Dreaming in color –Part 2

I do believe dreaming (see part 1 here) is facilitated by me; specifically the people who I am around (other visionaries), the books and media that I put in and how I nurture the idea(s) that I have been given. One recent effort is a book: Platform: Get noticed in a noisy world by Michael Hyatt (former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers). This book was referred to me by another one of those awesome female friends that I have (if you live in South Florida and are looking for a child/family therapist or life coach, she is your lady!). I have only gotten through about ¼ of the book (had it for less than a week) but I can already see that this is a great resource for all of us with a dream.

The idea behind the book is really how to market oneself to stand out amongst all of the competition and “noise” that we call life now. Seriously, who can compete with the multi-tasking, fast-paced, social-networking based society that we currently live in? So yea, this book takes you from step one through the end. One part that resonated with me, was the idea of the “Wow” effect that Michael (yes, we are now on 1^st name basis) talks about. Everyone knows that wow effect..you walk into an office, a building, a hotel, a shop…you receive a service or product, and you are like “wow”…blown away, impressed. You can easily remember the details of that wow experience and will most likely talk about it to anyone who will listen. I should mention that my latest idea is the result of having a wow experience while visiting April in Palm Beach. He points out that this is one of the keys to establishing your platform to be noticed. Michael does caution that clearly not every aspect of everything can be “wow”, obviously, but he encourages the readers to find the aspect of their dream which should hold the bang. 

Now to the title of this two part series, "Dreaming in color"- Michael encourages the readers to regularly close their eyes, envision their product/service/business and “become present to what it is you are trying to create”, i.e. to strive to get the reality as close to that vision. This will save us from the “drift”. I've coined this as dreaming in color. Think Regina Belle hit:

Tired of living life in black and white

There’s so much in between

Like a rainbow in the sky

Crying to be seen

When I open my eyes to find inspiration

I search for the best I can see

If I settle for less

I won’ t be the best I can be

So one morning, as I was having some quiet time, my exciting new idea began to develop some more and I remember thinking “Oooh! I love this!...wouldn’t that be FABulous!” and it was that moment that caught my attention. I hold myself accountable (and you can hold me accountable) to ensure that as this dream becomes a reality…hopefully in the next six months (tentative official launch date- January 2013), that I remain connected with the original vision, as it currently unfolds. That I listen to my heart and take a stand for greatness, to ensure that the customers who receive the products and services truly have a wow experience. That the expression “Oh! I love this..this is FABulous!” be a living, breathing tag-line that is perpetuated not through some expensive marketing scheme but from the mouths of those who have already experienced it.

Do you already have a dream?

Is it in color?

Do you remember the details…?

What is the WoW component?

My challenge I leave for you: let your dreams take on the detail, color and life as Alice’s (Alice in Wonderland).

If you don’t yet have a dream OR you have a dream and it doesn’t have this life and vibrancy OR  you have a dream that had color and life but is now in sepia or black and white…take Michael’s advice:

Close your eyes, envision your product/service/business and “become present to what it is you are trying to create”!

Grace peace and love,

Gia

Dreaming in color

I've never considered myself a true dreamer/visionary until just recently. Even now, the idea of a dreamer still seems bigger than me, but the events of the past couple months provide evidence that maybe I have underestimated myself.


A little of this "dreaming" began about 10 years ago, with my dream of The Mercy House Bahamas (MH)...but if I am honest, I think this season of dreaming really took life on April 8th, 2012. My Pastor challenged us with his sermon, "Dream, ask and live!". Here are a couple of memorable quotes from that sermon that I recorded:


"When we dream, we are just parternering with God..."
"Heavens storehouse is waiting to be emptied. Every promise that God made is waiting in the storehouse."
"God's vision for us, is total freedom!"

There was much more to that sermon that resonated with me...particularly about the second step, of asking God (after you have dreamed), but it is too much to put here. What was interesting was that I initially felt the aspect of the sermon on dreaming (or not dreaming) was not relevant to me. You know, I had dreams and I was actively pursuing them (PhD, Mercy House)...I wasn't just sitting there all forlorn or defeated. But, once again, with my heart and mouth, I said "Amen" and came into agreement with the declaration that we would be a community of dreamers...that we would open our eyes and ears to hear and see what God is showing us. This inevitably awoken something in me. 

I'm blessed to be surrounded by a number of very wise and ambitious women, visionaries in their own way. One day, I remember mumbling (complaining) to one of these women about WHEN....the conversation went as such:

Me: “when is my dream, Mercy House going to really take form and become a reality? When...ugh! how much longer do I wait- I've been carrying this vision for 10 years now! I have no money to do anything…I am ready to just get this started! I hate feeling stuck”  

Her response to me: “Slow down grasshopper.”

And I did. I (re)surrendered MH to God and recognized that His timing is perfect…and that was that.

Never  being one to sit still, earlier this year, I began focusing on some more immediate projects that I could develop, build and execute and somewhere in that process, I asked God to dream again. I asked for new visions and ideas. While the initial request was actually before the above referenced instance of grumbling, I'm not sure when the actual fulfillment of the request began to happen, but all I know is that I have been on a roll. Like seriously on a roll. 


This is how it goes: I ask God, I go sleep...or go about my business and bang! there is another one, some new idea, or reformulation or fine-tuning of an existing idea.  Sometimes I do not even consciously "ask". It's like I'm looking at life through new eyes (the answer to another prayer)...and so I see opportunities now in areas that I never even considered going into.

This makes me quite excited because I never thought that MH was going to be my end-all...sure it is going to be a major accomplishment, it will impact many and hopefully revolutionize the way we approach youth care in the Bahamas but I just knew, that was not IT.

With my most recent “dream”, I’ve come to realize this one was given as a direct answer to a MH related prayer. I have been asking for income and/or finances that can go directly to the building and establishment of Mercy House. Learning my lesson, and now praying with a new found sense of expectancy, my eyes are open and searching for that someone or some people who are going to be donators, (I need about $½ million), to get it started. Not withstanding this faith, it is still ‘my baby’, and I want to financially sow into my own business, and if possible, I would like to significantly sow into it, you know, like not just $1,000 although being a full time student that is a SIGNIFICANT offering for me ;-). In any event, I can’t share the newest idea just yet…it is still too hot off the press but look out for more about this new adventure in blog updates to come! I can say, it is fun, it is fresh, and it is still connected with my purpose (facilitating healthy development of young ladies).

So now, I open the invitation, please join me and let your imagination soar…DREAM! Think of dreaming like brainstorming, you are not censoring the ideas, giving yourself reality checks, looking at limitations…just imagine what could be.  One of the seemingly favorite questions of my friend (referenced earlier-click hyperlink to learn more about her and what she can offer as a Path Coach), is "what would you do if you had no limits?"...dreaming answers this question. The very cool thing about dreaming is that it usually creates solutions for some of the gaps and problems in the community within which you are embedded! Dreaming is the first step toward leaving your mark in this world! I can’t wait to hear of some of those big dreams!

Grace, peace and love,

Gia