I do not see any reason why we can’t do all the things we
dream of doing. Yes, obstacles, illness, and tragedies occur in all of our
lives; there are many things we cannot control. But that doesn’t mean we should
give up and stop working toward happiness and fulfillment. Each day may not
unfold the way we plan, but if you put sincere effort into creating each day
according to your heart’s desire: focus, take the steps, and make it happen,
you will find that you have more control over your life than you may otherwise
have thought. I have used this method throughout my life (I didn’t always know
I had a method), and these steps have helped me work through obstacles that
sometimes seemed impossible to overcome. For example, I really wanted to go to
college, including graduate school, which for a high school dropout/ pregnant
teenager, didn’t seem very promising. But I did it. When I turned 18 I studied for
and passed the GED, entered a community college and started with one class at a
time at night; this was not the way I envisioned college life, but I was
following my dream.
It took me 17 years to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. In
the early semesters it was one class at a time, sometimes taking off a semester
or two because I was a single mom with two kids and couldn’t always fit classes
into my work/childcare schedule. But I stayed enrolled and kept going. In December
of 2000 I graduated with honors from The University of Louisville with a BA in
Humanities. It was a long time coming but so worth the effort! I took a year
off to figure out what was next and began Graduate school in 2001. I began to
dream of living in England one day, and began considering what the steps could
be for this to happen. Many thought I was crazy, “Why would you want to do
that?!” “It’s so expensive” “How will you manage?” etc. There are often those
around who will try to sabotage your dreams (They are often the ones who seem
to want the best for you but I think they would be happier if they just focused
on themselves). Following graduate school where I earned an MA in Humanities/Medieval
Studies, I applied to and was accepted into the University of Kent in
Canterbury, UK. I began my post-grad studies, and loved living in England!
Along the way, during my academic adventure, and the chaos
of raising of children, I got married and had a third child. We dreamt of
traveling. I wanted to see places, meet other people, and experience different
cultures. So, travel became a priority. Others bought a new car, new appliances,
lots of new clothes, etc. we saved for plane tickets. And it has been fantastic!
We explored The American and British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Aruba, England,
Ireland, Scotland; we drove and camped across the USA, and found a small hideaway
near Puerto Vallarta. We’ve tasted exotic food, met interesting, creative
people and learned about the world and ourselves.
About mid-way through the seemingly never-ending college
years I began practicing yoga and deepened my meditation practice; I envisioned
teaching yoga and sharing what I was learning with others. When I was ready, I
began training to be a Yoga Teacher. I studied in Louisville, Cincinnati, Lake
Tahoe, and other places and spaces. I read ancient texts, new manuals, blogs,
web sites, and went to workshops. I taught classes and dreamt of opening a yoga
studio; and when I felt the universe call I knew I had to get to work. So, I
took the steps. I took the steps and made it happen. This, simple but
not always easy, process has allowed me to pursue my dreams and to experience,
learn, grow, and enjoy the richness and beauty that life offers. By envisioning
what I want to experience, researching, mapping out, and taking the steps, I have been able to create my life according to
my dreams.
What is your dream, your vision, your desire for yourself in
this lifetime? Close your eyes and see it as if it is happneing. Write it down. Then ask yourself, "What is the first step toward making this dream come true?" Take the first step. Then the next. One step at a time. You really can do everything you want to do; maybe not all at once, but you can create your life and enjoy it if you are willing to take
the steps – I know you can do it!
So, what’s next for me? Well, I have two amazing yoga studios
with incredible, inspiring teachers. I train Yoga teachers and love, love, love
sharing this practice with others. I sometimes miss being in England and I
dream of someday teaching yoga there while deepening my Shakespeare studies – I
think Oxford could be the most amazing place to learn …
Namaste ♥
I sipped a latte at Starbucks,
