Follow Your Dreams

Posted by Lynn on October 29, 2014 in Inspiration | 6 comments

It’s amazing how one can go from feeling lost and depressed to feeling excited and en route to fulfilling your life’s calling in a matter of months. And the big difference? Following what you feel you’re truly meant to be doing vs. trying to fulfill society or relative’s or friend’s ideas of what you should do. All of that online searching for jobs I didn’t want or wasn’t qualified for that didn’t pay a living wage made me sad and grumpy and depressed and exhausted. All of this running around preparing, making lists, reading travel books, excites and energizes me! And seems to be inspiring others as well!

Recently, I stopped into the Green Well to take a few photos of my art up on the walls to post to Facebook and Angelica, the adorable curator, asked me how long I’ll be around, and when I told her my plan, she got super excited and said she wants to do something like what I’m going to do too! It’s so gratifying to see people’s faces light up with excitement and recognition that they, too, can follow their dreams.

Reading “The Way of the Traveler” it says to keep a journal of feelings instead of just a list of things you’ve done. That it elevates your trip from a mere sightseeing excursion to an archetypal hero’s journey…that it transforms a trip of discovery into a journey of self-discovery, it helps lift your trip into a sacred spiritual experience. That’s what I want my journey to be.

Although it scares the stuffing out of me…

Many nights now, as my departure date comes nearer, I wake up wondering what in the world I’m thinking!! Usually by morning the fear subsides, but the other night I was escaping into a time travel novel when anxiety forced its way into my awareness, that sick chest-clenching that makes it hard to breathe. I turned to my emails to distract myself and the following message appeared:

“Keep taking one more step. Heroes aren’t free from fear; they’re just so focused on a worthy goal that they feel they can’t turn back…Heroes don’t feel special, just dogged. They walk their scary paths with shaky knees and trembling hands. One shaky, trembling step at a time…If you live this way—seeking out what captivates and cows you, pushing beyond your comfort zone, making sure you’re serving a noble purpose—you’ll live a life full of absorbing adventures. You may even save the world.” – Martha Beck

In following our life path, our own personal journey or odyssey, we overcome fears, or push through them and grow. As far as saving the world goes, I hope to be of some benefit, whether it’s finding some volunteer work, sharing the beauty of our planet, or just inspiring people to follow their own calling or live their one true life to its fullest.