i had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee

my victory latte - the morning after I finished my draft

Thanks for the feedback on the manifesting dreams podcast!  I hope you enjoyed it.

I thought it might be nice if I wrote down some of the key points from the podcast for you, so here you go - in no particular order (!), some notes from Aunty Latte and Aunty Creative Sprite (mostly the latter!) on manifesting and going after your dreams:

• Everything will unfold the way it is meant to happen.  
• Let the process of achieving your dreams express who you are.  Nicole, for example, loves road trips, so she centred her 50 states project around that.
• When you complete one dream,  the next one will come forward.  The only thing that changes is your desire and courage to reach into that well of dreams and pull something up.
• Dreams evolve with us.  The dreams you had at 16 compared to the dreams you have now are probably worlds apart.  Or perhaps you now have a different appreciation of the same dream; ie: it means something different to you now.  It will reflect who you have evolved into as a person.
• There is such a thing as the right time for a dream to happen, and that is part of the process.    
• Don't be afraid to do things alone, like travel.  Travelling alone is wonderful!
• Try to be centred in the present moment when you are living and achieving your dream - you've worked hard for it.  Enjoy it!
• Sometimes your realisation of a dream means a lot of change in your life, which also means change for the people in your life.  Sometimes they won't get it.  They aren't supposed to.  Be ok with that and keep going.  Part of the dream might require you to let things go to make room for the new.
• Sometimes trying to realise a dream brings about some heartbreak.  But there is no bigger heart than a broken heart: it heals in a different way, grows back bigger and gives you insight and perspective you may not have had before.  
• If things aren't happening and you keep hitting roadblocks, perhaps you are trying to fit an experience that is meant to be big into a framework that is far too small.  Think bigger! 
• You as a person need to grow, you are meant to step into the bigness of your heart's deepest desires and be the person you are meant to be.
• You have to believe it's possible; it doesn't matter how.  Let go of the how!  But you have to believe in your heart of hearts that what you want is possible.  Even if you only believe in it 5% - that's enough to keep it going.
• You are going to make mistakes, and you are going to be disappointed.  It's all part of the journey.  If you never get knocked down, you'll never know if you're doing it right.
• Share what you have learned with others.  Be generous with your wisdom; share your joys and commiserate over your mistakes and bumps in the road.  
• Continue to show up each day as authentically as you can, doing the best you can, until you truly believe that this is who you are and that this is possible for you.  Continuing to show up is what will get you there.
• Any kind of real, lasting change in your life has got to come from somewhere honest inside you.
• Sometimes you have to reevaluate your dream; if you keep hitting roadblocks, that can be a sign you should take a hard, honest look at your dream.  Are you trying to live someone else's dream?  Is what you're trying to achieve really lining up with what is in your best interests right now?  
• Sometimes you need to give it a rest and be ok with where you're at right now - take a break and chill out!  We all hit plateaus, both physical and emotional, especially if you've been through big changes.  Give yourself time to adjust to where you are in that moment.  That doesn't mean go back to your old ways or old habits, just keep moving forward and the ideas for what you need to do will come to you.  
• Don't confuse manifestation with control.  Think of it as a partnership with yourself and the universe; ideas will show up and it's your job to execute them.  When you lose sight of that and start to dictate or control how everything happens, you will inevitably be disappointed.  The only outcome you can control is assessing the situation and deciding where to go from there.
• You, and you alone, are the only person responsible for making your dream happen.  No one else is.  
• When you share your dreams with others, you will have your great supporters but you will also have your naysayers.  Stay strong and remember to take personal responsibility for your dreams and your happiness.  It's your dream, it doesn't have to be anyone else's.  We all have to find our own path.
• Celebrate your successes!! There are so many steps involved in making a dream a reality.  Savour each little victory along the way.  
• This is your life; there is no finishing line.  It evolves at a different rate for everyone and the time will pass any way.  You can't hit pause on a moment in your life.  Just decide to be the most fulfilled and happy that you can possibly be in each moment, because you deserve it.  
• Have fun!!
 

In a strange coincidence, since recording that podcast and thinking about what came out of it, I was reminded of this post, that I wrote just over a year ago.  In it, I listed a handful of things I thought I would like to have accomplished by 2015.  I realised that I've achieved 3 of them this year!  How cool is that?!  Isn't it funny how just putting it out there, in whatever form that might be, and then acting on the opportunities when they present themselves (instead of thinking "oh no, it's too soon" or "oh no, I could never do that!") can make things that once were daydreams a reality?

One thing I've also learned over the years about dreams and goals is that you are never obligated to them.  If something isn't working, you can change it. Sometimes you have to let go of what worked in the past when it stops working, or if things change, and find what works for you now.

The main thing is that whatever you're working towards should be making you happy.  I realise that life deals everyone a different hand and happiness is something not every one is lucky enough to have, but I think working towards it is certainly not a bad thing - in my case, I fought for it, insisted upon it and went to the other side of the world to find it.  Find your way, find your path.   

Every persons journey is different.  The main thing is that you're going somewhere.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

- Eleanor Roosevelt