Check in with the size and scope of what you currently call your Big Dreams:(You know, not the sleepy-time-astral-cinema kind of dreams -- we're talking about goals and aspirations.)
Secondary Dreams Pretending to be Priorities Is the Dream you're currently working with The Dream or have you dialed it down a notch or two? Is what you now call your Dream actually a Plan B masquerading as a greater goal? Have you down-sized your Dream?
Lowered Expectations Have you lowered your expectations? ...because you think you need to be more practical? ...because you think this one will be a bit easier? ...because you don't want to be disappointed? ...because someone told you to be realistic?
Allowing yourself to be side-tracked When did your Dream change? How far back do you have to go to find the original version? Why did you change it?
Tangents intended to be temporary What happened that sent you on a detour? At what point did you decide this detour, this Plan B, this tangent would be a "better" course?
Procrastination Are you preserving your "Real" Dream in an abstract state because you can't afford to fail? So maybe you'll work on one that's safer, second best, not too big to lose?
Beyond hope into action What is the difference between a Dream and an Intention? Does your Dream have a specific end result that you can envision, or is it just a vague hope? Is your Dream a real Goal or Intention with action steps you can take to make it reality?
Playing too small Have you settled? Have you compromised? Are you currently telling yourself that newer, smaller, less grand version is Enough?
"Just" is a dangerous word What limitations have you placed on your power to manifest without consciously realizing it?
Look for signs of self-imposed limitation in the word just:
- "I just don't want to be alone" is not the same as having the relationship of your dreams.
- "I just want to be able to pay the bills" is not having a fulfilling career that fills you with a sense of purpose and provides you with more material abundance than you need.
- "I just want to lose twenty pounds so I can wear a bathing suit" is not having a fully holistically healthy lifestyle.
Time deferral and Conditional language Has your ego -- your fear of failure or success -- been feeding you messages about conditions and/or time-deferral?
Look for the red-flags in your self-talk -- expressions like if/then, as soon as, once, after, when:
- "If I can X then I will allow myself to pursue Y..."
- "As soon as my kids go off to college..."
- "Once I meet the right person..."
- "After I save some more money..."
- "When I get this one project completed..."
Are you really doing a number on yourself with those multi-faceted dream-killers that sound like: "If I can just... then..."
Diminished Power Are your intentions taking three times as long to manifest? Are your goals coming in at the half-way mark? Are you getting only partial results?
Smaller doesn't equal easier Are you working too small? Are you living too quietly? Are you just getting by with less and telling yourself that's okay?
Who said dreams should be grounded? You say you're being realistic. You say you're being practical.
Are you actually saying...?
- "I'm not capable."
- "I don't deserve more."
- "I'm not good enough."
Maybe the answer is NOT dialing down, lowering your expectations, settling, compromising. THAT's why you're feeling drained, unmotivated, unexcited, lacking passion and drive... You're lowering your vibration to maintain, to be okay, to get by.
Congratulations -- you're succeeding at what you've settled for.
Maybe what you're "missing" is a Bigger Picture. Maybe the way to raise your vibration and to (re)gain a sense of empowerment is to go really, REALLY B-I-G.
Check in with your dreams this week and investigate. If you find evidence of down-sizing or down-grading you can always course correct.
To reinstate the bigger vision for life, start asking yourself "What if I could...?"
