Are you willing to take the steps?

I do not see any reason why we can’t do all the things we dream of doing. Yes, obstacles, illness, and tragedies occur in all of our lives; there are many things we cannot control. But that doesn’t mean we should give up and stop working toward happiness and fulfillment. Each day may not unfold the way we plan, but if you put sincere effort into creating each day according to your heart’s desire: focus, take the steps, and make it happen, you will find that you have more control over your life than you may otherwise have thought. I have used this method throughout my life (I didn’t always know I had a method), and these steps have helped me work through obstacles that sometimes seemed impossible to overcome. For example, I really wanted to go to college, including graduate school, which for a high school dropout/ pregnant teenager, didn’t seem very promising. But I did it. When I turned 18 I studied for and passed the GED, entered a community college and started with one class at a time at night; this was not the way I envisioned college life, but I was following my dream.

It took me 17 years to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. In the early semesters it was one class at a time, sometimes taking off a semester or two because I was a single mom with two kids and couldn’t always fit classes into my work/childcare schedule. But I stayed enrolled and kept going. In December of 2000 I graduated with honors from The University of Louisville with a BA in Humanities. It was a long time coming but so worth the effort! I took a year off to figure out what was next and began Graduate school in 2001. I began to dream of living in England one day, and began considering what the steps could be for this to happen. Many thought I was crazy, “Why would you want to do that?!” “It’s so expensive” “How will you manage?” etc. There are often those around who will try to sabotage your dreams (They are often the ones who seem to want the best for you but I think they would be happier if they just focused on themselves). Following graduate school where I earned an MA in Humanities/Medieval Studies, I applied to and was accepted into the University of Kent in Canterbury, UK. I began my post-grad studies, and loved living in England!

Along the way, during my academic adventure, and the chaos of raising of children, I got married and had a third child. We dreamt of traveling. I wanted to see places, meet other people, and experience different cultures. So, travel became a priority. Others bought a new car, new appliances, lots of new clothes, etc. we saved for plane tickets. And it has been fantastic! We explored The American and British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Aruba, England, Ireland, Scotland; we drove and camped across the USA, and found a small hideaway near Puerto Vallarta. We’ve tasted exotic food, met interesting, creative people and learned about the world and ourselves.

About mid-way through the seemingly never-ending college years I began practicing yoga and deepened my meditation practice; I envisioned teaching yoga and sharing what I was learning with others. When I was ready, I began training to be a Yoga Teacher. I studied in Louisville, Cincinnati, Lake Tahoe, and other places and spaces. I read ancient texts, new manuals, blogs, web sites, and went to workshops. I taught classes and dreamt of opening a yoga studio; and when I felt the universe call I knew I had to get to work. So, I took the steps. I took the steps and made it happen. This, simple but not always easy, process has allowed me to pursue my dreams and to experience, learn, grow, and enjoy the richness and beauty that life offers. By envisioning what I want to experience, researching, mapping out, and taking the steps, I have been able to create my life according to my dreams.   

What is your dream, your vision, your desire for yourself in this lifetime? Close your eyes and see it as if it is happneing. Write it down. Then ask yourself, "What is the first step toward making this dream come true?" Take the first step. Then the next. One step at a time. You really can do everything you want to do; maybe not all at once, but you can create your life and enjoy it if you are willing to take the steps – I know you can do it!

So, what’s next for me? Well, I have two amazing yoga studios with incredible, inspiring teachers. I train Yoga teachers and love, love, love sharing this practice with others. I sometimes miss being in England and I dream of someday teaching yoga there while deepening my Shakespeare studies – I think Oxford could be the most amazing place to learn …

Namaste ♥