Out On a Limb to Acheive Your Dreams
02/29/08 10:33
Imagine
a tree in your mind. The tree has strong roots, a
thick trunk, and what looks like an infinite amount
of branches. Every set of roots is akin to our
family’s history.
Stepping
out on a limb to achieve your dreams.
Imagine a tree in your mind. The tree has strong roots, a thick trunk, and what looks like an infinite amount of branches. Every set of roots is akin to our family’s history. We travel in the same direction with each other for the beginning of our lives. They feed us and care for us, and program us with each passing day; however, the programming isn’t intentional. They have traveled along the lines that their parents set forth for them, without questioning it either. We travel up the trunk of the tree with them, reaching out for the highest experience that we believe is possible. As we travel along we see all these branches reaching out to different destinations and some of us begin to wonder what is possible. We have traveled with these roots all of our lives, and sometimes become afraid to venture out onto a limb of our own; although, the reality of our dreams is out on one of those limbs somewhere. When we decide that we are going for our dreams, it sometimes causes a point of discontent for others around us. All of a sudden we are different than our friends and family that accepted us before we decided to go out on a limb and find our own destinations in our life.
Think of the processes that we go through as we change our minds toward what we want.
First, you have to have a destination or a thing or experience that you desire to have in your life. Maybe this thing or experience wasn’t something your family ever expected for you and it was not part of their expectation of you. In order to “branch out” and reach for the new experience or destination, remember one thing - you have to live life to your expectations. This is your time to step out on the limb, and be free yourself from the worry that someone might not like you anymore. What they are failing to see is that you are growing and expanding for you, not them.
People tend to take things personal, especially when you are going through a growth opportunity. When a friend or family member sees that you are growing or changing, an initial response may be, particularly if they don’t desire the same goals as you, they see you as a threat, because you are challenging yourself and they recognize that they are not. They are taking your growth personally, and not liking who your are becoming is their challenge. They are completely challenged by the concept that one of their own could make new decisions that may contradict who they are and what they believe. Sometimes the downside of going out on a limb is they may project these feelings that they are having on to you and do things in order to detour or stunt your growth.
The realization is that most people who want to change, don’t for fear that someone might not like them any longer. This becomes especially difficult when the change is necessary to move forward in your life.
How can we overcome the need to be accepted? We do it by realizing that we do what we need to do to reach the limb that we need to be on. Nobody’s expectations except our own should rule our lives – or we risk an unfulfilled life.
There is a good analogy that I heard that defines this situation quite clearly. Imagine your self-esteem as a cup and it appears to you as filled to the halfway point. What you see is the physical part of love that you think you have. But there is this whole other half of the glass. What fills this space? This is the room for your self-love. When you can love yourself enough to fill the glass completely, you begin to understand that you have an infinite amount love to give, and this is the way your love spills onto all others around you. And then you overcome the complications of your growth. We have the ability to look beyond their judgments and see them for what they are. It’s their opportunity for growth. You can continue you journey out onto a limb, and love them for who they are, and you find your support in your self-love.
Imagine a tree in your mind. The tree has strong roots, a thick trunk, and what looks like an infinite amount of branches. Every set of roots is akin to our family’s history. We travel in the same direction with each other for the beginning of our lives. They feed us and care for us, and program us with each passing day; however, the programming isn’t intentional. They have traveled along the lines that their parents set forth for them, without questioning it either. We travel up the trunk of the tree with them, reaching out for the highest experience that we believe is possible. As we travel along we see all these branches reaching out to different destinations and some of us begin to wonder what is possible. We have traveled with these roots all of our lives, and sometimes become afraid to venture out onto a limb of our own; although, the reality of our dreams is out on one of those limbs somewhere. When we decide that we are going for our dreams, it sometimes causes a point of discontent for others around us. All of a sudden we are different than our friends and family that accepted us before we decided to go out on a limb and find our own destinations in our life.
Think of the processes that we go through as we change our minds toward what we want.
First, you have to have a destination or a thing or experience that you desire to have in your life. Maybe this thing or experience wasn’t something your family ever expected for you and it was not part of their expectation of you. In order to “branch out” and reach for the new experience or destination, remember one thing - you have to live life to your expectations. This is your time to step out on the limb, and be free yourself from the worry that someone might not like you anymore. What they are failing to see is that you are growing and expanding for you, not them.
People tend to take things personal, especially when you are going through a growth opportunity. When a friend or family member sees that you are growing or changing, an initial response may be, particularly if they don’t desire the same goals as you, they see you as a threat, because you are challenging yourself and they recognize that they are not. They are taking your growth personally, and not liking who your are becoming is their challenge. They are completely challenged by the concept that one of their own could make new decisions that may contradict who they are and what they believe. Sometimes the downside of going out on a limb is they may project these feelings that they are having on to you and do things in order to detour or stunt your growth.
The realization is that most people who want to change, don’t for fear that someone might not like them any longer. This becomes especially difficult when the change is necessary to move forward in your life.
How can we overcome the need to be accepted? We do it by realizing that we do what we need to do to reach the limb that we need to be on. Nobody’s expectations except our own should rule our lives – or we risk an unfulfilled life.
There is a good analogy that I heard that defines this situation quite clearly. Imagine your self-esteem as a cup and it appears to you as filled to the halfway point. What you see is the physical part of love that you think you have. But there is this whole other half of the glass. What fills this space? This is the room for your self-love. When you can love yourself enough to fill the glass completely, you begin to understand that you have an infinite amount love to give, and this is the way your love spills onto all others around you. And then you overcome the complications of your growth. We have the ability to look beyond their judgments and see them for what they are. It’s their opportunity for growth. You can continue you journey out onto a limb, and love them for who they are, and you find your support in your self-love.