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My husband and I were blessed to visit Mexico three times in 2013.  The last visit we finally met Tori and Mike in person.  We had met them online and they were nice enough to ask us to visit them at their home in Pescadero.  After an hour bus ride from Cabo San Lucas, we arrived at the stop in Pescadero.  Following their directions, we walked down the dirt road near the Pemex gas station.  We courageously walked past their neighbor’s barking dogs and rang the bell on the metal gate.  Harley their dog met us.  We spent the afternoon hearing Tori and Mike’s story of moving from Oregon to Mexico 20 years ago.  Now they have a beautiful casita and one they rent out.  He is a local architect and builder.  She creates and sells pottery.  They were untouched by age, happy, and living their dream.  As my husband and I discussed our dreams, Mike wisely said, “If you have an inkling, do it.”

What have you had an inkling to do?  Maybe it is an old dream that has followed you from childhood or maybe it is a new dream that has just surfaced.  It can be a single event you want to try like skydiving or it could be a major shift in your life like changing careers.  All too often we ignore our dreams.  We don’t allow ourselves to express them or when we do, we end with “but . . .”  Or we put restrictions on our dreams.  “I need the money first.”  “I need to help out my friend first.”  “I am not smart enough.”  The objections to our dreams are rooted in two things, fear and the feeling of unworthiness.

Dreams are usually big, or at least feel that way.  It takes courage to strike out and try something new.  It takes fearlessness to jump into the deep end.  However, it takes much more effort and causes much more pain to hold ourselves back.  We may hold ourselves back because we are afraid we will fail (or succeed) and how that will affect our life.  Or we may hold ourselves back because we don’t think we deserve to live our dream.  Others are more worthy or just luckier.  We repeat our mantra that risk-taking has never worked out for us before.

Now is the time to live your dream.

The first step is writing it down.  The written word is powerful to help us clarify what it is we truly want and to help us visualize and feel what it would be like to achieve the dream.

Next share your dream.  The first courageous step is to speak your dream to others.  This is risk-taking.  You are proclaiming what you want and stating that you deserve it.

Then every day, take one small step toward that dream.  Research, meet others who have done what you want to do, prepare yourself mentally, physically and spiritually, and start making small changes to your current life to be in more alignment with your dream.

Wishing you all your heart desires and more in the new year!

What is your dream for 2014?  Share with us here and let us know the first step you will take toward achieving it.