Rambling Friday: Dreams

Have you ever had a dream that, when you woke, it still seemed so real, you felt fear vibrating from the very fabric of your being? Or one that was so delightful, you wished with all your being it was true? I have.

I've had the dream of being chased. The outstretched hand, or pursuing individual so close I could feel his breath on my neck.  Or the one of a bear squeezing me tightly...

I've also had one of the most gorgeous pair of red shoes. When I woke, I yearned for those shoes...










There are all kinds of dreams:

• Dead dreams: Explains itself. Either dreams of dead people or dreams of no value. 
• Pipe dreams: Dreams that are out-of-this-world impossible or nearly that.
• Daydreams: when a person should be pursuing intelligent activities but instead thinks of other things, whether good or bad. Your imagination wanders with awareness decreasing, visiting the past, the future or present. BUT...your consciousness does pull back into your present world.
• Lucid dreams occur when you realize you are dreaming. Sometimes dreamers wake themselves up once they realize that they are only dreaming, while other dreamers cultivate the skill to become an active participant in their own dreams.
• Nightmares:  an individual wakens in a state of fear and panic with a sweating body and racing heart. It seems real, a person is reluctant to return to sleep and it cannot be forgotten. It often forces you to face troubling situations in your life.
• Recurring dreams:  Themes that repeat themselves over weeks, months and even years. Sometimes a person feels puzzled because they do not understand what is going on. Something going on in your life you fail to address. Something you refuse to correct because of the unpleasantness of doing so. 
• Sweet dreams: pleasantness, happiness, joy, wonder

And many more.

Have you had a dream lately? 
What kind of dream?

Wishing you good dreams (and a good night sleep!)

Boo! It's a Scary Writing World Out There!

Don't let your fears keep you from writing. 
Fear is deadly and costly for those in the writing field. Let's face them TODAY and see if we can take the first steps in conquering them.

Fear #1: Fear of the Unknown

Yes, it will cost you some money — marketing costs, training costs, etc.

But if something costs you, say, $500 over the course of a year, and you generate, say, $3,000 during that year, is the cost really what’s most important?

Don’t let the fear of investing some money now blind you from the many different future avenues of profit and readers.

Fear #2: I don't have the time

Yes, writing does take time. There is no way around this.

So if you literally have no time to invest in building an audience and developing your talent in writing, you probably should give in to this fear and walk away now. But in my experience, most people do have enough time to at least get moving — even if it’s not as much time as they’d like to have (a distinction that is critical).

The key is to actually prioritize your personal goals and your future (because no one else is going to do it for you), and then make smart choices about what to do with the available time that you do have.

Fear #3: But I’m an unknown! How will I ever get enough sales to make money?

Patience with your timeline, take a big-picture view, and smartly follow the proven path laid out by so many people who have come before you.

Fear #4: Okay, but how can I be confident that I’ll make good decisions and not screw everything up once it’s growing?

Because you’re more capable than you think. And because there are so many mentors and examples out there whose lead you can follow.

And, more importantly, because your own intuition — once it is honed by the deep experience you will gain growing an audience and learning how to serve them — is the greatest and most underrated guide you will have.

Fear #5: This all just a crazy pipe dream.

It’s definitely not a pipe dream. The thousands of successful writers out there, and the billions upon billions of dollars they generate every year, are proof of that.

As to whether it’s “crazy,” well … maybe it is a tad bit crazy.

But you know what? Most successful writers tend to be a little bit crazy. So this fear is actually a sign that you’re on the right track. 

And just for good measure, here is one more fear you might be feeling …

Bonus Fear: How will I know what specific steps to take to succeed?

This is probably the most unreasonable fear of them all.

Why?

Because so many successful paths and successful strategies have already been tried, judged, improved, and refined by those who have come before you.

Take a moment and reflect on any of the fears above that may be affecting your thinking. If any of those fears are stopping you from taking meaningful steps forward, now is the time to consider whether or not they should be.

Because if they shouldn’t be, then these fears are holding you back from living the life you truly want to be living.

And that’s not a fear to respect.

That’s a fear to reject.


Blessings!