Extraordinary Dreams

Each February I wait, somewhat impatiently, for the first bulbs to push through heralding the arrival of spring. It is a time of transition. The ground that we carefully dug, fertilized, and planted yields the fruit of our labors. Goal setting works in much the same way.

When we set goals, and map out the steps to accomplish them, we are investing in results that are going to happen down the road. The results will come. With patience, feeding, and providing the environment that is necessary for fruition to take place. The right environment is the key to successful fruition, whether it be our goals or the plants we place in our gardens or pots. Just as planting Crocus bulbs in the Sahara is not likely to yield beautiful flowers, so too planting your success in an environment filled with negativity and clutter is not likely to yield the bumper crop you were expecting.

Once our goals, have been written down and a course set to accomplish them – work on your environment. Make sure that you are setting yourself up for success. Toss out the clutter. Clean the rooms, scrubbing all the surfaces if this is necessary. Perhaps repainting is necessary. Don’t freak out if you need a change of decor and have little or no money. Money is not an obstacle. Consider thrift shops, ethnic stores, craigslist.org, FreeCycle, and other places to get things that are new to you at no cost or low cost. Use a little elbow grease. If you are a renter and you have been in the same place for some time, ask your landlord if they will supply paint and painting tools if you do the painting. Think of your home environment as your cocoon. It is nourishing you and keeping you safe as you grow into your ‘real’ self.

Cleaning and altering the environment is to be taken both literally and figuratively. Work on eliminating all of the things in your physical, mental, and emotional surroundings that do not support your dream. There may be people who need to go. Be okay with letting them go. More friends will come along, I can promise you this – as you change both internally and externally, you will want to be around different people and different people will want to be around you. As you let the negative people go, it is okay if you are alone for a while. Quality time alone is a positive environment to work on your own dreams. If being alone makes you feel anxious, ask yourself why you don’t believe you are enough. Who told you that you were not enough? You are enough. You are beautiful just as you are. You are here, with a message to the world that only you can share.