Can I ask you, as you read the title to this post, what was your initial reaction? Before reading any further, allow yourself a moment to stop, close your eyes, go into your body and sit with the question. What’s your dream?
What do you notice? Do you feel any sensations in your body? Any thoughts? Find a piece of paper and write down anything you’re experiencing so that you can come back to it later.
Asking ourselves this question can bring up a range of responses. Perhaps you knew with absolute clarity the answer and felt the joy of connecting with it. Perhaps there was silence and you experienced the uncertainty of the unknown. Perhaps it felt out of reach or fainter than it used to and there was a sense of sadness or loss for you. Perhaps there was a sense of impatience; I don’t have time for this.
Whatever your response was, can I encourage you to spend time with this question. Imagine it as the most beautiful, intriguing object that invites you closer to investigate. Pick it up and hold it very gently; your dream can sometimes be very vulnerable so handle with care! Develop a sense of curiousity around it, be open to whatever it reveals to you. If you are struggling to ‘see’ anything, that’s ok, just be patient. When we don’t pay attention to an aspect of ourselves for a long time, it can take a while to connect in and get to know it. Like any relationship it needs time, attention, love, respect and acceptance.
Give yourself permission to play with the question. Getting creative is a great way to do this; use a notebook or sketchbook and allow yourself to write with complete freedom. Ask your dream questions and let the answers flow uncensored. Writing the answers with your non-dominant hand can be a helpful way to sneak past your critic. Don’t stop at writing; use coloured pens, crayons, paint, find pictures in magazines that appeal to you and make a collage.
It’s all about creating an unrestricted space for your creative self to play and express herself. For most of us, we are operating day to day in the place of responsibilities, commitments, obligations and to do lists. It’s the adult world and there’s often no time for play. Our creative self who holds our dreams gets pushed aside and given the very clear message that we don’t have time for her; we’re too busy, too important, too stressed, too serious, too responsible, too tired. When she gets this message enough times, she’s likely to stop tugging at your clothes trying to get your attention. She will wrap up her imagination and her brilliant ideas and tuck them away somewhere safe. Her voice will become fainter, her colours less vibrant, her energy will fade and she will take herself off somewhere on her own and sit quietly, waiting for you to remember that she is there.
It’s time to stop being so serious. It’s time to be brave. It’s time to go find her. It’s time to answer the question – what’s your dream?
For more information about the counselling process, or to enquire about accessing my support as a counsellor, please click here.