On Following Dreams - My musings

As Scott and I get closer to making our dream a reality, I find myself thinking about "dreams". I am always drawn to the quote that I have posted at my desk, right at eye-level - where I can see it always.


Remember your dreams and fight for them. You must know what you want from life. There is just one thing that makes your dream become impossible: fear of failure. Never forget your personal legend. Never forget your dreams. Your silent heart will guide you. Be silent now. It is the possibility of a dream that makes life interesting. You can choose between being a victim of destiny or an adventurer who is fighting for something important. - Paulo Coelho


I read this quote often and every single time it resonates. What are your dreams worth to you? What do you want out of life? What is holding you back from getting it? I am a firm believer in envisioning what you want out of life and asking for it, being "thankful in advance". The Universe works for us, but only if we want it to and allow it to. Only if we believe in our dreams can we give the Universe the coordinates to them.


It has been my personal dream to sail around the world since I was a young girl. My dad is a born sailor who, thankfully, exposed my brother and sister and I to the world of sailing as soon as we could take our first breath. Every year, we would take 3 week cruises along the coast of Lake Michigan - these vacations are home to some of the fondest childhood memories I have. We had no TV, no video games, no ipods - just books and imaginations. My brother, sister and I are all very creative people and avid readers and my father credits this to these cruises. It was a wonderful way to grow up. When I was probably about 13 or so (and an angry rebel without a cause) my dad gave me a book that changed my life. "Maiden Voyage" by Tania Aebi. I read it and decided that I too would sail around the world one day. Just like that.


It wasn't the last time a book would inspire my life either. The other books that had a profound impact on my life were "Out of Africa" by Karen Blixen and "I Dreamed of Africa" by Kuki Gallman. I too began to dream of Africa, blindly fell in love with it, and decided I would live there. Just like that. These wonderful books lead me to a 3 year stint in Tanzania, East Africa from 2004 to 2007. Never once did I question my dreams, never once was I afraid, never once did I let anothers doubt dampen the possibility of them. I envisioned what my life would be like and it was everything and more.


So now, my love Scott and I are onto this audacious dream, and what is so wonderful is that it is not only my dream - but his dream too. Scott even purchased a Catalina 30 back in 2003 with the goal to wake the dream up. The time was not right, however, because he hadn't met me yet (wink)! So when we did meet and discover we wanted the same thing - we set the Universe in motion! There is so much to do and so much to learn. There will be so much we sacrifice and so much we gain, there will be pressing challenges and great triumphs. We have a huge learning curve ahead of us - but to me, that is what life is about. Challenging yourself, living life to the absolute fullest, connecting with people - sharing with them, helping them, loving them.


It is so easy to get caught in the fast track of life that we call the "status quo". It is so easy to let our dreams fall by the wayside. That is precisely why the Paulo Coelho quote is right in front of me as I type at my desk - everyone needs to be reminded to dream in this day and age. Can you afford to follow your dream? Can you afford not to?

Sweet dreams,

Brittany