6 Things You Can Do Right Now When Your Dreams Feel Out of Reach

What if your dreams feel impossible to reach right now?

Maybe your life circumstances keep you from pursuing your dream like you want to. Maybe it’s a matter of life seasons and it’s not your season yet.

Hey Friend, hang in there.

Here are 6 things you can do RIGHT NOW while your dreams feel out of reach. You may be closer than you think.

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Hey Friend, welcome! In this series I share how I overcame obstacles and ventured out on my first few kayak excursions. There were victories, mishaps, danger, glorious moments as well as some great life lessons learned along the way. In the end I climbed the mountain of doubt and uncertainty and gained confidence and achievement. I hope to inspire you to go after your own dreams with courage and creativity to make them happen. Life is too short to only wish for the life you long for. Instead, pick up that dream, dust it off, and start living it.

This is post 13 of 13 in the First Kayaking Adventures Series: The View from My Kayak.

If you haven’t had a chance to read my previous posts this series you may want to check them out.

See the end of this post for a navigation guide to all posts in this series.

The end of the season.

Just as we arrived home from our last hurrah to Sand Hollow Reservoir, the snow came, catching me with my kayaks still on top of the car waiting like happy puppies for one more outing. I had to admit (with a sigh) that my manic sprint to kayak as much as possible before fall turned to winter finally came to an end. 

 

At least for that year. 

 

Time to put my boats away and wait out the winter until I could get back out on the water with warmer temperatures.

 

But it didn’t mean I’d be stuck in the winter doldrums. No way! I had plans spinning in my head. I  created a Kayaking Bucket List! Just like Dr. Seuss said, “Oh the places you’ll go!”

 

I knew Summer would come again 🙂 And I was going to be ready!

1

Force a springtime bulb.

I’ve been given pots of forced bulb flowers in the middle of winter and the blooms made my heart happy when the world outside was grey and frozen. It was like having a little bit of summer in the depths of winter.

 

When we are in a winter-waiting season we can force our own theoretical bulbs too – by doing what we can to bring us closer to our dreams.

 

I remember when I first wanted to buy kayaks of our own. We did NOT have the extra money to spend hundreds of dollars on kayaks. But I wanted it so badly I could taste it. I scoured my home for anything I could part with and held a yard sale with the sole purpose of purchasing kayaks for our family. I sold things I loved and held that sale for a few days just to raise enough money to afford our first kayaks. It was a start!

 

Do something, anything, little or small that keeps your heart on the pulse of the dream and lets you experience it a little. Research, make lists, make someday-plans, collect pictures, read inspirational stories based on your dream. Do small projects toward your dream that keep you excited and fill you.

 

Sometimes you have to help winter along. Force a bulb or two 🙂 Start small. Rejoice in each small victory. Savor each tiny accomplishment towards reaching your dream.

2

Prepare: mentally,  physically, and emotionally.

Prepare for the time you can go for your dreams. Build your courage. Prepare materials. Study all you can and learn everything about your dream. Talk to people who are doing what you want to. Learn from them. Be inspired by them.

 

Save money. Get strong. Strengthen your muscles and stamina for when you will be free to go get that dream. Then, when the time is right, you’ll be ready.

3

Determine to make it happen someday.

Be resolved. Don’t let discouragement bury your dream. If you don’t keep it alive, no one will.

 

Below is one of my favorite quotes. I memorized it as a young woman and it has taught me to dream and believe I could do whatever I set my mind to and was willing to work hard at accomplishing.

4

Have hope and joyful anticipation.

When you notice signs of the thaw, and new-life breaking through the frozen crust, when you feel renewed passion, when you have a hint that your “someday” isn’t that far away, bask in that hope. Keep watch for the signs of spring and be ready to go for it when opportunities come. These signs give us hope. Hope chases away despair and is how we can get through long winters.

I love this quote from Albert Camus. It reminds me that the invincible good in me can overcome all the setbacks in front of me.

“In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, in invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that…In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, in invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger — something better, pushing right back.”

5

Make friends and allies.  

Who can encourage you and support you when you are ready to go for it? Find other people who share your passion. Seek out clubs, organizations, groups. Create a community.

 

How can you involve your friends and family in the thing you’re passionate about? Can you start planting seeds with the people you love? They could be your greatest cheerleaders when you finally get to go for it.

 

For example, my kids didn’t love kayaking when they were small. But now as youth and young adults, they are coming around. Just the other day my oldest daughter asked to go with me.

 

At first my husband just didn’t enjoy kayaking much. Now, he’s my greatest support. He helped me find the best kayak and enjoys going with me now. It just took some time for it to grow on them. Now I’ve got lots of friends and family that love to go with me.

6

Live with gratitude for the winter.

Savor the days of preparation and germination. Recognize the warmth, brilliance, coziness, and growing moments of the season you are in. Sometimes the season we are currently in is just the precursor to our wildest dreams!

 

Take Paul’s council from the New Testament:

In the meantime.

When my kids were small, and before I found my courage to try kayaking on my own, I only got out to kayak in small bursts whenever I could. I had to save like crazy to afford my kayaks in the first place and carve out time and ways to go once I finally got them. I know how hard it feels when you think you’ll never reach your dream. When it seems it will never be your dream-season.

 

While my children were young it wasn’t my season yet, but it worked out and prepared me for when I could really go after my dream. It can work out for you too!

 

Children grow up. Situations improve. Things change. Your time will come.

 

In the meantime remember these six things that you can do right now to keep that dream alive and give you hope to achieve it in the future:

 

1. 1. 1. Do regular small things that keep that dream alive in your heart such as researching, making plans, learning all about it, and participating in your dream as often as you can.
      2. Prepare physically and financially to be able to follow your dream when it’s time. Build your strength and stamina as well as your savings to fund the thing your heart is yearning for.
      3. Be determined! Don’t give up trying. The dream season won’t ever come if you give up.
      4. Have hope and live with joyful anticipation. Watch for the signs that your spring is coming.
      5. Create a community around your dream for support and encouragement.
      6. Live with your heart full of gratitude for the season you’re in. Gratitude makes you happy no matter your circumstance.

 

 

The end of a season but just the beginning.

Just like my kayaking season came to an end with winter literally landing on my kayaks, so has this series on my first kayaking adventures. 

 

Since I first started these adventures in the autumn of 2014, over the years things have changed for me quite a bit. I live my dream of kayaking on a regular basis now. It’s who I am. It’s what I do. Although I’d still call myself a beginner in my skill level, I’ve kayaked all over the world…Canada, Italy, Hawaii, Haiti and western United States. And I often kayak in my local waters by myself but usually with a friend or family member. 

 

But I’ll always remember the thrill of grabbing my dream by the tail for the first time and hanging on for dear life as I determinedly chased it. The results are the experiences found in this series. I found confidence, courage, and abundant joy. You can too as you pursue your dreams.

 

The truth is, we are all finite beings. We can’t do everything all of the time. But we can do some of the things some of the time. If it feels impossible to reach your dreams right not, catch small glimpses that fill you and give you strength until your season for chasing and living your dream is here. I bet it’s closer than you imagine.

 

 

Now, I’d love to hear from you.

Do you have any dreams that are sitting on the back burner? What are they? What’s holding you back? What are you doing during your winter-waiting time? Leave a comment at the end of this post and let us know.

 

I’d love for you to share your story here! What you have to say may be just the thing someone else needs to be inspired today.

 

Read the rest of the articles in this series:

1. Pick Up that Dream, Dust it Off, and Start Living It! My Story of Choosing to Live My Dream.
2. First Solo Kayak Trip:  3 Steps to Start Living Your Dream
3. Close Call to Catastrophe and What I Learned When Things Went Wrong .
4. Payson Lakes in the Fall: Finding Places of Connection and Wholeness
5. 3 Life Lessons I Learned Paddling Provo River Alone for the First Time
6. Paddling Utah Lake: Getting Un-Stuck in Life
7. Kayaking the Great Salt Lake: Paddling through a Sea of Clouds
8. I Blame Them for this Crazy Obsession 
9. Chasing the Sun to Sand Hollow Day 1: Why Sand Hollow is One of the Best Kayak Destinations in Utah
10. Getting Past Panic at Sand Hollow Reservoir
11. Chasing the Sun to Sand Hollow Day 2: The Joy of Being Surprised by the Unexpected
12. The One Thing That Makes it Possible to PursueYour Dreams
13. Life Seasons: Six Things You Can Do Right Now When Your Dream Feels Out of Reach

 

You might also like this article, When One Door Closes.

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