We all long for something—a new job, travel, love, adventure—things that are “other,†things that are not our everyday lives. Creatives long maybe a little more than most people. It's in our nature. We are dreamy and live with heads and hearts filled with possibilities and “what ifs.†Longing is part of our makeup.
Sometimes, though, the longing can pull our attention away from the here-and-now. It takes us away from that day-to-day life that could be filled with the things we are longing for if we would let it. Sometimes you have to let go of the longing so you can see where you really are right now.
So how do you find your dreams right where you are now? Start here:
- Write about the things you want to see and do. Put in lots of detail. Take “I want to go to Paris†and make it “I want to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower and the colorful flower stalls and visit the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and stroll the countryside picking flowers.â€
- Write about the feelings you want from the experiences you are longing for. Instead of “I want to have lunch in a Parisian street cafe†write “I want to feel the breeze brushing my hair as I eat creamy brie and a soft, chewy baguette while taking in the colorful street scenes.†Put in the sensations you are longing for and also the emotions you want to feel from the experiences you're dreaming of.
- When you have a good, clear idea of the feelings you want to bring in to your life, make a list of things that already give you some of those feelings and also things you think might give you those feelings. If you want the peace and calm and quiet of strolling country lanes, drive yourself to a nearby small town and wander through it's streets and sights.
- Find ways to add these things into your life whenever you can. Look around and see where you can fit them in—a little bistro table in your own yard and bread from a local bakery can give you a taste of that Parisian cafe you daydream about.
Living the life of your dreams isn't all about changing things and adding things into your life, though. It's also about finding things around you that already match your dream life. Look at your life and find what matches up to your dreams. Is your dream to be an artist? That little box of paints and stack of canvases in the corner is part of the artist life. Start there. Build on what you already have and do, add to the parts of your life that connect you to your dream. Start right where you are.
Finally, remember that your dream is a joy. It is meant to add pleasure and magic to your life. So add pleasure and joy and magic and beauty wherever you can. (Add some things like my little dancing flower and let yourself smile and laugh whenever you can.) Let yourself have some joy because joy builds on itself, and your creative dream will grow from joy.
