What to do when a dream comes true

A few weeks ago, a huge dream came true. It was a dream I’d had for at least 18 years. And then it happened. I took Zoe to Paris (all by myself) and we found her graduation dress. Plus, if you tuned in last week, you’ll also know that we made it home. On our scheduled flight. Hooray!

Sometimes when you achieve a goal or a dream comes true, it can be a little disconcerting because it’s been a part of you for so long. Maybe it’s something you had to work really hard for or maybe it happened with grace and ease. Perhaps a little of both. 

Regardless of how your vision manifests into reality, it’s really important to do the following.

Step 1

First of all, before you do anything else (like say, Okay, what’s next?) celebrate yourself. You did something significant. You followed through. You took action. You probably needed some courage. And you did it, so celebrate. 

It’s easy to get this part wrong. I’m not talking about going out and drinking a bottle of wine or getting yourself a cute new pair of shoes. (Although these things are fun and nice, the invitation is to go deeper here.) 

I’m talking about internal celebration. Feel the feelings of being fulfilled, satisfied, stretched or empowered. Notice in your body what it feels like to be oh-so proud of your fine little self. And of course, give yourself a nice big Yay Me!

For example, it actually took a lot of courage for me to take Zoe to Paris. I had never navigated a foreign country without my husband, parents or teachers, plus this time I was also responsible for my daughter. Before we left, I was downright scared. Even in tears if I recall correctly. And yet, I did it. Since our return, I’ve acknowledged myself on the inside several times for doing something scary and being courageous. Yay me!

Step 2

Next, gather up the goodness of the experience and tuck away some memories that you can take out and cherish as often as needed. They will come in handy in low moments, or times of self-doubt. 

By cherishing the precious moments, you maintain your new vibration, familiarize yourself with more of what you want, AND you increase your capacity to tolerate the good. 

For example, I love the moment when we had a picnic at the Eiffel Tower as the sun set. The food was amazing (of course), we didn’t have a blanket so we just plunked ourselves down on the damp grass, we laughed a lot (at the men who came by every 20 seconds trying to sell us wine, cigarettes or ‘fresh beer’) and we savoured the beauty of the light spectacle on the tower. What a memory!

Step 3

Savour the openness. 

There used to be a version of me who was uncomfortable with an empty space inside myself. I would rush to fill it. I would say, “Mission accomplished! What’s next?” And then I would go out and get myself a shiny new goal to fill that space. 

I’ve learned to become more adept at treasuring that empty space these days. There’s no rush to go out and force a new goal to appear. Instead, I’m letting it emerge and unfurl. I don’t have to figure it out. Instead, I’ve learned to trust and slow down. When the next vision is ready, it will reveal itself without too much effort on my part.

That being said, obviously, we need some shoes to go with the grad dress, but no rush. We have until May.

So next time you dream a dream and it shows up in your real life, remember to celebrate it on the inside, cherish the precious moments you created and savour the openness. These are all powerful ways to be gentle with yourself, keep your new vibration high and invite more ease into future accomplishments. 

Lastly, keep in mind that your dreams want you as much as you want them. I just love to consider that my dreams are all lining up and crowding around me with enthusiasm and anticipation. What a delightful image.

With emerging love and unfurling courage,

Christina

>Creator of Courageous Self-Care

>Suspicious of oysters since 1993

>Dreamer of big dreams

PS - Want to see the dress Zoe picked? Click here.

PPS - This week’s Body Awake Yoga class will be short and sweet so if you feel like a quickie, join us on Friday morning at 9:15am Mountain for about 25 minutes. If you’ve registered, you’ll get an email with a link to join. Not yet part of the complimentary membership? Click here to join.