You Can't Live in the Past AND Live Your Dreams

 I was walking today and saw a sign that read - “Live Your Dreams”- which prompted this post. I’ve had my share of career challenges, I’ve been underemployed, worked quite a few temp positions (no benefits) and I’ve been laid off aka no employment. During this time, I cycled through ‘what-if” thoughts and fretting intensified when the bills came in and were heavier than what was available to pay them. These experiences have taught me the value of pressing forward even when things seem oh so bleak. These experiences also lead to some serious ‘inside’ work – looking at my beliefs, what I connect my worth to, my assumptions and what’s really important to me.

I went through the gamut of emotions and while it may have seemed easier to stay there and pitch my tent, I knew I had to make a choice. I could allow my setbacks to keep me focused on the past or I could shift and take steps to live my dreams. I elected to take the lessons from my career setbacks and use them to move me toward my dreams.

Most of us have gone through unfavorable experiences and have had to do the work to pull things back together. The amazing thing about life is that we often get the test before the lesson, but if we stay planted in the past, we will never truly live our dreams and make our contributions. It is very difficult to move forward if you spend the majority of your time looking in the rearview mirror. I encourage you to take some time and identify where in your life you are living in the past?

What steps will you take to move forward and live into your dreams?