Here’s the thing. We moms have such a limited amount of time to “do” during the day and most of those moments are spent doing for other people (usually about 1/4 the size of our own bodies!) So how do you follow your dreams as a mom?
I hear ya, following your dreams seems like a bit of a stretch while changing your nine hundredth diaper or loading the washer for the 73rd time (this morning). It’s frustrating to feel like you were made for more than where you are. Feeling trapped is nobody’s idea of fun! I get it, I’ve been there.
The truth is, following your dreams or your passions may seem arbitrary. How do you know what steps to take, path to choose, direction to head? This week on the podcast, Jen Debrot, shares her story on following her dreams. Or rather allowing God to instill dreams all together.
So, let’s take a deep dive into what it means (and looks like) to follow your dreams.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS?
Jen Debrot has an incredible story. Her interview on The Unhurried Life Podcast this week is such an eye opener. Jen redefines what it means to follow your dreams. She went through a season where all her dreams were broken. She had to start over at ground zero and that’s a scary place to start over from.
Imagine for a moment you have your whole life in front of you. You’ve just graduated college and you’re off into the world. Oh the Places You Will Go by Dr. Seuss is playing over and over again inside your head. What would you do?
Here is the moment you stop reading for a second. You get quiet, close your eyes and intentionally listen for the answer.
So often you may feel the desire to jump at what you just saw on Pinterest or Instagram. You may try to adopt someone else’s dreams as your own, but take the time to come back to you!
Jen DeBrot was careful not to repeat some of the past mistakes she had made when it came to dreaming. Like limiting what God was telling her. Putting a cap on God and saying, “that’s just too big, I could never…”
She learned to give herself space.
Space.
Time to not make any plans on a Saturday morning and not feeling any guilt for staying in PJ’s all day long, yes, alllllll day long. This wasn’t easy. She had to combat the guilt of taking and making time for herself.
Have you been there? That guilt for taking an hour alone or going on a walk without the kids? Maybe you want to do these things but guilt is stopping you.
Even short moments to yourself feel like tiny dreams never to be lived out. Girl. Dream those dreams, no guilt allowed. Take an evening stroll around the block with no phone, no kid, no guilt!
What does it mean to follow your dreams? It means you take a moment to intentionally embrace the “too big” dream and ditch the guilt or lie that tries to push it down.
RELATED RESOURCE: The Unhurried Life Starter Kit (grown up easy goal setting included)
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
So, why is it important to follow your dreams? Jen DeBrot is the guest on The Unhurried Life Podcast this week, she talks about how her dreams were dashed. And yes, she had moments of mourning. She had to rebuild and let God instill dreams she herself thought were out of reach.
Her dream is big. To reach 1 Million people for God.
This was nothing like she had ever done before. She had no training in this. She had to learn how to start a nonprofit, make budgets, fundraise, and write grants. She needed to learn a lot about the process in order to make the dream come true.
If she had ignored or suppressed this dream the world change would not be happening.
Maybe you think your dream is not that big, or wouldn’t change the world. Maybe your dream is to start a business using your gifts? Calligraphy, photography, or even an organization business.
These dreams could change the world and they could change the course of your family’s lives. Take a moment and dream about how your dream could and will change the paths of those around you if you step out and follow it!
HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS?
As the days tick by and we get nothing but one day older we can start to feel panicked or even frustrated with our current position.
“Have I done what I wanted to with my life?”
“Am I reaching my full potential?”
“I feel like I’m stuck in a rut!”
This is SO normal. In fact the more we worry or stress about if we’re following our dreams the more we tend to NOT follow our dreams. Dreaming needs space. And it’s slow. Hurrying to figure it out and how to do it is what is killing your dreams.
Jen DeBrot realized she had to attack any self doubt that was interfering with her dreaming. Doubt tends to come from an outside lie you’ve been believing for so long you don’t even realize it’s a lie (or where it came from). Finding self doubt or those that are instigators of self doubt (I see you Instagram scrolling) will open the path up for your dream to surface beautifully.
To eradicate self doubt you have to first locate it. This takes a hot minute. An intentional time to sit down, identify your dream and then name what lie comes up right after your dream. Think of this time like digging for dinosaur bones.
My 6 year old boy is totally into dinos right now and we’ve read tons of dino books. Digging up fossils for dinosaurs is a very long and strategic process. We read that one of the shortest excavation periods was 17 days. 17 FULL days with a team and that’s the shortest! Taking 17 minutes to actually sit down alone, and do some digging of your dreams is for sure doable!
Here are 5 ways to motivate yourself to follow your dreams.
5 Ways to Motivate
- Listen more intentionally – this helps to sift through and let the dreams come to the surface (plan out time to dream!).
- Allow yourself to heal from past hurts and acknowledge God wants you to dream BIG!
- Attack the self doubt. Your dreams are YOUR dreams, don’t compare them.
- Create a margin in your life to actually dream, if you’re too busy to sit down and have a little peace and quiet, how will your dreams surface?
- Remember the simple stuff first, self care is a big part of being aware of your dreams.
FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS QUOTES
Needing a little motivation? Some one liners to get your juices flowing? These are great to write out and post above your computer, in the kitchen or on your bathroom mirror but remember dreaming is more than a “follow your dreams quote” or an inspirational one-liner.
Come back to the 5 ways to motivate yourself to follow your dreams and the Unhurried Life Podcast episode where Jen DeBrot takes us deep inside what it looks like to have all your dreams torn away and start rebuilding as a mom of FIVE!
- Don’t be pushed by your problems, be led by your dreams -RWE
- For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – God
- You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream. -CSL
- For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you. – Jesus
- Slow down enough to give your dreams the chance to live – Jen Brazeal
Tune into this week’s episode of The Unhurried Life Podcast and follow your dreams!
POSTS RELATED TO FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS:
Slow Living with Andrea Lucado
Why You Should Set Goals This Year
MENTIONS:
Swift Divorce Care || 1M Project || Western Theological Seminary || Jen Debrot
