I dare you
If you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up they will likely, and unashamedly, say exactly what they think. Without any worry of what others will say or how someone will react. From dancers to actors, children are dreamers at heart. It’s so obvious why Jesus uses them as great examples of faith. They see the best in themselves and they have the faith that whatever they want they can be. They tell their teachers, grandparents, friends and probably anyone who will listen, exactly what they’re going to do with their little, big lives. They have no fear, they’ve not made a list of excuses, they’ve not started talking themselves out of it, they are just going for it! In fact, they’re already staring in a movie or owning the stage somewhere in those big dreams of theirs.
Then something shifts. We get older, supposedly more wise, and somewhere along the way our dreams start to shrink. We start to worry more about what others think about us than what we believe of ourselves. Those big bold dreams that we used to so openly shout about get diminished, our confidence gets etched away and our aspirations become so small that we can’t remember what used to really stir our hearts. If we’re lucky enough to remember, we then talk ourselves out of why that just isn’t possible anymore.
We’ve recently challenged ourselves as a book club circle to each create a dream board. To consider what really makes us tick and then (gulp) to write it down, draw it out, print + paste, whatever the avenue, but to get it those dreams stirring and then (wait for it…) to share with each other. I know, sounds intimidating right? Even within our safe circle of friends we found this challenging, in fact, maybe even tougher to dream and then to share! But it happened and it was beautiful. One by one we shared passions, fears and dreams. Each of them so different, but equally so inspiring. We pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones and into a more beautiful circle of women encouraging women. We challenged each other to break those barriers that we’ve been building up for far too long, to see those dreams and then go for them! To cheer each other on! So with that challenge, I challenge you.
I’m dying to know….so what is it!?