Hello, Firecracker Friends!

I hope you all are doing well! Undeniably, you cannot ignore the atmosphere of negativity and rage and disappointment these days. We are inundated with plethora of discouragements and things that can just weigh you down.

Life can really knock the wind right out of you.

But you know… we all have something good to contribute and deposit into one another’s life. We all have a purpose and have importance.

It has been on my heart for some time now to do something to deposit hope and encourage others. We are a community of broken people trying to find our way to peace and wholeness.

How could I possibly do this? How could I help? I am like a single grain of sand amongst millions and millions of other granules…

Then, after many days of contemplating and brainstorming, I thought to myself “just be you”.  Don’t focus on the masses, focus on the ONE! You start a fire by igniting a single flame and then the fire will spread. Just be YOU!  

Be vulnerable.

Be honest.

So here I go…

My husband always tells me that I need to shut my mind off and rest. It is easier said than done for me. I am ALWAYS thinking…always!

I start dreaming and thinking about what I want to do with myself and my career, what I want for my family…

Then I start contemplating about what I must do to get my dreams done.

Then I envision myself doing those dreams but with having instant results (so realistic, right?! Haha!).

Do you do this? I can’t be the only one that plays these short stories in their head. You know, those dreams where everything comes easy, contracts start rolling in, your makeup is spot on, the kids aren’t fighting you or each other. Where you are not only living in the land of Utopia, but you also have dinner on the table in time?! Ugh… if only…

But that was as far as it would go. A thought. A dream. As time would pass, I was still in the same spot without making any progress.

Dreams are just that until you put action behind them. They will stay dreams until you begin to initiate the work to build on that dream. You must prepare the ground, till the soil, plant the seed and water it. Then you must maintain your vision, which means pulling the weeds and continuing to water and nurture. It is a must to protect your harvest so it will flourish.

I was my own obstacle. I was that weed killing my harvest and keeping it from flourishing. And in recent years, I wore myself down with disappointment and frustration because of all my “thinking” without any “doing”. I finally decided enough is enough – if I don’t start now, I’ll never start.

Finally! Boy, I was pumped – ready to roll! I am no longer holding back; I am running full force to the mark set before me when suddenly fear set in and I thought “but what if…”

But what if it’s a total flop and I sound like a complete idiot?

But what if I invest all this time and money into it and it’s a complete waste and it doesn’t go anywhere?

But what if no one likes my blog? What if no one likes ME?!

But what if…

And there I was again… motionless. Stationary.

Fear is the enemy of a dream.

Fear was immobilizing me. Do you recognize the power of fear? It is our own mental enemy of our own self-imposed limits and I fell victim to it. We put these mental shackles on ourselves, which keeps us from moving forward or pushing passed barriers.

While battling this stronghold, I attended a local conference on pursuing God-given dreams and I quickly began to realize my behavior and I needed to get my “but” out of the way and pursue my passion!

There is someone else out there that needs what you have – that gift, that idea, that invention – someone is on the other side of you breaking your mental chains and pursing that dream! They are waiting for you and you don’t realize the impact you will have until you take that first step.

I am soooo over dreaming about it or wishing it. I had made a final decision of “all or nothing” and decided to move out of my way and do what it takes to accomplish my dreams! I’d love to help you move your “but” and point you in the direction to launching your dreams.

Everyone has different desires and aspirations. Each one of you will have different steps you will need to take to build your dream whether it be classes, licenses, or a business plan. Here are some suggestions to help push you towards that initial first step of helping your dream come to pass:

* Believe in yourself! You ARE fully equipped to accomplish your goals and aspirations! You already HAVE what it takes to be successful planted inside of you! Tap into it and stir yourself up! Tell yourself this daily because you know what… IT’S TRUE!

* Make a vision board and put it where you see it regularly. If you can see it, you will pursue it.

* Find someone to hold you accountable. It is so easy to go about our daily routines and wind up chasing squirrels off the beaten path. If you have someone to answer to, you will likely stay on track and accomplish more.

* Make a schedule and stick to it! Whether you dedicate 10 hours a week, 40 hours a week, or 60 hours a week – doesn’t matter. Discipline yourself to work those hours. Baby steps eventually leads to miles traveled!

* Step out of your comfort zone and DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!  

Chasing your dreams is not easy but it is worth it!

I started this blog to discuss our weaknesses and strengths as spouses, as parents, as business owners, as friends, or as Christians. Whether you can relate to one or all of these, you belong here.

I’m going to be vulnerable. I’m going to be raw and honest. On the flip side, I also want to be encouraging and motivating. It’s a window into my world of imperfections and victories.

I am excited to get to know you so we can walk and grow together! We need each other to do this thing called life and help realize no one has it together. Some days are easy and smooth. Other days, you want a do-over. But you know what… we CAN do this! Reach in deep, dig your heels in, and ignite that firecracker faith!