‘Washing Out the Old…For A New Day’
I picked up this great book “Achieve Anything In Just One Year: Be Inspired Daily to Live Your Dreams and Accomplish Your Goals.” This book is free at Amazon.com right now, but I am not sure for how long . I haven’t read a self help book in a long time. I think it is because I thought I was perfect and didn’t need any help. (uh uhm 
) I used to read them a lot when I my children were younger.
This book has 365 exercises, one for each day of the year. Each exercise makes you think about you, your future and improving yourself & your life. To achieve your hopes and dreams you must dream, plan & act. Act being the key word.
The exercise for day one is to carry a notebook around with you for a week and write down dreams you have for your future. No matter how big or small they may be!
‘Dream Big…Nothing Is Out Of Your Reach’
I have many hopes and dreams, but I have put them in the back of my mind and forgot about them for a while. I guess that is because I was thinking they would never happen, or were too big to actually ever achieve. I am not talking about ‘dreaming of one day having enough money to never have to worry again.’ Although that would be very nice!
This week I have actually started thinking about some of those dreams again. I used to want to write a novel. Yes, don’t laugh. I started it about 12 years ago and worked on it for a while and things happened and I put it away. I took it out of a box in the closet yesterday and started reading it. I believe that it could actually be good. I know everyone usually thinks that about their own writing.
‘Create Your Own Happy Ever After’
You know they say if you ‘don’t use it, you’ll lose it.’ I believe that to be true. I may start working on it again. It has lite a tiny spark under my rear anyway. A spark can turn into a flame right?
I used to want to be an artist, a Commercial Artist to be exact. I even went to college for it after high school, a University in Tennessee. Guess what? Things started happening in my life about the 2nd semester. I finished one year and never went back.
I know that I can not be a commercial artist, because my drawing skills are not what they used to be. That was 24 years ago. There goes that ‘use it or lose it’ thing again. I have wanted to start painting again, but have not took the steps to go to the craft store and buy the paint, canvas and brushes. That is something that I am going to do soon! I will let you know how it goes.
‘Achieving Your Dreams Requires Action…Run Don’t Walk’
Having dreams are fun, exciting and make you feel alive! If you want to achieve those dreams, you have to take action. You can’t just want to become a doctor and do nothing and expect a magic wand to pop out of the sky, and ‘BAM’ your a doctor.
I am a procrastinator by nature. I will find 100 reasons why I should do something later. I have been slowly making changes in myself lately. They are small changes, but ones that have big results in the long run. Those changes are motivating me to follow my dreams no matter how big or small. So what if I am not a Commercial Artist or my novel doesn’t get on the New York Best Seller List!
If I follow my dreams then my paintings will bring joy to me, and my family and friends. My apartment may look happier with a new painting or 2 on its walls. If my book never gets published or read, at least I can say I finished what I started, and of course write another.
You can be your own worst enemy, and I know that from experience. You have to really be motivated to follow your dreams, because with out ACTION they will never happen! It’s not enough to just want something, you have to go after it. You have to take steps, even if they’re small ones, to see your dreams become reality.
I need some work in this area. I am sometimes afraid to go after what I want and sometimes assume I will fail before I even start. I am working on that as I said above. Small changes can make big difference in how you see and feel about yourself and following your dreams.
I hope to get to read about your hopes and dreams for your future soon. Try carrying around a notebook for a few days and write down your dreams for the future. Go BIG or small, and see how you feel about those dreams. I bet many come back to you and you start wondering why you let them go. Do you have a dream that you are making a reality at this time. I would love to hear about those too.
If you would like to take that journey with me, I will be posting each step and exercise from the book on every Wednesday and Friday of each week.
**I am updating this post, because I started day 1 and 2 and then I just quit. A lot of things were going on and I just put it to the side. I am starting this book again and will be posting each day about my journey. I have big hopes and dreams and it is time I start living them, and what better way to be reminded than to write about it everyday!
Dream Big!
Picture 1-Ray of Hope by h. koppedelaney,
Picture 2-Impossible dream by h. koppedelaney,
Picture 3-Pen to Paper by mbgriby
Picture 4-Passageway To the Treasure by Stuck in Customs)
Those pictures are amazing! A lot of what you wrote, I could have written myself. I am my own worst enemy. I started a novel years ago and never finished. I did write several children’s books but never published them because I don’t have enough self confidence to think my writing is any good. Thank you for this post. I should think more about my dreams for my future. I put my dreams to the wayside a lot because I am raising my kids and putting them first. I am visiting from Thirsty Thursday.
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I tend to be my own worst enemy also. You should finish your novel! We always judge ourselves more harsh that others do. I would go for trying to get the children books published also! Who knows you may end up with best sellers, and if not at least you can say you did it. Putting your dreams off for you children is a great thing, but you can still follow you dreams too! Thank you for stopping by.
I have lots of dreams, but like you, I’ve been afraid to go after them! I need to work on my self confidence. This book sounds like it would be very useful!
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Life is ruff when you are not self confident. I struggle with that from time to time. Having dreams is a really good thing… I just want to try to fulfill a few. Thanks!
<3 this post Angela! I have read a few books that have those daily activities through which you get a glimpse of the person inside that we all sometimes seem to look past because 'life' is happening all around. They're great and I always appreciate what I take from them. This one sounds just as great and I know that I'll enjoy reading about you while also joining your journey by participating along. It fits right in with the whole 'finding myself before the kiddo leaves for college' thing I have going on haha.
BTW – if you ever want someone to read your novel, I'd be more than happy to help
You're getting a head start with your blog, writing regularly and all.
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I have read many of these kinds of books too, but not in a long time. I saw this one and I liked that it had daily exercises. My children are gone already. My son is in the Navy in San Diego and my daughter is living in Tennessee going to school and working. I miss children not being in the house.
It is a little insane that at this time in my life I am still wondering ‘what to do with myself!’ I used to coulda, woulda, shoulda all the time… I have stopped that. I may just take you up on the offer of reading the book I started, and see if it is any good one way or the other.
This looks really a great book and I am sure a lot of people wants to read this…Thanks for the idea you have shared us here…
Thank you for your comment and stopping by.
I love it. I’m going to follow your posts. when I get a break from busy mommy I’ll sit down and think of my dreams. since I’ve had kids, it’s all been about them, which it should be to a point. But when I get run down I realize that I’ve forgotten about myself. I’m going to have to dig deep to remember what my dreams were.
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I know moms forget to think of ourselves when we are so busy being mother, wife, taxi driver etc. It is good to take care of ourselves too. After all if we don’t feel good how can we take care of our family’s without taking care of ourselves.
Sounds like a cool book! I think a lot of us allow “life” to get in the way of the biggest things we want out of it. And a lot of people (myself included) are afraid of failure. But some of the most successful people — actually, most of them — had HUGE failures before they achieved their dreams. Like how Michael Jordan got cut from his high school basketball team. Or how Walt Disney got fired from a newspaper job because his editor said he “lacked imagination.” I think the enduring message is, don’t be afraid of failing. We’re all human, and the best part is that you tried, and that if you didn’t make it, you get to (and should) try again. KUDOS to you on your latest adventure!
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I like how you used Michael Jordan and Walt Disney as examples. I think it is funny that Walt Disney got fired for not having enough imagination! Look at what he went on to do. I agree most are afraid of failing so we do nothing and never give ourselves a chance to grow and challenge ourselves.
How timely! The Hubs and I have dreamed of opening a sports bar when we retire many moons from now. The dream has changed to opening a brew pub featuring his homebrews. Just two weeks ago, God opened my eyes that it doesn’t have to be a dream. By taking some drastic actions now, we can make it happen over the next 10 years rather than waiting 30! We are looking in to selling our home and moving our growing family into an old fixer-upper downtown that could be a pub downstairs and home upstairs. It’s exciting!
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I think that is great that you all are making your dream and reality and not just sitting around day dreaming about it. A pub… that’s exciting! I am happy for your family. I hope it all comes true!
I am a firm believer of going after a dream if it’s something you truly want. When you’re passionate about something and lock in on your goal, you don’t let anything get in your way.
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That is very true! You have to really want something and work toward that dream. If you don’t act on your dreams, they will never come true.