Someday is Today...or Maybe Tomorrow

Last week I blogged about "the wayside" and all the stuff that gets left there.  I pointed out that often our dreams get left while we wait for "Someday."

Why can't Someday be today?  At the very least, someday needs to be on the calendar.

I have a dream for my family.  It may sound outlandish, but here it is: I want to spend 4-6 weeks in England, Scotland and Ireland traveling with the entire family.  I want to stay in little villages and ride the BritRail from town to town. I want to see castles and experience history.  I want to pop over to Ireland and soak in the color green.  I want to see the Scottish Highlands and stare out onto the North Sea. I want to wander in the Tower of London and pamper myself in Bath.  I want my children to see where history happened.  I want them to see the sights and taste the flavor of our ancestral roots.  (And I want them to like it!)

I think this could easily fall into the "Someday" category, but I stubbornly refuse to let it.  This dream has a date on the calendar. We will go during the summer of 2017.  That gives me six years to make it happen.  This means planning, lots of planning!  I need to start by acquiring the funds.  Then I need to convince my spouse to save up his vacation time. After that I need buy in from the kids and a sensible travel route. We will need clothes that travel well, entertainment that is very portable, and enough memory cards to take pictures every 20 seconds for a month.

I admit this is ambitions.  I also admit that I could easily find insurmountable problems in every step of this process.  This trip is almost begging to be put back in the world of "Someday." Almost.

So how do we keep our dreams a part of our reality and out of the clutches of "Someday?"  I think there are a few things we can do.

1. Put dreams on the calendar.  If you know when it is going to happen you can work towards it.
2. Identify steps to fulfill your dream. I know I need a lot of cash.  The trip will never happen any other way...so cash I will acquire.
3. Identify road blocks.  I have a long list of food sensitivities, so traveling can be tough.  By planning ahead and learning about the culture, we will be able to travel easily and eat well too.
4. Identify fears.  I think sometimes our dreams get put on hold because we are afraid of something.  Sometimes we are afraid of failure, other times we are afraid of our dreams not living up to our expectations. No matter what your fears are, identify them and face them.  The act of facing and overcoming your fears may be the most impressive part of achieving your dreams.
5. Act "As If."  I speak of my trip as if it is a done deal.  We ARE going to visit Scotland.  I AM going to show my kids the castles in the Highlands.  I try not to say "if."  That just doesn't sound very confident.

Now that you know how to pull your dreams out of "Someday," you need to figure out what your dreams are.  Don't be afraid...I know your dreams are out there somewhere. So take a minute, get comfy, and start thinking.  Dreams don't have to require travel or money.  Dreams can involve developing talents or experiencing new things.  Dreams can be overcoming fears or improving relationships. No matter what your dream is, you deserve to live it.

So I am off to work on my Scotland dream.  I am going to search couch cushions and sell lemonade on the corner. I am going to clip coupons and wear last year's flip flops.  Someday is not today for me, but it could just be tomorrow...and I can't wait!