Course Correcting: Changing Dreams Call For Changing Goals

Tonight, I will be creating a brand new vision board. For those who don't know what one is, it is a focusing tool, usually some sort of paper, that you create to clarify your goals and foci. A physical board can be a piece of paper on which you draw or glue pictures of your goals or dreams. You can also create a Pinterest page with the images that illustrate your vision of what you want to achieve and/or how you want your life to be. It can take whatever form you choose.

I prefer a physical piece of cardboard or paper onto which I glue my dreams and goals. Tonight, I will take a piece of bright, blue construction paper and glue cut-outs of the pics below onto it. The old board comes down, and the new one replaces it. That's because as my goals shift, as I develop new ideas on how I want to proceed with my life, I create new boards. Some of my images remain constant. For example, my relationship with my husband, and the health and well-being of my critters always have a presence in my board. However, other goals evolve. Some goals grow and take on a bigger importance in my life. Others recede and become either less important or are ones I have achieved and can therefore release.

Here are today's images. I will explain each, because it helps me solidify in my own mind what I will move towards in the coming visualization cycle.

 

At the top left is my husband, Rich, on our recent trip to Iceland. I envision even deeper love, laughter, travel and grand adventures for us.

Next is our fantastic dog, Hatha. His continued health and wellness are part of my goals and dreams.

To the right of Hatha is the super model and one of my idols, Ashley Graham. She has taken the world by storm. Someday, I'd love to buy her a cup of coffee and chat with her. #beautybeyondsize. 

To the right of Ms. Graham, is an image of a healthy thyroid. I dream of a day when my thyroid is healthy and works at peak efficiency. And I work towards that dream by eating well, releasing stress and doing yoga and/or Tai Chi.

At the end of the top row is a female martial artist (specifically Tai Chi in this image but any martial arts practice will do). I am a martial artist, and I want to keep deepening that practice either with Tai Chi, which I've been playing for over 20 years or aikido in which I am a black belt but which I have been unable to practice regularly for the last few years.

The second row shows the covers from my two most recent books, The Fiddler's Talisman and The Piano's Key. I envision these stories going out into the world and igniting the interest of millions of people who love music, magic, fairies, and exciting fantasy stories.

The next image is of the Earth. I envision continuing and growing my work as the Earth Lady. I will work with students of all ages to help them learn how to be aware of and care for the Earth.

To the right of the Earth is a not-so-secret dream of having my books be on the New York Times best seller list. The Dream Forging image that appears just below that is about the Dream Forging journal project I'm developing. It will be out in the next few months, and it will help people develop an easy way to determine and forge their dreams.

I also really want to give TED Talks. I'll do it. This, I promise.

The next row brings my kitties, Ninja, Pyro, and Kimba, or as I like to refer to them, The Neapolitan Kitties.

The next two images are of places I want to travel. I have a deep need to hang out on the Amalfi Coast. And I also have a deep need to see bioluminescent algae (this can be in Puerto Rico on the Maldives or any other place in the world I can travel). 

The next image is of something I have wanted to incorporate for a long time - a deep meditation practice. I meditate every day, but I want to get further. I want to delve deeper.

The next image is an image I took when Rich and I were on Grand Cayman a few years ago. It highlights play (which I want more of), the turquoise waters of the Caribbean (which I want to visit more often), and Grand Cayman itself to which I want to return sometime very soon.

The phrases are my mantras. "Go at your own pace but show up" is how I get things done. I might not be the fastest, but I sure will meet everyone at the finish line.

The last phrase is one I say to myself every morning at the end of my meditation. I envision my day, and yet I remain open to what else might come. So, "This or something better" allows room for something greater than what I visualized. It leaves me room to breathe and expand.

When I'm done creating the vision board, I will hang it up near my desk. Then, whenever I need inspiration or when I simply need to check in with myself and make sure I am moving towards my dreams, I will be able to look at the board and get immediate feedback on the goals I set up. I allow for the goals to change, sometimes daily, so I can course correct at any time. I can add pictures or remove them. Or, I can do like I will this evening and create an entirely new vision board. This course correction allows me the same freedom that "This or something better" allows. It gives me room to grow.

Today's Tarot: The Star (dreams, plans, self-determination)

I chose the Star back on January 10th so if you want to read that write-up and apply it to your life today, please find it here.

Here is today's take on the card.

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about how what we do makes us who we are. If you make movies, you are a filmmaker. If you write, you are a writer or an author. If you trade on the stock market, you're a trader. And so on.

We tend to self-identify with what we do. Sure, humans love to categorize. We need to pile likes with likes and then we go a step further and we ascribe value to those various piles. Some end up being deemed more valuable than others. A lawyer or doctor might be deemed as more worthwhile than, say, a writer, or a teacher. And being a lawyer or a doctor might be valued more highly than deciding to spend your life teaching third graders. And my question is, why?

Why do we tend to place those value judgments on professions (Is it just salary? Or is there some other reason?)? And furthermore, why do we let ourselves be judged by what we do?

Having asked these questions, I have to wonder at my own reaction. I have chosen a career (or careers, because I have several going on simultaneously) which will keep in the not-so-important category. At one point, I had thought to become a lawyer (and even got into the law school at American University) but music-making lured me away. And for the most part, I have not regretted the decision. However, there have been times, late at night when I've navel-gazed and wondered about what could have been. I've always come out the other side thinking that I've made the right choices for myself, but it hasn't stopped me from periodically wondering.

The previous has been my own process in thinking about "The Star" card. Generally speaking, I believe the card is about reaching for your dreams while keeping your feet on the ground. So, yes, go for what you want, but be sure you have a solid plan in place to help you get there. In the end, it's about self-determination. Sure, you might choose the road less traveled. And sure, that might make all the difference. And in fact, I personally encourage you to thrown caution to those particular winds today. However, remember making those choices means taking those chances. And being reckless is great as long as you have some plan in place if you fall. Falling isn't the problem. We all fall. And in fact, my friend John said it best when he was talking about skiing. "If you don't fall when you ski, you aren't skiing hard enough." The key is to have a plan to help yourself back up if you fall back down to Earth after you've reached for the stars.

Today's Tarot: Seven of Cups (wishes, dreams, options)

Today's Tarot: Seven of Cups

(Dreams, options, wishes)

The seven of cups is one of my favorite cards with one caveat and it's that old chestnut, "be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it."

The card shows up when we have options (and sometimes don't even know what those are) and we will eventually need to make decisions, but for the moment, we are still in the dreaming and wishing phase rather than the choosing a path phase. The trouble here is that if we choose blindly, or if we don't have all the information, we end up going in the wrong direction or just running in circles.

While that can be fun, it's not terribly efficient if you're trying to get things done.

So, here's the mission. If you want to indulge in some wishful thinking, by all means, spend a little time in La La land. It is healthy and fun and will even bring you ideas from far flung corners. And those ideas might just change everything.

However, when it comes time to choose among your options and start making those decisions, make sure you have all the information before you embark on a path. If you know exactly what you want, you will walk with purpose and your heart will feel lighter (even if you are a little scared of going for whatever it is you're going for). Fear is fine. It's a sign of change. But when you choose toward your highest good, underneath the fear is excitement and dare I say it, joy. 

It's a knife edge but if we are going to live authentically, it's the only way.

I am reminded of the amazing Anais Nin quote: "And then the day came when the pain of staying tight in a bud became greater than the pain it took to blossom."

Choose among your options toward your highest good and you will blossom.

Today's Tarot: The Star (Dreams, Creativity, Inspiration)

Today's Tarot: The Star

Dreams, Creativity, Inspiration.

When I think of the Star card, I think of keeping your feet on the ground while reaching for your dreams. In the card, the figure literally has one foot on land (of practicality) and the other in the water (of dreams). She tells us to stay practical but always keep dreaming of the possibilities. The best part is when we get to act on those dreams from the stable base we've built for ourselves. And, when we do it on our own terms, so much the better.

So, today, I encourage you to spend a little time evaluating your dreams. What are they? How are you serving them right now? And what small or large thing can you do that will take you one step closer to fulfilling them?

Affirm for yourself that you deserve your dreams and act on that affirmation from a place of pragmatic wisdom. Then, the universe will be open to you. And that's just the best!

As always, if you want a more detailed reading: http://readingsbyizolda.com

Today's Tarot: Two of Rods (bold, confident, innovative)

Today's Tarot: Two of Rods. (I always love this card!)

Bold, innovative, confident.

To a vegetarian, the phrase, the world is your oyster might mean something different than to someone who eats meat. Having said that, I take it to mean pleasure, joy, success - are yours for the taking. And you can find hidden depths, secret pleasures, and big answers in unlikely spots like you might find a gorgeous pearl in the most innocuous-looking oyster.

So, the mission today: Look for the hidden sources of happiness. Seek the unusual, the original, the secret entrance to the cave of joy. It might take remembering that you are a powerful being. It might take coming up with your unique solution to a thorny problem. It might take reconnecting with your dreams from when you were a child. It might take girding yourself for battle against your inner critic or internal demons, but you can do it. Tell your inner naysayers that you rock and you have the world on a string. And then, act like it.

The Marriage of being a visionary and a doer

The Star, The Moon (reversed) and the Three of Pentacles. Today, it's pretty simple. There's a time to be inspired and there's a time to put our noses to the grindstone and just do the work to make things happen.

Some people are idea people, visionaries. They see far and clearly. Their ideas are innovative, unique, and revolutionary. But, even with all those fantastic ideas, those very same people often can't put one foot in front of the other to actually make the things they so clearly see in their minds. Others are the nuts and bolts people who can take those ideas and turn them into reality. They know how to develop plans of action, they know how to take those steps to do the work to create and/or support the manifestation of the vision.

The key to success, I believe, is to have both inside us. We can't just have the brilliant ideas without the wherewithal to actually manifest what we envisioned. So we need to cultivate both sets of characteristics. The Star, the Moon, and the Three of Pentacles epitomize this state for me. The Moon is visions, ideas, inspiration, possibility. The Three of Pentacles is the nose-to-the-grindstone, buckle down and do the work card. And the Star is the synthesis of those two. It calls us to keep reach for the stars (dream, envision, inspire) while we keep our feet on the ground (plan, strategize, do).

That meeting of Earth and sky, that distant horizon, if you will, is where we need to go to achieve whatever level of success we decide upon. Ultimately, one cannot exist without the other. It takes partnering those two different parts of ourselves and strengthening the one that is more challenged.

So, which are you more like, the dreamer or the doer? Decide and then spend today cultivating the strengths of the other side. Are you a dreamer? Practice taking a step to plan and do. Make a list of what you wish to accomplish today and check each thing off. (Make it small and manageable or your dreamer side will rebel.) Try not to take on too much or you will get discouraged and might quit in frustration. Each small accomplishment will make room inside you to work on the bigger challenges. Are you a doer? Spend part of today finger painting, smelling roses, or just doodling and see where it gets you. I guarantee, it will get you somewhere wonderful.