Last weekend I celebrated my birthday with a party at my home! Originally I had made plans to go out of town to the Esalen Retreat Center in Big Sur, California. It would have been wonderful but my motivation was all wrong. I had created a distraction so that I did not have to deal with planning my own party. I find it very easy to celebrate others and very difficult to celebrate myself. Now if someone else had planned the party for me I would not have had as much discomfort.

 When I realized I really wanted to be surrounded by friends I cancelled the Esalen retreat and started sending invitations, each person accepting with enthusiasm. The gathering created an intimate and yet festive atmosphere. Good food and lively conversation supported the connection between old friends and discovery of new people.

 I had asked Kelly to create a ritual or ceremony to be included during the evening. She offered a beautiful Native American poem setting a heart warming tone. Each guest was then asked to take items from a basket, including beads, feathers and metallic twine. They created an art piece, infused it with their blessings and prayers and attached it to a specially chosen stick. In the end I received a mobile that now gracefully hangs in my living room, a daily reminder of the love that was offered to me on my birthday.

If I had gone to Esalen I would have had a wonderful birthday also but very different from the one I experienced by stepping into my own discomfort and asking for exactly what I wanted.

 

What does it take to bring a dream to reality? Whether the dream is large in proportion and goes far into the future or is smaller and more attainable the steps are the same.

 I have had a dream to create my web site for a long while. I was excited and energized about the project. I knew the benefits of having  my own site, yet it took much longer than I ever anticipated to bring it to completion. At times the process was energizing and very creative and at times it was filled with frustration and challenges.

 It is only in looking back that I see how perfect the process has been. I was not ready even a month ago to bring this project to fruition and believe me I wanted it to be launched. Included in the designing of my site has been a process of self discovery that has been very valuable.

3 keys to realizing the dream...

1.     Diligence and Determination...just keep movement happening. The process may be different than what you had envisioned...it just may be much richer. Keep the dream clearly in front of you and stay determined to attain all that you want.

 

2.     Divine timing... This could also be called being "in the flow".  Remember inspiration has its own timing. If your find yourself continually blocked then step back and wait awhile to see what arises.

    

      Rather than forcing the process I find that allowing an idea or insight to present itself brings richness to my life and also to whatever I am creating.

 

3.     Have fun...everything worth doing is worth doing with joy and enthusiasm. In my experience when I become to serious the project is harder, takes longer and has an element of drudgery.

       Mix up the projects in your day, laugh, move and bring joy into everything you do...you will be rewarded with more peace, ease and creativity.

An Inspired Life can be realized right here right now in this moment...begin the journey to create yours.