Dreams. Goals. Five-year plans. Whatever you call them, most of us have things we want to achieve or add to our lives. It could be a certain level of education or an experience like traveling around the world. It may be securing a particular job or finding someone to share the many aspects of your life with. Dreams can be big and seemingly impossible, or they can be more simple and within easy reach, but they give us a sense of motion. They serve as a measure of success and hopefully bring us joy and fulfilment when they are realised. But what then? What happens after you reach your goal?
More than a fairytale
Being mom to a handful of children under the age of eight has introduced me to a whole world of things that I probably would never have come into contact with if I wasn’t a parent. One such thing I have been exposed to is wisdom according to Disney. Don’t mock – many a true word has come out of an animated character who happens to sing and possess magical qualities.
This weekend my tribe decided to re-watch Tangled – the story of Rapunzel and her dream of seeing the floating lanterns. It’s a very sweet tale (honestly, I think it’s one of my favourites) but when our heroine is at the point of realising her dream, in a moment of nervous excitement, she wonders what happens if this defining moment isn’t everything she has hoped for. And then she asks what happens if it is. The funny thing about getting what you want and what you’ve been dreaming of or hoping for is that it changes things. For better or worse, the thing that you have been reaching for is no longer the focus. In response to Rapunzel’s fear, the hero of the story gives this golden nugget of wisdom: “You get to find a new dream.”
Time for something new
Growing up, my dream was to be a mom. It may seem like a simple and easily achievable thing to many but for me that was my goal. In the last eight years I’ve more than realised that end and now have a beautiful family of four lovely children – but now that my youngest is becoming more independent I can see that I’m not too far away from the moment when my dream will cease to take up every moment of my day. In short, I need to find a new dream.
Whether you need a new dream because you have realised your original desire or maybe you’ve come to the point of needing to let go of a dream that isn’t going to materialise, embarking on a new dream journey can be a daunting prospect. Deciding what the new season and the next goal needs to be may not be as easy as you may think but here are a few things to bear in mind if you’re looking for your next big adventure.
- Get excited!
Stepping out onto a different road and experiencing new seasons can be a nerve-racking experience, but don’t let the fear of the unknown overwhelm you. This is an exciting time and should be celebrated.
- Appreciate the past, but don’t stay there
Whether you’re moving on from a place of victory or from a place of disappointment, you are still moving on. If you made mistakes, learn from them. If you conquered and grew in the process, carry those victories with you.
- Be brave and get creative
This is your chance to branch out and maybe push past some limitations that you’ve previously placed on yourself. If you’ve already achieved one dream, why not make the next goal bigger?
- Don’t stop
Success and failure are both just mile markers along the journey. Regardless of which one you encounter, the important thing is to keep going. Keep reaching, keep dreaming, and keep looking forward.
The author C.S. Lewis once said:
‘You’re never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream’
The Bible tells us that we are able to plan our own course through life, but it is God who guides our steps. In another verse we are told that if we find our delight and joy in who God is, He will lead us to our heart’s desires. So when you are seeking a new adventure and uncovering your next dream remember to give God his rightful place in the equation and enjoy the journey!