Afraid of My Dream

When I started my business 6 years ago, I thought all my dreams had come true because I was going to make a living talking to animals!

But last year, I realized there was a deeper dream, a dream I wasn’t letting myself dream: to meet wild animals face to face and to take my clients with me.

Today on Facebook, I saw a little video with words of wisdom from Jim Carrey – one of my all-time favorite spiritual teachers.

Jim Carrey said that ‘so many of us choose our paths out of fear disguised as practicality.’

And that’s what I was doing.

I was limiting myself because I was afraid I couldn’t have what I wanted. I cloaked my fear in practicality and responsibility.

I wasn’t even admitting my dream to myself because (I told myself) it wasn’t practical for a mother with two young children to traipse all over the world talking to wild animals.

Here’s how I solved my problem

I admitted my dream. First, just to myself. (“I really want to travel the world and bring people to talk to wild animals.”) Then the energy started to build and I shared this crazy idea with a few more people and a few more and few more and before I knew it, my dream was out there in the open for everyone to see!

Phase Two was to take a step toward realizing my dream. For me, this was starting the Animal Wisdom Circle – I could meet wild animals in the comfort of my own home! I could talk to wild animals and still drive carpools! Life is good!

Phase 3 was sharing my dream with my family and letting them know that I wanted to start seeing wild animals in their homes, not just ours. They loved my idea and want me to go!

Last fall, I went to the Bahamas to meet wild dolphins.

In January, I’m going to Thailand to live with a herd of wild elephants for a week.

The first step was the hardest – admitting I had a dream. But what blossomed after that has just been magical and sacred and beautiful and life-affirming. My dreams keep coming true in new and amazing ways.

Now it’s your turn. What’s your dream? Have you ever been afraid of your dream or afraid that you couldn’t live up to your dream? Have you moved past this? If so, what helped you?

Please share your experience – it is sure to help someone else on her journey toward making her dream come true!