I recently listened to a management audio book called, "The Dream Manager," by Matthew Kelly. It really got me to thinking and looking at my life. It is so easy to get caught up in the necessary everyday duties of life that we forget our dreams -- and maybe even forget we ever had dreams. When that happens we find ourselves living "quiet lives of desperation." What a description! The book is geared towards management and learning how to help employees recognized and fulfill their dreams -- the payoff is basically that they become more engaged in their careers in the process and there are lots of benefits to that.
I don't manage people anymore in my career, but I do have adult children, a husband, friends, am a leader at church and mentor young adults who find themselves in life situations where they can definitely use some dreams! One of the gifts I've been given is that of being an encourager. (When my son was 14 he told me I was like Barnabas - what a compliment!) What a great tool this book is! Not only a great tool for helping others - but a great tool for helping myself ('cuz if the well is empty, you can't give anybody water)!
One of the suggestions of the book is that you sit down and make a list of 100 of your dreams -- all in one sitting. I think the number 100 is key because it was really hard to even get started. I love making lists (sometimes that is a curse) but this was hard. I felt like #1 had to be the most important and the first one to accomplish. Wrong! By the time I got to about 85 some serious stuff started kicking in. It was a little like journaling -- it usually takes a bit of writing to get to the deep stuff! #100 may have been one of the most insightful for me -- "get out of ruts -- and stay out."
I am listening to the book again - in the car with my husband as we drive to work every day. He saw me typing my list into the computer and asked what it was. I told him he couldn't read my list until he made his own. I didn't want my dreams to influence his dreams. Not at this stage anyway - hopefully we will find that we have some of the same dreams. We are at a place where we need to dream again. Our children are raised and out of the home and we're pretty settled. We will be married 25 years in December. I'm excited to see where this leads!
It is kind of amazing to see people's first reaction to making a list of 100 dreams. I assigned this as homework to my class on Tuesday night too. They just looked at me with fear in their eyes at first. They are in some tough situations and the ideas of making a list of dreams is almost incomprehensible to them. I am exited for class next week.
I've started journaling about some of the dreams, determining if they are short-, mid-, or long-term, and researching to see what it will take to reach them. I've only on #3, but it is a start! Actually, I started in order down the list but I don't think I will continue going in order. One of the things I have realized is that I will have to work hard not to make this just another "to do" list. I often get to the point where my whole life feels like a huge "to do" list, just check it off and go to the next thing. That's not a very good way to live -- it's not living at all, it is just existing. I know that, but just knowing it doesn't always produce change!
I'd be interested to hear from you about this topic of dreams -- and I challenge you to make a list of 100 dreams of your own.
This is the first set I made to go with the outfit mentioned below. It is black Mother of Pearl and Freshwater Pearls that have a little bit of irridescent purple. Earrings, necklace, and ankle bracelet. Click on the photos to see the detail better.
I LOVE being able to go to my studio and make something new to wear when I get a new outfit. Of course, this is the second set I've made to try out with a black and white skirt outfit I recently purchased! I was fighting boredom last night (the kind where you just don't WANT to do anything - I had plenty to do!) - guess I just needed to create. It wasn't boring at all! The small oval stones are Zebra Jasper, the large ovals are Picasso Jasper, and the white is Howlite.
The top photo is an ankle bracelet that is adjustable in size. The second photo is of a necklace, bracelet, and earrings that compliment the ankle bracelet. I'm still battling photo software (gotta love change - can't get it to edit without locking up now) - so I may change the photos once I figure out what I am doing with the software! The detail of the photos is much better if you click on them to enlarge.
Well, here it is - and it looks much better than the bits and pieces in my last post! I estimate that it took me 7-8 hours to make it (not including the time to learn the techniques, rip out and re-do mistakes, and interpret the pattern!) I purchased this kit with it in mind to make and give to a friend of mine. But, now I must decide if I will take apart and re-do the clasp because I know it is too big - or start all over and make another one. Hmm. I am sure the next one I make will not take nearly as long!
I visited my mom in Oklahoma for Mother's Day weekend and on the way I stopped at a little bead shop in Bartlesville. While there I discovered that one of the owners was the designer of a gorgeous seed bead bracelet that was on the cover of Beadwork magazine. So, I bought a kit. I've not done much at all with seed beads. To be honest, I've been a little bit intimidated by them. But, how hard can it be? OK, not so hard once you figure out the stitch -- but boy, is it time consuming! I'm sure as I do it more I will get faster and my stitches will get more even, but one of those 4.5" pieces takes me 1/2 hour! (The bracelet has 9 of them.) I was surprised that the teeny tiniest beads were the easiest to work with. My bits and pieces don't look like much yet, but they have aspirations of looking like one of the bracelets shown below! My beads and flowers are brown and turquoise.
