I often speak to groups about how you can live a life that delights you – the kind of life that makes you excited to jump out of bed in the morning, and makes you rest easy at night. Inevitably, someone always asks this at the end, during the Q&A session: “But, how can I live a life I love and pursue my dreams if I have a job I don’t love and my day is filled with responsibilities, family and friends? There’s just simply no time!” Well, this picture above is a touching example of exactly how you accomplish this.
Yesterday morning, I was walking Miss Ellie in my neighborhood, and I saw this man taking pictures of trees, leaves and flowers across the street. He was dressed in scrubs, so I would imagine he is a doctor, nurse, physician’s assistant, orderly, or hospital worker. He was just on his walk to catch the bus, and stopped on his daily commute to capture some beauty along the way.
I could create a hundred scenarios of what this man’s life is like, but all we really need to know is this: he bought an 8mm camera to carry with him on his commute, so he could take pictures and do what he loves, in the spare few moments he had available to him.
So, my message to you today? Don’t “wait” until the time is right to do what you love.
Start TODAY.
Do one thing today that gets you closer to your dreams.
I used to dream of living a fully creative life, where I could work from home, drive to studios, attend events and make a difference philanthropically. Now, that’s been my life for about 3 years. What many people may NOT know is that I always had a day job until 2012. I spent my free time before work, at lunch and after work, pursuing the dreams I really wanted, while working a job I was truly grateful to have, because it allowed me the means and freedom to pursue those dreams.
Did I ever feel resentful that my dreams hadn’t come true and I had to work a job I didn’t love? Heck, yeah. Every single day. But, I looked forward to the free time I did have that I could use to dedicate to my dreams.
I’ve had many dreams over the years, and some have come true, some haven’t, and some new dreams have been borne of broken dreams. But, I always carved out time for them, and left room for them to grow.
So, today, make the decision to use your time wisely. Take those few minutes in the car and record some book ideas you have, scribble some art while you’re eating lunch at work, or listen to an inspiring podcast while you go for your run. While it might seem like your dreams are ever so far away, the truth is they’re right inside you, just waiting to come alive.
xoxo,
Dawn