Last updated on November 6th, 2019 at 04:01 pm
This month, I have been working through the workbook, Heart of the Visionary, and using the workbook to help you map your online dream, or really, any dream.
This week, those of you following this series should have worked on your vision plan for your dream and what it will look like in the physical world.
When I set a vision to paper my soul can finally take a break from obsessing over it. It’s the one great thing about the process.
Once you take something out of your head and put it on paper, it generates a sacred space for its creation. It then allows your soul to work on ways to make your vision appear in your life. You have actually created something with the simple process of putting your vision on paper.
I might even argue that collecting images of your dream on Pinterest (truly seeing yourself in those images) and sharing the images with others is as powerful of a visionary tool as writing it down or drawing a picture.
Whatever gets your vision going, baby.
And out of your head.
It’s interesting to be a bystander in your own life when you watch what appears the minute you let your vision out of your head.
Think about that for a minute. Have you ever thought of noticing what transpires instead of “busying” your way through the walls and pretending you don’t see them?
When you let your vision out into the world, it’s going to make waves. Your outside world either has to make room for what you will create, or teach you some lessons first to ready you for your vision in real life, or God forbid, do both at the same time.
At the same time is always the worst.
It can make you feel like you are riding a hurricane through a blender.
Many people get off the dream ride when the hurricane ride gets intense. It’s when you make the big mistake: you quit. You don’t see that the hurricane ride is a sign that a new life is coming, that change is blowing through town, and you are being shoved along the path of life. And you may be surprised to see where you end up may be exactly where you wanted to be.
But there’s a little secret when you are riding out the change required to make space for your vision.
It stops being painful and scary when you ask for the lesson — quickly. And maybe you should throw in “as painlessly as possible” for good measure. Accept what’s happening and tell yourself that you are capable of landing on your feet.
It very well could be your finest hour.
You may even become brave enough to initiate change and create the space yourself without waiting for the universe to do so –even if change scares the living crap out of you.
Since putting my vision on paper my dream week has been about accepting change and the universe forcing space in my life. You’d think I’d be happy about it. But…
BOOM. There it is.
It’s not the change that I initiated.
It’s change thrust upon me. And it’s not the kind of change I wanted. I’m scared of what’s on the other side. I worry about landing on my feet.
It’s delivered in a lesson.
The lesson is: how to let go the right way.
I hate letting go of certain things. I suck at it. I’m great at clearing clutter, but I often stick with habits, jobs, men, bras longer than I should. It makes me feel safe, or maybe I should correct that and say “it gives me the appearance of safe.”
The sooner I accept the lesson, the better I can handle the impending hurricane. My hope is to come out the other side a stronger, better version of myself with a kick-ass completed dream.
Just like when I had my first (and only) child.
That particular dream-come-true experience has been the glory of my life. And I envisioned him years before he was even born.
I also had to accept the loss and make room for change in order to have my son. You lose a lot of freedom (and sleep) when you have kids. (Money too.) And if you let it, parenting will make you a better person while you and your life change.
It’s the dreamer’s process — the visionary’s curse.
Sometimes the change that arrives can blind you with pain, but when this happens, the universe will deliver something wonderful in its place — eventually — if you are willing to let go. I lost my father when I was 18 and gained a son at age 35. If you asked me who I would rather be with, even though I loved my dad, I’d always tell you, my son. If my life was to be about only getting one of two great men, then I pick my son.
I was given a great gift for my sacrifice.
Don’t be afraid to set your dream to paper and put it out there in the world. Accept that change will come. And know that endless possibilities are racing to you as you open the doors to the winds of change.
Just be sure to let the wind rub gently across your face as you continue on.
Catherine Hughes

Catherine Hughes is the founder, content director and editor-at-large of 8WomenDream. She is passionate about helping women step out of their own way and strike out into a world waiting for their special talents. She’s a published author and a former award-winning mom blogger. Catherine has helped companies both large and small create engaging web content, social media narratives, and unique blogging platforms. She claims to be a redhead, but don’t hold that against her.
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