The sun has been shining all day, the sky is a brilliant blue, and the birds and dogs are taking turns to see who can make the most noise. The three dogs win in the short bursts of energy, but the birds have it in the marathon. I’ve been out here on the patio all day and while the dogs can create the biggest ruckus, they are more concerned about taking naps in the shade than being consistent.
There is a lesson to be learned from the birds today. Consistency wins over short bursts that wear you out and leave you gasping for breath.
I’m typing this from my backyard patio, watching the dogs frolic on a 77 degree day in March. In Chicago. These are the kind of days that should be illegal to go off to work. Yet sadly, I imagine most people are still sitting at their desks, perhaps with their noses pressed up longingly against the glass, many of them wishing they had finally gotten around to making their dreams come true.
Today I am feeling grateful.
Grateful that I have been able to create the business and lifestyle that I want. The journey might not be complete, (as at the moment, I am not yet living on the Bay in San Francisco,) but it is well on its way. I have a job that I can do from anywhere in the world that has a phone. I have a lifestyle that allows me to put my family and my health first while still giving our clients the care they deserve.
I can work on the patio on sunny days and watch my dogs frolic while I peacefully tap away. I can write with the soft breeze feathering my cheek and listen to the birds sing about a magical spring day.
So today, I stopped for a moment, looked up at the cloudless sky and gave thanks. I am doing what I love. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Have you ever heard this advice? Do What You Love or Quit.
Nice advice. But not all of us can just walk away from life’s challenges on a whim. Does that mean you are stuck and doomed to live a life that’s not for you?
NO! You can work TOWARD the life you want, planning and doing the action steps that will get you the life you want.
Great, how do I do that?
So glad you asked.
Let’s create a plan for you to have the life you REALLY WANT.
First Things First.
First you have to know what that life looks like. I mean, really looks like. In great detail. If you have no idea what a great life would look like to you, then you have no way of getting there. Write it down. Cut out pictures that match it. Create a vision board for it if you are so inclined.
Imagine what a normal, great day would look like to you. Here is a tip. Don’t write down what a great vacation day would look like, write down what a prefectly normal, run of the mill great day would look like. Design it carefully, it’s going to be yours!
Get Rid of the Junk Now
What is in your life right now that doesn’t fit your dream life? Too much clutter? Negative relationships? Bad habits? Energy drainers? There may be things you have no control over in your life, but they are less than you think. Many of the things that steal our happiness aren’t possessions we need to buy someday, but are the intangible thieves that we allow to steal our joy right this minute.
Make Compromises For the Short Term
Once you have cleared away the crap that ruins your Today, lets see what we can do to bring some of that Dream Life into our lives. Like me, you might not be able to pick up and head for San Fran quite yet, but what can you do to bring a little San Fran into your every day life today? What would you DO in your dream life that you can add more of into your day right now?
Let me use my San Francisco dream as an example. John and I have a dream to live in San Francisco. So instead of pining away miserably until we save for our goal, we decided to be proactive. “What was there about living in San Fran that felt like a dream life to us? We made a list. Spend more time outdoors. Eat fresh food of high quality. Spend time with artistic people. Enjoy being around beautiful scenery. That was just a few of the items we came up with.
Next, we shifted the question. We asked how much of this can we enjoy right now? As we turned it around, there were many things we could do to create the San Francisco lifestyle right here in the good old Midwest. We could change the way we eat to reflect healthier, fresher, locally grown choices. We could surround ourselves with activities and friends who valued the creative arts.
We could spend more time outdoors, surrounding ourselves with nature and beauty. We could live lives that made time for relaxation, fun, family and friends.
What can you do/change right now to bring in aspects of your dream life?
Make a plan to get from here to there.
Again, be specific. Ask yourself what is stopping you from getting there? What changes do you need to make today to get you where you want to go? Do you need to transition step by step? Make an action plan. Can you say no to some things to make more time for creating the life you want? ( That might include some hard short-term spending choices.) Are there a few uncompromising areas that you need to walk away from right now? Are there behaviors, thoughts, and actions that you can change that are keeping your perfect someday from arriving?
Then QUIT it.
If the things you are doing right now are keeping you from living the life you REALLY want, then the only solution is to quit it. Stop short-changing the live you would love by choosing one you don’t.
In the end, it really is as simple- and challenging as that.
Is your dream life worth it?
