Realizing Your Reality!

My 1st Reality!

How often in life have you been told, "You need to face reality!" or "You need a reality check!" How about this one: "You're not being realistic." Let's go a little deeper: How about this one, "Are you for real?" 

The root word for reality and realistic is real. When someone tells you your dreams or thoughts or opinions or ideas are not realistic, that person is telling you that they are not reality based or real. And, are these not the very words that people use when you say I'm going to be a singer, or I'm going to be a movie star, or I'm going to be a musician, or even a writer. People tend to try to discourage you by telling you that you need to try something a little more serious, or that you need to focus on something more realistic. In other words, stop reaching beyond yourself--stop reaching for the stars or the moon--and stay earthbound; reach for something more within your reach!

How often have we limited our children with this kind of talk; with this way of thinking? How often have we limited ourselves? And, why when the words reality or realistic are used, they're always used in the negative! Could this be why our children don't attempt to aspire for anything above teaching or nursing or truck driving, etc. Because we've clipped their wings and destroyed their dreams with our negative attitude and words?  It's like telling them their dreams are foolish and unreachable!

I was a Summer Youth Counselor many years ago with the S.T.O.P. Program and I began to help teens that would not be returning to school in the fall to find jobs. In assessing them, I asked them what would they like to be when they grew up. I got answers like truck drivers, nurses, teachers, etc. Some actually said they'd like to work on trash truck, etc. I asked them: Doesn't anybody want to be a Scientist or Doctor or Writer when you grow up? And, they told me that wasn't realistic. They said they could never be those things. They brought me to tears! Who stole these kids dreams? Because our realities comes from our dreams! In fact, our realities are our dreams grown up!

I've had many dreams and not all of them became realities, but many of them did. Because I believed in myself. My grandfather used to say, "Nessie, can do anything!" He said it so much that I began to believe him. I've had many successes in life because I believed I could! But, then I believe in miracles, too...so, the impossible has always been possible to me!

Not only can your child be anything they want to be, but so can YOU! If you're alive and breathing, there's a possibility! Believe that! Don't let anyone turn your reality into a negative: If you can dream it, you can be it or do it...or achieve it! Your reality is what you make it! Make it a possibility...make it take you places you've never been before! And, make it allow you to LIVE BIG!