have you ever paid attention to the dreams of those around you? In the past few years i have begun making a habit of paying attention to people's dreams, and their plans, and if/when their steps begin to fall into place. Its incredible really, to see a dream through all of its stages, from conception to actualization; if something like that doesn't inspire you, then i don't know what would. The really interesting thing that i've begun to notice is that a specific end result doesn't always have to be known during all stages of planning, nor is a huge financial investment always required.
Also, i've learned that there may not always be a big "aha" moment in which you realize what your plan is. It may, in fact, take place over a number of small steps taken for a completely unrelated purpose. There is, however, always a logical solution to certain setbacks that usually moves us forwarding, providing that is where we are looking.
It is always interesting to look back and recap how smaller, more logical steps somehow get aligned to open doors you never knew existed in the first place. It is like finding the combination to a lock, when all you thought you were doing was walking towards the bike rack. Sometimes, once you start yourself down a road for change, your steps may seem baby, but they really can add up before you even realize it.
As I've mentioned before, Kelly Rae Roberts is a huge huge huge inspiration to me. First of all, because of her breathtaking talent. Her paintings say so much, and so little at the same time. A mixture of complex, but also simple. Second of all, she showcases her journey throughout the years on her blog [
most recent blog truly captures why she is an inspiration]. Again, i find it fascinating to follow her journey - to see her humble beginnings and watch how her path unfolded and made her into the success she is today. When reading the few beginning blogs prior to discovering her art - it gives hope to the rest of us who are just starting out in whatever it may be that we like to do. You don't have to be incredibly talented from the beginning. You don't have to know everything there is to know. You don't have to worry about marketing yourself, or spending lots of money establishing a network. You just have to do what you want to be doing. In her case - she painted. She painted, and learned new tricks, and went to new events, and painted some more. She painted even though she disliked the finished products - until she
was good, and started selling originals, and created her own shop, and got picked up by a major gift company, and now her artwork is displayed in home decor stores all across America (not Canada yet, but hopefully soon!).
These kinds of stories encourage me to embrace my wildest dreams, and to actually pay attention to my own personal mondo beyondo list. Sometimes when we don't know the big picture - we should just focus on the next step towards making our lives better.
We mustn't forget that we are all capable of doing something everyday that moves us forward in the direction of our dreams.
What have you accomplished today to bring you closer to your wildest dreams?
coming in on the plane
[i think this is my favorite picture that i have ever taken. ever]
city-scape New York, New York
the lion habitat at MGM
[while we were there, Jess had a bit of a run-in with Mr. Rocky]
