Dream Big in 2017
Can you believe it's 2017?!? It's here! I have already had to scratch out 2016 several times and write 2017. Am I the only one who takes weeks to get that right every new year?
I'm writing to you from Park City, Utah. The second half of my bobsled season has started. North American Cup races 5 & 6 are happening here next week. It's currently -18 degrees and there's several feet of snow on the ground. Practice was canceled today because half of the ice on curve 6 fell off due to the cold weather. Yikes! I'm excited to be sitting in a warm house with my furry friends to keep me company!
As the calendar rolled over, I took some time to reflect on my 2016. Here are a few questions I asked myself:
How did 2016 go?
What victories did I have?
What challenges did I overcome?
What could I have done better?
Am I a better person -
After I took time to reflect, I also took time to dream about 2017. I have never been one to write new years resolutions because I knew I'd never stick with them. Like most people, if I actually tried to set a resolution, I would write it down on a piece of paper that would get lost by February. I might find it in December and think, "Wow! Didn't accomplish most of those." Then I'd feel like a failure, which really puts a damper on writing those resolutions again in January. Ugh! Anyone else experience this?
Well, I'm changing that this year. I took a few minutes to just sit and dream. What are my new goals for the year? What would I need to accomplish to be able to say 2017 was the best year of my life? This seemed extra important to me this year since I will be turning 30 in March. Crazy! I'm not going to lie, I often feel pressure to meet societal expectations for what a 30 year old life should look like, but I really took time to pray and seek what God wanted me to accomplish this year and what dreams He had put in my heart of see through. I'm not here to set goals just to please people. I'm writing that for myself more than anyone else. I was born in this time in history, in this place, with these people for a purpose, and I intend to set goals to accomplish my dreams this year.
If you're like me, you've probably thought: But why dream so big if I don't think I'll accomplish them? What if I can't do it?
I'm here to say: But what if you do? What if this is the year those big dreams come true? Even if you get half way there, you're half way there! Way better than never having started at all.
PS. Here's a challenge for you this year to help you realize what's really important to you. Write down your top 10 goals on a sheet of paper. Do it each day for 30 days, but don't flip the page to see what you wrote the day before. If you can't remember all 10, that's alright. It just means they weren't all that important to you, but write down your top 10 goals every day. It takes discipline to do this, so I had to set an alarm on my phone to remind me to write my goals every day. You'll get really clear on what you want to accomplish this year, be energized to get them done and continually be on the lookout for opportunities to achieve them because they're always on your mind.
What challenges did I overcome?
What could I have done better?
Am I a better person -
Mentally?
Spiritually?
Physically?
Family wise?
Financially?
Personally?
Vocationally?
Well, I'm changing that this year. I took a few minutes to just sit and dream. What are my new goals for the year? What would I need to accomplish to be able to say 2017 was the best year of my life? This seemed extra important to me this year since I will be turning 30 in March. Crazy! I'm not going to lie, I often feel pressure to meet societal expectations for what a 30 year old life should look like, but I really took time to pray and seek what God wanted me to accomplish this year and what dreams He had put in my heart of see through. I'm not here to set goals just to please people. I'm writing that for myself more than anyone else. I was born in this time in history, in this place, with these people for a purpose, and I intend to set goals to accomplish my dreams this year.
“You are never to old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream"
-C.S. LewisIn order to make it the best year of your life, you really do have to take time to dream. Dream huge, crazy, big, scary, exciting dreams.
If you're like me, you've probably thought: But why dream so big if I don't think I'll accomplish them? What if I can't do it?
I'm here to say: But what if you do? What if this is the year those big dreams come true? Even if you get half way there, you're half way there! Way better than never having started at all.
Sometimes all we need is permission.
Here you go – you have my permission:
You have my permission.
Will you give yourself permission?
What if you do?
What if everyone did?
You have my permission.
The world is waiting on you.
Go.
Here you go – you have my permission:
To go for it.
To dream crazy, huge dreams.
To set new goals.
To reach for the stars.
To stick to it.
To hold that door.
To go the extra mile.
To expect the best.
To return rudeness with love.
To love the unlovely.
To help the helpless.
To spend quality time with the people you love.
To hug for one second longer.
To cry a tear over a good memory.
To tell a friend, “I love you.”
To tell a child, “You are a winner!”
To enjoy some quiet time.
To write a gratitude list. (This year I am keeping a list on my phone and adding one item a day that I'm thankful for. Imagine looking back on December 31 and seeing 365 items you are thankful for!)
To enjoy your life.
Will you give yourself permission?
What if you do?
What if everyone did?
You have my permission.
The world is waiting on you.
Go.
PS. Here's a challenge for you this year to help you realize what's really important to you. Write down your top 10 goals on a sheet of paper. Do it each day for 30 days, but don't flip the page to see what you wrote the day before. If you can't remember all 10, that's alright. It just means they weren't all that important to you, but write down your top 10 goals every day. It takes discipline to do this, so I had to set an alarm on my phone to remind me to write my goals every day. You'll get really clear on what you want to accomplish this year, be energized to get them done and continually be on the lookout for opportunities to achieve them because they're always on your mind.