Consider this the space where we get centered and focused for the week ahead.
Today’s Topic: The Power of the Dreamer!
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ~HARRIET TUBMAN
There are two definitions for a dreamer. One who lives in a world of fantasy and imagination. And one who has ideas or conceives projects regarded as impractical. It is the second definition that is regarded as a visionary.
It is my belief that Ms. Tubman was referring to the latter. We all have the strength, patience, and passion to make our dreams a reality. To take the common and make it uncommon. To create, implement, and influence change.
Despite being unable to read or write, Ms. Tubman was a leader, a hero, and one of the most recognized icons in American history. She was an abolitionist, freeing more than 300 slaves via the Underground Railroad. As a spy and scout for the Union army she was instrumental in freeing an additional 700 slaves. She was also a nurse and a supporter of the women’s suffrage movement.
All that she accomplished stemmed from a desire for change. It was her will to see it through that made her iconic. Her achievements were not haphazard, she had a plan. A dreamer with no direction lacks purpose but a dreamer with a desire has the will to see it through.
Consider this the space where we get centered and focused for the week ahead.
This week we tackle the topic of success, mainly answering the question: What is success?
Success is not easy. If it was, everyone would be successful. But we must remember that success is relative. Therefore my success or what I deem successful cannot be compared to your depiction of success.
What I have learned is that success is never achieved alone as I say all the time in each of these momentum Mondays because somewhere along the line someone gave you encouragement, shared in your joy and failures, and even called you out on your foolishness or procrastination.
Why is it that we put a timeline on success or develop an idea of what success should feel or look like? In reality success takes time. It takes determination to overcome our own level of insecurities. What I have realized is that we wouldn’t believe our own success if it came easy but we would appreciate being successful if it was birthed in struggle.
The truth about fear is that it has the tendency of revealing insecurities and bringing to the surface that the world is not the problem but instead you are the issue. This reality can be hard to swallow because that means that we cannot put blame on anyone or anything but ourselves. The idea that I may cause my own demise is a hard pill to swallow. However, the beauty lies in knowing and acknowledging those fears. Everything happens for a reason therefore who we are and what we fear has a beginning and an evolution. If I know what scares me, I can rationalize my fear, face it, and potentially see the reason for its manifestation in the first place.
My life, like many others, has not been easy, but I have been fortunate. I have always pictured my life as a ship, one very big ship. Along my journey I make several stops to refuel and at times there are cracks while in other moments there are huge holes in the sides of my ship. There are moments when I am on the verge of sinking (emotionally, physically, mentally) and there are times when I am moving swiftly sailing toward my destination with relative ease. Unfortunately, the moments that mattered the most were when I was on the verge of sinking and the holes in the ship were too big to fix alone.
2. Fear is Faith
The fear that I have is one of failure. I realized that this fear is one of the most debilitating of its kind. There is a beauty in fear that I believe is not mentioned often. The beauty of fear is that it keeps you aware; aware of other’s feelings, your surroundings, your intentions, your desires, and goals. Fear is proportional to faith, in my opinion. The more fear we have, the less faith you possess. Fear is only conquered by a strong belief in oneself, one’s abilities, and desires. “A little fear is good”, as my father always says. It keeps you on your toes. It reminds you to be prepared. I trained to lessen my fear of failure and to this day I know that I am not perfect, but my faith is stronger.
3. It Helps You Identify Your Insecurities
Usually insecurities are viewed as negatives, however, I find strength in acknowledging my fears and shortcomings. Doing so makes me work harder and makes me adaptable and accountable. I take my goal of becoming a naturopathic physician seriously because life is not a joke. Being responsible for another person’s life requires skill and fortitude that can only be achieved when we are honest with ourselves.
4. Fear Allows You to Gain an Understanding of Your Identity
In my opinion, in order to be successful in this world, you need a level head, a belief in oneself, and an understanding of who you are and what you are capable of. All of these things come from maturity and maturity only comes with time and experience. The beautiful thing about maturity is that sometimes others notice it before you do, but when you recognize that you have matured that is when true magic happens. Looking back, I have no regrets and are patient and content with taking things one step at a time. I cherish every moment and think before I act. I am ready for whatever the world may throw at me and believe I have what it takes to conquer my dreams and the obstacles that may come with them.
