It all started a few years back with a good friend of mine coaching me to develop a vision of the most perfect and impossible future. Impossible because the premise was that I should envision my life as how it would be if there were absolutely no limitations. No time limitations, no financial limitations, no family limitations, none of that. What would my life be like from a professional standpoint, from a financial standpoint, from a spiritual standpoint....what would my relationships be like with colleagues, my kids, my husband, myself...
And then write it down.
Putting my thoughts on paper was not so simple. I had to really think about what I wanted and what it would be like if I had it. Refine the vision, and then refine it again.
And then the next homework assignment came... Share what I'd written with others.
Since I wasn't accustomed to sharing these dreams, it was uncomfortable, to say the least. I did so, reluctantly. I've never liked to fail. And putting my wildest, boldest dreams out there was a surefire means of failure. Or so I thought. But, on the other hand, not doing my "homework" assignment would be a kind of failure too, right? So what did I have to loose? The elementary-schooler in me won, and I did my homework.
And then the magic happened.
As any life coach will probably tell you, the first step to realizing your goals and dreams is to write them down and revisit them regularly. When you get called out on the carpet, don't just get mad. Face it and analyze if there's any truth in what you're being told.
Over the following year, some of the opportunities for growth at work presented themselves. And after a bit of hemming and hawing...again the fear of failure...I took the plunge and it worked out well. Each time I took a step, I learned something new...mostly about myself.
Then, just as I was getting comfortable in my work rut again, a new blessing in my life. We found ourselves expecting another baby.
Matthew's arrival in late August gave me the opportunity to take a step forward on one of those other dreams. Take some additional time off work, beyond the "safe" 12 week FMLA window, get out of my "safe" financial comfort zone, and develop my relationship with all of my kids. Risk "failing" my colleagues at work by not returning right away, in order to fulfill a dream of travelling with my children. While my "impossible future" said I'd go on the road with them for a year, I've found that sometimes it takes baby steps to get there.
Baby step number 1: Plan and make reservations for a 3 week trip to Mexico in January to explore the state of Oaxaca and spend time with family. That was a relatively safe one in that we've been to Mexico before and we've worked it out with the schools to take the kids for 2 weeks. Three was pushing that a bit further.
Baby step number 2: Develop the idea to keep the kids out of school after January in order to continue our learning and travelling adventure for another month or so. This time, heading for the south east portion of the US, where it's warmer than in Michigan. Since there would be at least 6 of us, hotels were out of the question. We needed an RV.
Baby step number 3: Pull the trigger and buy a travel trailer. (Can't go anywhere and make those dreams a reality if you don't actually get one...) Now our learning curve in the RV world will begin. Wish us luck!
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