Let Your Dream Inform You

(#4 in the series: Are You A Dreamer?)

Are Dreams Lofty or Practical?

Sometimes dreams already exist inside (As far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to…) whereas other times you consciously develop a dream (In a few years, I can picture being…).  In either case, exactly what are you supposed to do with a dream once you have one?

In the Now What?™ Coaching Program which I’ve often referenced, you look to your dreams for helpful information – clues toward possible new avenues.  This is quite different from evaluating a dream solely on the basis of its feasibility.  From this perspective, even lofty or fantastic dreams may provide very practical information to help you move forward.

Certain dreams call out to be pursued and made real.  Other dreams exist simply to connect you with what’s in your heart…

The Heart of Your Dream

Dreams are not necessarily literal ideas that must or can be implemented.  When a 45-year-old businesswoman dreams of performing with the New York City Ballet, obviously the appropriate course of action would not be to suddenly quit her day job.  Yet depending on the individual, this dream may be speaking to her desire to express, perform, or simply to have the arts in her life.

As Jill Mellick put forth in her book, The Art of Dreaming, dreams don’t always need to be interpreted or analyzed; rather they can be explored, played with, and allowed to evolve.

This is very important to keep in mind, when considering your own dreams and when listening to the dreams of young people.  A parent once said to me, “My son wants to be a writer but I’m worried he won’t be able to find a job.”  I encouraged him to help his son explore the various ways his interest could be applied and to experiment without the constraint of having to immediately solve for all the details.

Here are some examples of what my Now What? participants have derived from their dreams: a desire to play the violin again after many years, a new identity for an existing business and a new business name to match, the inspiration to volunteer to be a Big Sister, a strategy for a new job while training to enter the voice-over profession.

Getting to the heart of your dream is getting in touch with your own wisdom.

Let Your Dream Inform You

What do your dreams tell you?  To get to the heart of your dream, ask yourself:  What is appealing to me about this dream?  What would this dream make possible (in my life or in the lives of others)?

Let your dreams inform you and guide your actions.  Even without being able to see the whole picture, your dreams will help move you to the next point, where perhaps, another dream awaits.

Next Issue: What about those dreams that you would literally like to see come true – what then?  We’ll address this in the next issue entitled:  Is This Just A Dream?