Have you lived your dream? Have you done in your life the dreams you had as a young girl? Were you able to do what you always dreamed of doing and if not, how can you do it now?

I lived my dream and more. I had and have everything I dreamed about and did everything I dreamed of doing, and then some. I became that dancer and singer and went farther than I ever could dream. I have the marriage I dreamed of, the children I wanted and have traveled to the places I dreamt of seeing.

Now it's just icing on the cake for me.

I feel very blessed.

Dancer

Every time I lean back feeling satisfied and smile because I feel I have lived my dream BAM!!! up pops yet another one, and I am off again chasing my newest dream. I believe we dream of bigger and/or better ones as long as we are breathing...

tie should be TIME, geesh!! I tried to delete this post, but too much time has passed... It did allow me to fix the one above however.

THANK YOU JJ, a million times for fixing the editing problem.
I BOW TO YOU and your infinite wisdom!!!!

Hi Girls... it's been such a long time since I posted on here but I liked the questions and I'm really surprised that there aren't more replies. Maybe everyone is thinking? My initial response was "No. How could I have ever been living my dream life? I got married to a husband with 'substance issues', stuggled having four kids and being broke most of the time, drove around in hand me down cars, worked, worked worked, went to school but could never finish," ... so I thought "Right, THAT was all I ever dreamed of."

But hold on... let's think about it... was I happy? Yes. Did I laugh a lot? Yes. Did we go without much? Not often. Were my children always clothed and fed? Yes. Did I find ways to frugally express myself in creative ways? Yes.

Being broke helped me be creative when having to come up with birthday presents, wedding gifts, Valentines, etc. Tough times taught me endurance, trials taught me patience.

Certainly my life circumstances probably weren't listed on my "things I want to do when I grow up" or my "if I could have anything in my life I'd have ...." but in retrospect I've been able to be very artistic, I've realized a great appreciation of being frugal and at this point, looking back, I think I am actually living my dream. I may not have a ton of money, but I've got so much more. Now, I've just left my newspaper job because of downsizing and I'm trying to be a full time artist. That could be a completely different facet of my life. It's so new that it's still scarey to me. Also, if there are any suggestions, websites or anything that you can tell me that would help me in that direction, I would certainly appreciate it.

Kate

Its a life spent doing what presented to you.And I applaud your attitude.
Creativity within a home is a womans service to herself and kin.
used in meals..plants home layout garden..not only the "Great works of artists."
I think patchwork quilts symbolise this.

My husband has a comment.."That is his/her's lot." meaning when adversity has occured for ourselves and people we know he sees it as our /their "lot" he then says
now see what can be done about it.
And life is not a fairy tale it is woven with fable/folklore and fairy tale.
We can dream...I do. But actions and contentment and working on issues bring their own reward.
Mountain ash

I did life my dream in my career.Thought it...aimed for the area it lay in..worked for it.
Retired from the sector I planned to end up in.
I feel that proved to me..to aim for a place you believe in.
Planning yes but being contend where I was on my journey..
For this I feel blessed

Mountain ash

Hi Kate

Wow, you have an amazing attitude and resilience to what life has brought your way. Congratulations for as my family says "making lemonade out of lemons". Many people would have spun your life circumstances a very different way and felt sorry for themselves. You're an amazing woman and it is awesome to see you taking up your artist side and nurturing it.

You asked for suggestions on...and the one that pops to mind is to get yourself around, in, among, other artists. My question is what type of artist are you? What type of art are you creating? That will guide you and those on the list in keeping eyes out for helpful places ...

Another suggestion I could make is to build a mental picture of what being an artist means to you: what does it look like, feel like? What would it be like for you to have all your senses involved in that endeavor?

It is my opinion that the more real you can make it in your thoughts, the more likely it is to become real.

Hi Kate, have you read "The Artist's Way?" It is one of the 3 books that literally changed my life. It's a book that will help you get in touch with your creative side. Dotsie read one similar that she liked a lot, too, but I forgot the title. MA, are you saying that you got to the place you wanted to work in and then decided it was not for you after all? MR, those are great questions. What is the vision as artist? I created a mission statement as an artist, and that helps me in process.

Something that haunts me is that I did have something most anyone would dream of, only I did not know it at the time. And it's gone for good. If I had known then that I would have lived into my fifties, would I have been more careful and treat the gift as precious instead of disposable? Did I think I did not deserve the gift? Yes, I think that's it. What I learn from this is that we have to be supportive of those who have dreams, and not taint them with fear. I'm talking in riddles, I know.

The Artists Way...good book and a stepping stone to creativity.

No I got to do what I wanted ...but time arrived to step down..I retired.
To explain...my friend and I were talking about living our dreams..In 1983..she taught Geography and I was studying.She assumed I would teach in a similar subject.
I "saw" my dream..the students who take longer..dont settle and need help.to LEARN.
Even saying that some only needed life skills first then start to learn.Those from hospital adults who had trauma..So this became reality for me.It was a concept just starting alongside mainstream chool and college.I was ready and in the right place at the right time.
When you are working doing what you cherish it does not seem like work..

This will be so for whatever career I imagine.
Helping people to discover their dream must be a good career.Mentor or coach type work..First knowing what is achievable then guilding...
Mountain ash