What’s Holding You Back from YOUR Dreams?

What’s holding you back from your dreams? I ask this because I have just returned from New York City where I attended Steve Harrison’s National Publicity Summit. One hundred members of the press were there to listen to pitches from people just like you and me who are on a mission to fulfill their dreams.

One man who stood out was a former Vietnam vet. His dream is that his book will guide other vets to get the help they need from the Veteran’s Association. What inspired me most, however, was that this man has been homeless for the last three years. He said he had a little money in the bank and got a sign to use it to pay for attending this event. It was a huge leap of faith for him to jump, but he did. He has a passion for serving and it paid off. At the end of the summit, as he stood up on stage and wept with joy, he shared that Good Morning America is interested in his story!

We heard one miraculous story after the next. There were the extreme ones, like the women who had been raped and turned from victims to messengers of empowerment and healing. There were others whose stories weren’t based in trauma, but rather a deep desire to simply share their services.

Passion, inspiration and courage. Those are the three words that come to mind when I think of the Summit attendees.

The core underlying theme of the weekend was, “Don’t let anything hold you back from your dreams. Your dreams are God guiding you to serve in a bigger way!”

Serving in a bigger way doesn’t mean you have to write a book or create a product to help all of humanity. Serving in a bigger way may simply mean that you take time to play each day and become an example for others to do the same. If this is your dream, you have to ask yourself why you’re not following your heart. Are you afraid you’ll be judged? Is someone’s voice sitting in the back of your mind telling you that you’re wrong for wanting to have more fun?

Are you tired of the rat race and want to make changes? Are you concerned your dream will “upset the applecart” in your life, home or work? Are you trying to protect someone else at the expense of yourself?

Did you know that when you deny your dreams, you set a dysfunctional example for others to deny theirs as well? We tend to think that if we follow our dreams we will hurt others when, in fact, we do just the opposite.

Yes, people may baulk as you follow your dreams, because you ARE upsetting the applecart. But instead of thinking that you’re causing people pain, know that you are giving them a tremendous gift by forcing them to sprout their wings. Your shift is helping them step out of their safety zones, and that’s when life gets fun!

We are so deeply ingrained with the need to play it safe that we shut down our hopes and our dreams. But playing it safe keeps you mired in the mundane.

Over the years, I’ve heard LOTS of people say things like, “Well, I’m being selfish if I follow my dreams.” You’re being selfish if you don’t!

I recognize that money issues often get in the way of following your dreams. But if the homeless Vietnam vet can trust that everything will be ok, even when he had to spend his very last penny, think about the possibilities for you.

Following your dreams is the pathway to inner and outer abundance. As you follow your dreams, knowing this is putting God first and is your greatest act of service, you raise your Worthiness Quotient and open up to receive all the love and support you need…just like the vet received at the National Publicity Summit. Can you imagine how many lives this vet will impact once he’s on Good Morning America? Woo hoo! I know he impacted mine, as well as the rest of the members of the summit. As he stepped down off of the stage after sharing his story, the whole room erupted in a standing ovation.

Your dreams may not have anything to do with being in the press. They can be as grand or as simple as you want. But as you follow them, you will become a leader and an inspiration for others, just like the Vietnam vet was for us.

First Name *

Email *