It takes INCREDIBLE strength to chase your dreams.
I just watched a biopic about a female swimmer named Nyad, who attempted to swim from Cuba to Florida for 35 years. It took 5 attempts. It took a team. It took unreasonable belief that she could do it, that she would do it no matter how long it took. And she was willing to Die trying. She died for 15 seconds during her 3rd attempt, had an allergic reaction to meds, was bitten by jellyfish, had hallucinations, and was almost attacked by a shark.
Her last attempt took 55 hours, 110 miles. Nyad was in the water The Entire Time. She was an athletic swimmer in her younger years when she made her first attempt. She picked up the dream again at 60 years old because she needed something to Ignite her her life and was unwilling to live her last years just “waiting to die”. Nyad achieved her goal September 2013, at age 64.
I like watching biopics in areas that I have no experience in. It's good to take myself out of my world and hear about the courage and determination of someone else’s, a Real Human in my lifetime (not a character) who may not even look like me, push hard for something they are called to do. Yes, I Cried. Hard.
You have to be CRAZY to pursue your dreams. She had an amazing team of people who helped her achieve this goal. And while they believed in her, I’m sure they also had some small doubt that they would actually get to the finish line. It was Never Done Before. However, I believe that because she was SO headstrong that SHE WAS GOING to complete the trek, her team was willing to put aside their own lives, dedicated their expertise, time and energy to help her get to the finish line. Nyad was persistent!
Following your dreams is so complex. In fact there are parts of it I may not ever understand. While there are times that I was SO SURE that what I envisioned I would experience, the passing of time, not knowing the “when” often makes me question “if” it will happen. I don't know the resolve that Nyad had to have to keep going for so long, to put her body through such remarkable circumstances to achieve her wild dream. I admire her for her seemingly innate level of CRAZY. I wonder where it really comes from. And in spite of this being an actual story about someone's life, it’s still almost unfathomable to me.
Last night, I shared with one of my creative friends that I had this “BIIIIG DREAM” of being a SUPERSTAR. Like really living out the HUGE Superstar vision. I used to feel it in my soul, bursting out the seams that a SUPERSTAR is Who I am and that I would experience that REAL SOON. It excited me. It woke me up in the middle of the night with ideas flowing. The excitement pushed me out of bed most days with the motivation to do whatever I needed to do to get closer. I couldn't WAIT to get home from my 9-5 so I could work on the dream until the wee hours of the morning.
I can still See the image of me in a Huge arena standing in the spotlight at the microphone. However, lately I’ve felt that I’ve aged out of the dream…“are there even new superstars after 40 years old?...Is MY vision even still Possible?... But if it isn't, why do I still See the vision?” I dont feel I’ve yet seen enough evidence that I’m on the right path of that “SuperStar” vision. The ebb and flow of life, especially in the past few years, have taken me out of the pace of my 20s. Just like my life has evolved, so has my dream. For sustainability, I’ve had to be more strategic and intentional around how I manage my commitments, time, and energy.
Now, the wrap up of today’s message feels incomplete. That’s because my journey isn't over and neither is the dream. I still feel the calling to perform and I’m still working on and adjusting my plans. This is what I know- I am going to keep following the direction of my spirit and heart in hopes that one day, I’ll REALLY get to experience my very own BIG Dream.
Perhaps, the vision in my mind’s eye is outdated and that it needs to expand to meet a Bigger, more elevated and evolved vision.
So yeah…tell me, what have you been streaming lately 😀🤭