BESTSELF™ ICEBREAKER | Dreams 06
WHERE ARE YOU MAKING WORK THE REASON FOR NOT ACHIEVING YOUR DREAMS?
I’m incredibly grateful for being able to fully retire early, in my mid-50s, in a lovely seaside town. There is no “work” in my way. The only thing in the way is me. We make time for the things that are important to us. (I’m fully aware that my view comes from a place of privilege. Not everyone has the luxury of choice. Any choice.)
For those of us who do, and choose to allow our work to be the priority then let it be the priority. Honour your choices, don’t blame it - work - for you making it the choice over all else. I’m familiar with choosing a career over everything. Back in my grocery industry days, I worked 70+ hours a week in a career that was primarily thankless but incredibly challenging. I was very good at what I did and made a great deal of money for the corporation. Sometimes I miss it, but I wouldn’t give up full-time parenting for anything. And, I know for sure that Chloé and Caden would never be here had I still been working so I’m even happier I stopped when I did. I simply turned parenting into my full-time job!
Right now, I’m coming up with a new dream. I’m living in a new place surrounded by new people, businesses, with many opportunities for connection and exploration.
I’ve created a path toward my dream. My final (elective) surgery - gall bladder removal, which wasn’t really a choice - was completed in late-July and following the doctor’s orders of no lifting and little movement, I have until mid-September to recover. (Other than my weight, there’s nothing left to “fix”.) Then it’s full steam ahead.
I made a promise to fulfill our plan to go to the Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland to fulfill a dream both Bill and I had to explore, experience and write. It was a posthumous promise, but a promise nonetheless. There are a few things I’ll do in this life to live for the both of us, and this is one of them. I’m taking my camera and laptop and plan for a week-long private writing retreat. Then a side-trip to Gros Morne National Park to experience another new-to-me adventure in this glorious country I get to call home.
Once back home, hopefully, the gas line will have been installed and home cooking can commence. It will definitely help in my October - March dream of getting fit, with Cole as taskmaster, er, trainer. (He recently lost 50 pounds and he looks great!) As I’ve often said, I want to be fit and flexible, weight loss would simply be a bonus. It’s my hope that by next summer I can play tennis and golf with my friends, in the only way I know how - competitively.
Dreams going forward? I really want to create an opportunity for connection with like-minded people in my new town. I’m setting up gatherings on the Full and New Moon cycle in order to have elevated conversations about anything and everything. After months of isolation, it’ll be nice to hang out, engage in conversation and laugh. Oh, how I’ve missed laughing!
Beyond that? I like to think I’ve created a life for myself that will invite in only those things that will meet me where I am, what that is, I don’t know. I like to think that we create our own circumstances and only those things that resonate with the energy we create can be included. I like to think that the universe has way better plans for us than we can ever dare to dream. I know how I want to feel. I also know I have learned to have no attachment to form.
I’m daring whatever dream is meant for me to show up.