Dreamers VS. Doers Dreamers VS. Doers Tips for turning our dreams into realit y

By Shelley Galbreath

Ever yone has dreams and desires, but not ever yone crosses the imaginar y line that moves dreams into reality Dreams and goals are the par t of life that make us come alive, motivate us to do more than usual and set us apar t from living an ordinar y, unfulfilled life to living the life of our dreams.

Successful people all have an individual, unique stor y, but each stor y shares something in common: each success stor y began with a dream. Bestselling international author, mentor and speaker Alena Chapman is one such success stor y. "One morning I awoke with a yearning to begin journaling I dropped the k ids off at school, went to the coffee shop and began to write Three months later I had a book Five months later I had an international bestselling book entitled, "The Prison Effec t, discover how you are block ing your own happiness and break free to abundance and joy in life "

Are you ready to turn those unfulfilled dreams into a fulfilling, produc tive life? Here are some tips to help you create your ver y own success stor y

• Write out a dream/yearning list and ask yourself what item(s) on that list are most impor tant Once you write a dream down, relax and let your mind go to work to achieve it

• Begin tak ing the first steps to make your dreams a reality Chapman recommends tak ing first steps without worr ying about how to achieve the dream "Don't worr y about the ‘how ’ In fac t, surrender the ‘how ’ to something bigger than yourself God/the Universe/Source whatever your belief."

• Set up a plan of ac tion where you commit to a specific amount of time each week work ing on achieving your dream

• Write your dreams at the top of your calendar and read them ever y day to begin mak ing them a reality

• Write a purpose statement for this time in your life Frame it and read it daily For example, my purpose is to touch others through my writing/teaching/music, etc

• Surround yourself with like-minded people

• Par tner with a friend who holds you accountable.

• Begin doing Doing is tak ing the steps as they unfold "When I decided to star t writing, I star ted writing I didn’t just sit on my sofa and dream about it, ” Chapman said "Once you begin doing, you are no longer just a dreamer or just a doer you are a true manifestor of your dream."

If you’ve been dreaming about something but your attempts haven’t led to positive results, maybe it is time to stop and begin a fresh approach to living the life you imagine Henr y David Thoreau once said, "Go confidently in the direc tion of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."

If you are having trouble imagining your dream, Chapman recommends this exercise “ Wake up ever y morning and ask yourself, What do I want to do today? At first it will be small, fun things such as calling friends or getting your favorite cup of coffee. But once all that is exhausted, you will wake one morning with a yearning to star t something in your hear t, something that will give your soul purpose " a

Resource:

Alena Chapman, alenachapmanlife com

Feelin’ good

First things, first If you’re not at your optimal, you won’t feel radiant That ’s why “me time” is so impor tant during the planning phase.

“ While planning a wedding, you may become over whelmed with decisions and timelines, ” said Ashley Vander velde, assistant manager and office coordinator at Massage Works in For t Wayne “Massage is an excellent source of stress relief and can help you when balancing all of the things you need to accomplish before the big day.”

Vander velde adds that regular massage can reap benefits beyond this season of life, as it can boost overall wellbeing, release tension and ease