What kind of goals do you like to set for yourself?  Do you tend to play it safe, or reach for the sky?  Is there a little voice inside your head telling you what you can and can’t strive for?

Even if you’ve already set your goals for the New Year (which I’m sure you have), it’s still January, so you’re entitled to alter them or add new ones if you want.  (Let’s be honest, you can change your goals ANY time of the year because goals do not revolve around the New Year!)

So today, I’d like to offer you an unconventional idea that may invite you to consider adjusting your goals.

First, let me tell you some beliefs that I used to have and see if you can relate to any of them.

1- I live a certain type of life, in which I must stay.

2- There are certain bridges that I’m not to cross.

3- I can’t do anything too big because I’m supposed to stay small.

4- I’m not the type of person who can (insert thing you want to do).

These were not conscious beliefs that I acknowledged, but rather a subtle thought in the back of my mind governing all my choices.

And don’t you think it’s interesting that I would even have thoughts telling me that I can’t have this or do that?

When I was 14 years old, I told myself that I’d never build a house, and I nodded in resignment.

Now, what 14 year old needs to make that kind of a life decision in the first place?!  The fact that I was thinking about it back then, tells me that very early on, I knew I WANTED to build a house someday.  But the limiting beliefs I had held me back and told me I couldn’t.

I did this again in college.  I started telling myself that I could never be a public speaker.  Even before I said I wanted to be one, I was telling myself I couldn’t.

And I when I told myself that I’m not the type of person who can be a public speaker, it almost felt like I was protecting myself.  Like I was doing myself a favor so that I wouldn’t make a fool of myself.

Does this sound familiar?

Do you have a similar voice inside your head telling you all sorts of things that you can’t do?  And is the message all wrapped up in the beautiful packaging of “this is for your own good”, or “this will save your reputation”?

Well, you know what I say?

Hahaha!

I don’t care if people call me crazy.

Honestly, I’d have to agree with them!  I have some pretty CRAZY ideas…

I mean, how crazy is it for me to dream of becoming not just a public speaker someday, but a sought after speaker who gets paid 4 or 5 figures to speak?!

Now….. that’s just CRAZY!

Seriously!  Wouldn’t that be crazy?????!!!!

Just go listen to the song “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman, and you might come to terms with the word “crazy” too.

Whether I put forth the effort to take my dream that far or not, it’s just really fun to know that I COULD if I wanted to.  It’s exhilarating and FREEING to burst through your own mental glass ceiling and truly believe that you can do anything you want to!

Anything!

What do you want to do?

What are you telling yourself that you can’t do?  If you’re saying you can’t do it, I’d take it to mean that you want it.

I mean, I’ve never told myself that I can’t be a famous singer.  I don’t want to be a famous singer.  But everything that I’ve said I can’t have or do are the things I actually want!

So…

When you look at the goals you set for this year, do you see yourself playing small?  Or did you dare to dream big?

And I’m not just talking about “becoming rich and famous”, haha.

If there is anything that you’ve always wanted to do, I invite you to do it this year!  Do you want to travel somewhere?  Learn a new skill?  Have an adventure like skydiving or repelling?  Start taking the steps toward it, even if it seems scary.

Preparing to execute a dream will bring your soul to life!

I’ll also admit that it doesn’t always look attractive in the beginning… I can tell you that from personal experience!

I gave my first public speech last July (to my family while we were camping), and I was the biggest hottest mess you ever saw, hahaha!  I care so deeply about my message and was so emotional that I was blubbering all over the place, and I’m not sure I made much sense.

I did two more private presentations after that, each one improving upon the other, and I still have a long way to go.

Then I reached out to my library to see if they would host me sometime, and they said yes!  This will be my first public presentation, and I am so excited!  It’s coming up at the end of January –I’ll let you know how it goes!

See, this is how it looks when you’re just getting started.  You have to reach out and make things happen.  There’s mistakes, uncertainty, and it can be quite messy. 

Somehow I find it inspiring to see people at the awkward beginning stages, more so than seeing them when they “have it made”, and merely hearing their journey of all their struggles.

It’s like remodeling a house.  When someone with a shiny new kitchen tells you how awful it was to live through all the dust to get there, all you can see are the beautiful new cabinets and countertops! 

It makes you want to have that end result, but you don’t fully understand just how hard it’s going to be.

But if you walk into a house that’s currently under construction, you can see how messy and unattractive it is, and you can relate better when you start your project.

Now, unlike remodeling (where once you begin, you’re pretty much locked in until you finish), reaching for a dream is different.

When it gets too hard and you feel like you want to just quit and be done…

…you can.

You can just pull the reins, shut off the engine, and walk away.

And guess what?

That’s ok.

And there’s one thing I want to engrain in your mind and that is this:

No matter what you ever do or don’t do, know that it’s all up to you!  You CAN keep going, even when it’s hard.  You CAN achieve your dream no matter what it is!  You CAN fly higher than you ever imagined possible!

You CAN, but you don’t have to.

You don’t have to WANT to go after your dreams.  You’re not a failure if you don’t WANT to keep at it.  I just want you to believe in yourself and know that you CAN do anything you WANT to.

Anything is possible for you, and as I said earlier, sometimes it’s just fun to dream!

Even if you have no intention of putting in the work to sing and dance on Broadway, how fun would that be to know you COULD if you wanted to, and then just imagine yourself achieving it?

This year, I dare you to think bigger.

Whether in your actual plans, or just in your mind.

Let your soul out of the cage and become FREE.

What is the dream of your heart?  Tell me in the comments!

I support you and love you!

Empowering you to embrace your agency and liberate yourself through conscious choice!

If you missed it earlier, click here now to read my sister post to this!

In everything you do (or don’t do), remember to love and accept yourself!