Wednesday, May 02, 2007

live your dream

A Red-Billed Tropic Bird Flying in a Cobalt Blue Sky by Ralph Lee Hopkins
A Red-Billed Tropic Bird Flying in a Cobalt Blue Sky


After 3 years of downshifting and reflecting on what prompted such a change in my life, I feel I am beginning to flow a little better with life. Sitting in the sun, having had a near perfect soup with home made bread and stretching my toes while watching a buzzard fly high in the sky were one of the highlights of my day today.
When I left home as a teenager I was full of hope to a new life in a new country but instead of following an inner guidance to be who I really was, i was caught up in a world that seemed to mould me and in which I found my place. Somewhere though this did not sit well and for years after reading John Seymour a little seed planted itself to have a simpler life. I recall countless visits to the surgery where after a short discussion I would come away with some medication and a gentle nod from my Gp asking me to reassess my life. I must say that at that time I had no idea what he meant but he did warn me to listen to my body.
I ignored his advice, kept dreaming, handled every pressure that came my way with immense effort and harboured a shrinking dream of ever getting out of the ratrace. A husband with a chronic illness, a 12 week baby did not seem to be the perfect timing to downsize. That was 12 years ago.
Why am I telling you this? Because like children, there is no perfect timing to change from dreaming your life to living your dream. It involves risk and eventually something needs to change. For me, crashing with chronic fatigue syndrome was not only a heavy blow but at the same time, being bedbound for 6 months, left me plenty of time to dream and thus the concept of less is more was put into action.
Many life decisions I have made have been made for the best reasons, but underneath the dream of living a unique life that suited my values and beliefs got lost.
If you have such a dream, while the sun is shining and watching a buzzard fly in the sky, I want to invite you to go and find out what your dream is today and ask yourself what needs to happen for you to make that a reality. Then take one step.....its a simple thing to do.

Let you dream become a reality.

4 comments:

fannneee said...

It was so encouraging for me to read your post this morning at a time when my SO and I are contemplating if, how and when. He is miserable mentally and physically from his stressful job but doesn't know what else he wants to do. I am about to finish my business degree and have lost my ambition because now I can't imagine working indoors under flourescents all day. (I have enough things to do for the both of us) Yet it is difficult to jump with both feet into the unknown. I still have a hard time with the emotions I get when I go into a neigbor's house and see all the nice new pretty and expensive floorings, furnishings, countertops etc. It still makes me feel like less successful and ashamed if I too don't have those things and I am embarassed for them to see my home even though I logically know better. I was surprised and disapointed with myself that I still feel that my material possessions say anything about my character. I cleaned the garage yesterday in order to start sorting what goes. The first step. Thanks for the encouragement

Downshiftingpath said...

I was really touched by your comment Fannneee. Thank you for leavng me a comment. It took time to find out how to make the vision a reality and if you are unsure the book Wishcraft is a great one to help with that process.

Anonymous said...

What a great topic. I've been on this same journey now for a few years. In some ways it's getting easier but in others it's getting harder. I'm interested in the book Wishcraft. Can I get some more details so I can see if it's available down under?

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Good post, SKM.

Was it John Seymour's Complete Book of Self Sufficiency or one of his other works that planted that seed in your mind?

Regards, Gary