Dare to Dream

posted in: Community, Mindfulness | 0

What are your dreams? No, not the kind you have at night when you’re asleep, but your deepest passions and aspirations. And what have you done to make your dreams a reality? Anything? Nothing? Well, today couldn’t be a better day to get started, or take the next step, because it’s National Dream Day!

March 11 is a day set aside for people around the country to declare, share, celebrate and activate their dreams. The history behind this day is quite inspirational. It seems that a Belgian man, Robert Muller born on this day in 1923, joined the French Resistance, having a strong belief about world peace. Afterwards, he was inspired to earn his doctorate in law, and wrote an essay about how to govern the world, leading to an internship at the United Nations and eventually, a 40-year career focusing on peace.

National Dream Day was created by the Dream School Foundation and is dedicated to Robert Muller and other peacemakers, who have devoted their lives to living their dreams of peace.

World Peace is a lofty goal however, and National Dream Day is really about pursuing whatever dreams you have and living a great life. Living our dreams makes us happy, and we all know that happy people are peaceful people. Use this day to connect with your dreams and move them forward with the intention of benefiting the world.

The world belongs to the dreamers. The great thinkers and visionaries throughout history were those that followed their dreams. Our founding fathers’ dreams led to the creation of the Declaration of Independence. Who can forget the great speech by Martin Luther King, Jr., who dreamed of a world where all are equal. Bill Gates had a dream that one day every home in the country would have a personal computer.

These dreamers are just like you. They just took their dreams and put them in to action. Realizing your dreams doesn’t just happen by itself. It takes recognition, goal setting, planning and dedication. Here are some ways you can celebrate National Dream Day:

Acknowledge your dreams
Look back over your life and recognize a common thread through your dreams and aspirations. Maybe you want to help children. Or you have dreams of traveling the world. Or you always wanted to be an artist. Take that first step, it’s always the most difficult, and see what happens. Bucket lists are full of people’s dreams and having them written down, makes them more tangible.

Concentrate on the positive
When you think positively about yourself and your dreams, you’ll begin to believe that you can achieve anything. You’ll need this enthusiasm as you come up against the inevitable obstacles you’ll meet along the way. Achieving your dreams doesn’t happen overnight, it can take a lifetime. And if you focus on the good, it will drive your actions.

Share your dreams
Let other people know what your dream is. State it in a clear concise way along with the impact you’re going to make. Then encourage others to do the same.

Support other peoples’ dreams
We all have dreams, and not everyone has the means or are in the situation to achieve those dreams. Whether it’s donating to a cause that provides scholarships to those in need or spending time teaching English to non-native speakers, now is a great time to put in the good work.

Inspire others to live their dreams
Many, if not most of us, never give our dreams a second thought. The uncertainty and thought of failure can be scary. But you never know until you try, and the rewards of a dream come true are worth the effort. Encourage friends and family to follow their dreams.

Dare to dream! There is no time like the present. So again I ask: what are your dreams?

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