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A scene from the movie It’s a Wonderful Life.
Like many of us during the holidays I watch several of the Christmas movies that are shown or that I have purchased over the years in the month of December. This year was no exception to watching various movies that made you Believe and that made you think about your life and how you were living.
It’s a Wonderful Life is one movie that truly makes you review your life and the choices that you were either forced into making due to circumstances or that you chose to do because you didn’t have a plan for much else. George Bailey in this movie was a man that had big dreams of traveling to various places and countries, then returning to go to college for four years so that he could build wonderful things in the future. Life happens and he ends up taking over for his father when he passes away unexpectedly doing a job he really didn’t like or want to do.
During that time he gets married, has four children and has the weight of this business upon his shoulders and those in the town that depend on him. Circumstances happen out of his control and he is feeling like no one cares, life is over and it would be better if he no longer existed within it.
Have you ever felt that life is this mundane existence where you never get to enjoy your life, your friends, your dreams fall away one by one and you are just doing the grind each day? Many of us are like that when we fall into our jobs or careers more out of responsibility than choice. We forget that we have a wonderful life with a shelter over our heads, food in our bellies and family and friends that love us. It’s easy to get caught up in the trappings of losing our selves and our dreams.
After being married nearly 30 years and doing what was expected of me due to my responsibilities of having a family, I can tell you it’s never to late to chase after those dreams you had when you were younger. If you want to be a great artist then find time to do that art. If you want to be a writer then find time to write several times a week and at the end of a year you would have a rough draft of a book ready. Same with photography or film making, owning your own business or restaurant or whatever your dream may be.
Your dreams never left. You just chose to push them aside for other things. Now it’s time to pick them back up again. Dedicate in this New Year time for your dreams. Spend time writing, drawing, cooking, sewing, sculpting, filming, photography or whatever your true desires are in this next year. Start out finding time around your job and family obligations. A few hours each week can make a difference and it is a step forward to what you wish to achieve. Realize that taking no steps means you have given up, taking even small baby steps means you can achieve anything.
Don’t be a George Bailey see what you have right in front of you before you lose it. Make 2015 the year that your dreams can come true. One small baby step at a time is all it takes and a commitment to do them each week.
Step 1: Write out a list of goals or dreams as if there is nothing holding you back from any of them.
Step 2: Take that list and break it down into steps. (Example: Losing 100 pounds is a large number to focus on, but if you took that number and divided it by 12 it ends up being 8.333 pounds a month or 2.125 a week. When you focus on the smaller steps it seems far more attainable.)
Step 3: Get out your calendar and schedule in time to work on that goal or dream. Even a couple hours a week is better than no hours at all. By the end of the year you will accomplish something if you put it in your schedule and stick to that.
Step 4: Create a plan of small steps to achieve those goals. If you want to lose weight you can’t just focus on the number you have to have a change in lifestyle with eating and exercise to help you reach those goals.
Step 5: Re-evaluate your goals monthly. How did you do? What do you need to change? How can you improve your allocated time to your dream?
Step 6: Find a friend or family member that will support you through this time and the struggles you may encounter. Let them keep you accountable to your goals, tell them what you wish to accomplish each month then check in with updates. It will keep you moving forward.
I wish for your dreams to come true one baby step at a time. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Years surrounded by wonderful friends and your loving family. May God bless you and your family during this Christmas and in the year 2015.