Last updated on November 6th, 2019 at 04:21 pm
Today I am grateful for being a true dreamer.
I’m one of those women who believes in sunshine, dream dust, and children. I am someone who looks for the magic, the miracles, the silly, yet wonderful, coincidences. It helps me get through the dark periods when life is slapping me hard upside the head.
But I have learned to be grateful when life hands me those big ole bag of sour lemon lessons — and make my own special batch of dream lemonade — no matter how bitter it tastes.
I have learned to reach out and be grateful.
During this time of the year I look for the miracles in the light that shines upon the spring flowers of South Africa.
I dream of sharing this light with those who attend my motivational pep-talks. I want my message to feel like I do when I see the flowers carpeting the South African landscape.
I want my message to be heard by my daughter and the girls of South Africa. I want them to grow up believing they have the ability to make their life whatever they want it to be. I want everyone to know that when life knocks you down on your dream journey, you’ve got to get right up and get back out there again.
And very often, you have to be the light of your own sunshine.
My personal dream journey has come with its own specific challenges. I’ve faced these challenges while juggling work, being a wife and an attentive mother to my daughter, Aliya. I’ve always leaned towards being an over-achiever, but nothing on this planet could have prepared me for being a mom. It is the one job that drains you so completely, and yet, be so rewarding at the same time.
She’s my little corner of sunshine and I want to light her path along with mine.
This week is my daughter’s birthday week. I realize how precious time is as she grows out of another outfit and into the next size. Children make you reflect on your life. The birth of my daughter caused me to pause and look at my life from what I wanted her life to be. I thought deeply about the example I want to set for her as an important woman in her life.
I want a better future for my daughter and the children of South Africa.
To this end, I practice gratitude. I practice being grateful for everything the way it is, for the way it is not, and for the future everything that I hold in my dreams. I constantly look for the light, the good, the special. This journey keeps me focused on what is important in my life and important to the lives of those around me.
Practicing gratitude gets me to optimism.
Gratitude helps me to see the light that shines from the spring flowers in South Africa, the light that shines from my daughter’s face when she looks up to me in love, and the light that shines from the young people’s faces when something I have said during a speech has shifted their perspective about their situation.
It makes me optimistic about our future.
Studies have shown that there is a distinct link between optimism and improved well-being and physical health–no matter your socioeconomic background (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jopy.12026/full). Being optimistic makes us healthier and healthier people make better life decisions.
Optimism is the by-product of gratitude and you have to become a grateful person to succeed on your dream journey. You’ve got to become great at making lemonade from those sour lemons.
Practicing gratitude is like building a muscle.
The more we practice gratitude the more we feel an increased sense of contentedness to life and those around us. We’re reminded of what is working in our lives instead of dwelling on the pile of sour lemons just dropped into our laps.
The secret is to always be looking for ways to be thankful. Don’t give up!
Start your own little gratitude journal for 30 days and watch what happens. My guess is that you too, will find yourself looking around at your world, amazed by the shinning brilliance of the light that is there to see.
Look for the spring flowers and keep on dreaming.
Just pursue it,
-Sue
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Sue Levy is the founder of the South African Just Pursue It Blog and Inspirational Women Initiative. She’s a motivational writer and media designer, who is obsessed with everything inspirational with a hint of geek. She thrives on teaching women how to be brave and take big chances on themselves. You can find Sue on her Twitter page @Sue_Levy.
Note: Articles by Sue may contain affiliate links and may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on an affiliate link.
