Monday, August 30, 2010

Take Action #9 - DREAM

Dreaming or Visioning are what some would call “foolish”. However, if you do not let your mind conceive of it, then it is not possible. My father once said that he does not allow himself to dream, that way he doesn’t get disappointed – or he thinks of the worst possible outcome so that he is ready. I get that – I think a lot of folks in his generation think that way and it is certainly safe. I believe that I should think of the best possible outcome so I am prepared to receive it. So, if you are not a natural dreamer, this Take Action task may be a bit difficult for you, but I think it is key for people who want to grow.

If you’re like most “dreamers”, you have more than one dream – you have dreams for your business, for your kids, your health, your house, your finances, etc. For non-dreamers, it may be easier to spend some time on one category of life. There are several different theories on what the 5 or 6 areas of our life include. I have done some studying and research on the topic and here is what I believe are the 6 key areas of our life. There are certainly other areas, but I believe they fit within one of these categories. 
  1. Health – both interior and exterior
  2. Spirituality – our relationship with our Higher Being (in my case God), a commitment to that relationship, allowing ourselves to be a light/inspiration – giving back to the poor, starting a foundation, etc
  3. Relationships – significant other, children, friends, relatives, co-workers, employees, etc.
  4. Wealth – without it, you can’t help yourself and others – what does this part need to be for you and your family to be comfortable:  Home. Vacations. Giving. Education
  5. Career/Vocation – do you have multiple? Where are you going? Are you where you are supposed to be? What is missing, if anything?
  6. Education – what have you read lately, any workshops, are you being a teacher/mentor to others? 
Considering these six areas, think through each one to see if you have a dream for each category. This is not a goal, but a dream. As an example, my Health dream is to be a size 8 and have a rocket-hard body. The goals would be activities I would need to do to get there (exercise 4 times a week, eat healthy, etc).

This is a very important exercise because in order to expand in any area of your life, you have to let yourself dream – that’s how it all starts. Oprah didn’t just make a talk-show happen, it was a dream first. Any technology we have today was first an idea and then expanded to a dream of what “could be”.

I also think that along with dreaming comes gratitude. In order to receive more and grow we need to be appreciative of what we have today. No one ever received more without first being thankful for where they are right now.

The best way to go through this exercise is to write down your dreams. Spend some time thinking and then put it on paper. Our next TAKE ACTION will require that this part has been done. Let me know what your dreams are by sending me an e-mail to angela@angelalieb.com or sharing them with the Facebook Fan Page

Sweet Dreams!