Last updated on April 12th, 2019 at 02:13 pm
I see signs everywhere people aren’t pursuing what they dream in life.
Yes, there are signs.
You may not see them, but I do. I understand their behaviors because I’ve been there. People can be blind to the signs that it’s time to go for a big dream and quit wasting their lives. People often believe the life they are currently living is the way life has to be.
Some have numbed the pain of an unfulfilled purpose with alcohol, drugs, obsessions, being with anyone not to be alone, or try everything to look young–anything–so they don’t have to pay attention to the signs life isn’t working the way they once hoped. Life has lost its joy.
5 Warning Signs It’s Time to Pursue Your Dream
1. Your life exists in drama.
BS drama to be exact. I recognize the dream-avoider in the drama addict. The turmoil addict fills their life talking negatively about people behind their backs, in the hopes of pitting people against one another in a dramatic real-life play. This person is always mad at someone for some insignificant, imagined hurt. If this is you, you can recognize it by your lack of close friends, or by the number of friends who have stopped speaking to you.
The drama addict can also be parents who are too involved in their kid’s lives and creating turmoil. It doesn’t matter if the kids are ages 16 or 36–their dramas become your dramas and you get just as involved in it (and upset) as they are. Living for drama will cease when you get involved with your own life and pursuing a big dream. You will be too busy to notice the unimportant dramas in your life and the lives of others.
2. You hate your job.
We’re talking extreme loathing here. You wake up every morning dreading the day. You live for Friday night. You resent your boss, you hate your cubicle, and you snap at co-workers who bother you with questions. You stay at this job because you feel you have no options. Life is just one paycheck after another and nothing ever seems to change.
You may also resent your life because this job is your “duty” so you can make house payments, raise your kids, pay off credit cards, buy health insurance–whatever reason you feel you must stay and live a job you loathe. When you have dream goals, and you are working them, work becomes tolerable. You begin to look at your “day job” as seed money or your “venture capital” for launching your dream.
3. You live in clutter and you are surrounded by disorder.
The floor of your car looks like a filled garbage bag. Your clean (or dirty) clothes lay piled on the floor of your room, the foot of your bed, the floor of the bathroom, and you don’t feel like dealing with it. You can’t walk a path through your home without tripping over something. There is no space on the kitchen counter. The sink is full of dishes. You feel overwhelmed and don’t care if it’s all a mess.
Going after a big dream builds your self-confidence and moves you in new directions. You will find that you crave organization so that you have the space to work on your vision. I recommend that you buy the book, Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up. Work through the book it to clear the space to make room for your big dream.
4. You are obsessed about being with the opposite sex.
You can’t live without a boyfriend or girlfriend. You hate being alone. You feel you are nothing–unless you are in a relationship. When you are in a relationship, you make the other person responsible for your every need, even your happiness. You don’t like it when your mate/spouse has other interests which don’t include you. You demand they be around you as much as possible.
Trust me when I tell you that you will be a much more interesting person to date when you are passionately pursuing a big dream. And what a better way to meet the opposite sex than to be out living your dream and to bump into them?
5. You are bored with life.
You feel restless and bored. Maybe your parents pressed you to live a particular path in life, or you picked an experience that you thought was safe, and now find it annoying. Maybe your life has gone in a direction that you never wanted. You don’t remember what it is like to play and do the things you loved doing as a child. You stopped hobbies because they felt stupid, or you were too busy. You don’t even know what makes you happy anymore.
You will never be bored when you are working on a dream. So many exciting things will begin to happen to you as you start to live out your dreams.
If a few of these signs sound familiar–don’t despair–there is a way out. But you have to find your courage and vow to be 100% responsible for everything that happens in your life. You have to face your fears and your shortcomings. And you have to find what motivates you. Do you think you can’t? Is it any more difficult than the life you are leading now?
If you need inspiration, Jack Canfield explains: The Very First Step in Reaching Your Big Dream
I also created an e-book to walk you through a way out of where you are–into a life filled with dreams. There are exercises to help you identify what you love; find what motivates you and explain the steps to bring dreams more fully into your life.
If you sign up for the 8WomenDream newsletter here, you can get a free copy of the Find Your Dream eBook as a thank you.
It’s time to dust off your big dream and go after it. What have you got to lose? You have what it takes to make your big dream a reality and get on with living your best life. Why not start today?
Catherine Hughes
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Catherine Hughes is an accomplished magazine columnist, content creator, and published writer with a background as an award-winning mom blogger. She partners with companies to create captivating web content and social media stories and writes compelling human interest pieces for both small and large print publications. Her writing, which celebrates the resilience and achievements of Northern California’s residents, is featured in several magazines. Beyond her professional life, Catherine is passionate about motherhood, her son, close friendships, rugby, and her love for animals.
Note: Articles by Catherine may contain affiliate links and may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on an affiliate link.
