Are you ready for an adventure? It’s time to harness your big dreams and turn them into a reality. The first step is to pick a dream–anything under the sun that you would like to achieve in your life. If you need help finding one, or you feel somewhat unsettled or dissatisfied with how things are in your life right now check out this post first: To Dream is a Grand Adventure {this post will really help you find your next dream}
Once you’ve picked a dream {for me, it was redecorating my home}, it’s time to begin.
THE 7 STEP DREAMING PROCESS
Phase 1: Dreaming Phase
During this phase, the sky is the limit. Look at Pinterest boards, cut out pages from magazines, make collages and dream boards, look around you for inspiration. Dream about all of the possibilities and don’t cut out a single one. This is a time to let your imagination soar. Note: This phase can sometimes take only a few hours. With more complex or massive dreams, this process could take up to a few months–or even a year or more. Judge the size and feasibility of your dream at this stage in your life. You’ll know when it’s time to move onto the next phase.
You can check out the Pinterest board I created when I embarked on this journey of redecorating my home {back in December}. This is the place I put the ideas I found online. For physical inspiration, like printouts and magazine pictures/articles, I began compiling a binder.
Phase 2: Design & Visualize Phase
After you’ve spent some time dreaming, you need to craft a vision. For me, it was writing down on paper some of my design ideas for my house. Once I had a rough sketch, I spent several days just letting it settle. I would take a few minutes at the end of my day to lay on my bed, close my eyes, and visualize myself living in the home of my dreams. It’s tempting to skip this step–but this step is vital! When you begin visualizing your dream coming to life, that’s when things start to get magical. If this is important to you, and you’ve felt the Spirit whisper to you that your dream is good, then Heavenly Father will help you achieve it. That’s why it’s imperative that you keep your thoughts positive and visualize your dream coming true. Because the very moment you start visualizing, your dream will start gradually turning into your reality. Note: This phase needs to continue throughout the whole dreaming process. It will fuel your dream with the enthusiasm you will need to achieve it.
Phase 3: Research & Refine Phase
Now it’s time to dive into researching just exactly how you are going to make your dream come true. Write down all the questions you have, and all the worries you have. Then research them one by one. This phase can take a while as you explore all the details, so don’t expect it to be completed overnight–especially if it’s a big dream. And don’t get overwhelmed. Just work on it little by little, bit by bit, and keep updating your dream boards with the how-to’s and inspirational articles you will need to reference when you’re in the creation phase. This phase took me over a month to complete, but it was well worth it. There is something about researching all the details that calms your worries. As you research, refine your dream vision–tweaking things here and there until your dream is doable and manageable.
Phase 4: Budget & Save Phase
The budgeting aspect of this phase may not take very long. If you’ve done your research, you should know a ballpark range of how much this dream will cost {and for business dreams, how much profit you will make after you invest in education and supplies}. When you have a projected expenses document {I made mine first on paper and later in Excel}, you can look at your budget to see how and when to allocate your funds. There may be some parts of your dream you have to cut out, and others you have to put on hold while you save up the money. But don’t get discouraged. It will be worth it, and like I said earlier, the Lord will help you. I finished my re-decorating budget last month and have been waiting for our tax refund and other savings to be accumulated. Many of the aspects of my dream {like painting, can lights, new light fixtures, several pieces of new furniture, and other small decor will be feasible over the next few months. Other things, like my countertops and floor will have to wait…for several, several years. And that’s okay. I am feeling so content and blessed with all that I have received.
Phase 5: Planning Phase
After you have made a budget timetable, it’s time to make a plan of when you will work on and complete each aspect of your dream. For me, I made a “Remodel Timeline” in my notebook complete with my list of projects to do and the date I wanted to do them. Of course, this plan won’t be set in stone and I will be tweaked as regular life happens, but with a plan, you will be more motivated to move into the next phase. Be advised–while it’s very good to research and plan and refine, be careful not to get stuck too long in the researching phase or the planning phase as you wait for perfection. Eventually, you just have to take a deep breath and take the plunge. Things will work out as you go along–I promise. Note: this phase took me only one afternoon to complete. With my research done, it was a cinch.
Phase 6: Creation Phase
Are you ready to get started on actually achieving your dream now? This is the phase I am in right now. It’s exciting and nerve-racking and head-spinning and wonderful all at the same time. Enjoy each moment–even the unpleasant ones {like painting vaulted ceilings…coming soon}. When you start to wonder why you ever started on this journey, remind yourself of what you are trying to accomplish, and how it will bless your life and the lives of those around you. Remind yourself that it will be worth it, and every problem will be solved. Pray for strength, and rely on His grace. He will help you if things start to look bleak. This phase may be done in one day or it may take several months or even years to achieve. But remember that joy can be found in the journey as well as the destination.
Phase 7: Gratitude & Celebration Phase
Since I’m not finished with my creation phase yet, I will hold off on explaining this last phase for a bit. I will dedicate a whole post to this when my house dream is completed.
And that’s it! That is the “Dreaming Process” in a nutshell. I would love to have you share with me in the comments the dream you are working towards, and update me on your progress. You can follow me on Instagram @writinginthestillness to follow along with my house dream journey. I will also be posting lots of inspiring quotes there to keep you {and me} excited and motivated.
Good luck! {And “Good Faith,” as my mother always says.}
With the Lord’s help, you can do anything!!!
