.
Lately, I am receiving signals that all point in the same direction: chase your (new) dreams. Slowly, I am accepting that my old beliefs (and related former dreams) are no longer valid. I’m a cautious man and am still challenging myself in this process of recalibration. However, each time the conclusion remains the same.
My new dreams have consequences though. My willingness to accept them is part of my challenging process. I am also aware of the promise and fear of Change (#2, #3). Sometimes, I’m tempted to ask someone to join me as shared dreams might be bigger and stronger. I’ve thought about that and decided not to. Probably, it would work against me (eg, procrastination).
My new dreams (travelling, writing, and writing about travelling) are giving me renewed energy to live my life rather than that life is living me instead. My inner compass is finally giving me clear directions again as it has always done before. Perhaps, I was on the wrong roundabout as all its exits were meaningless to me. This roundabout has a clear exit: Follow your dreams.
Dreams (1977) by Fleetwood Mac – artists, lyrics, video, Wiki-1, Wiki-2
Now here you go again
You say you want your freedom
Well, who am I to keep you down?
It’s only right that you should
Play the way you feel it
But listen carefully to the sound
Of your loneliness
Note: source of picture
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