Thursday, April 30, 2009

Just Listen To Yourself...!

I've been thinking about this for a long time and thought it was about time to bring it up for discussion.

You know, we all started with a dream of where we wanted to be. The dream slowly became a plan, then the plan became a passion! We lived very spare minute thinking about this passion, weighing of all the positives and negatives...trying to cover all the bases.

Finally, we started talking to some of our friends and family about our dreams, our plans, our passion. That's when the reality set in that most of our friends and family didn't see things the way that we did. They could not even begin to understand the passion and some even questioned our thinking about the whole thing!

Oh, there were some that would listen politely, nodding their head, but you could tell that they weren't on the same level as we were. They didn't understand the passion, the dream! How could they? Most were happy in their present lifestyles and situations, and thought we should be as well. No amount of logical discussion, no "what if" scenarios, or no explanations of well thought out plans could convince anyone that we were still in possession of our sanity.

Instead of becoming our supporters and sharing our dreams, friends and family ending up being the biggest nay Sayers we faced. No voices were raised in defense of the dreams and plans we had nurtured for so long. Many times, not a single positive voice could be heard !

That is, except for one! The positive voice deep down inside ourselves, caressing the original idea that became a dream, then a plan, then a passion! In other words, that's where the passion lives and prospers...deep within ourselves!

There will always be times when we start to question our plans, giving in a bit to the well intended nags and warnings and negative talk. There will many times that the temptation to give in to someone Else's vision of what our future should be will appear too strong to resist. That's only human nature. However, the strength to resist that temptation can be drawn from the same place where the dream lives...from deep within ourselves!

In the end, what it boils down to is that no one else knows our dreams and plans and passions like we do! What we all need to do is to look deep within ourselves and ask a couple of very simple questions.

How much do we really believe in the dream? How badly do we really want the dream? Are we ready to ignore all the advice, all the concerns, all the misdirections of others and remain true to ourselves and our dream?

In a word, YES! I know that I can, I know that you can...I know that we all can! Just follow the old adage "To thine own self be true!" Just listen to yourself...that's all!

So let's get another cup of coffee, sit at the patio table, and quietly think about our dream, OK my friend?

24 comments:

Sue said...

Thanks for the reminder to stick with your passions. It came at a really good time.

HermitJim said...

Hey Sue...

Gotta stay with the passion...that's what keeps us going!

Thanks for the visit!

TEAM HALL said...

Amen brother!!!!! Now pass the plate, er coffee! hehe
There's nothing more sad than watching someone who once had a mighty dream lose it or I guess decide to give up on it! Yah know?
If it's okay Jim, I'd like to sit here awhile quietly thinking about our dream...with a huge grin on my face!!
Big hug to yah this morning
Cath

Anonymous said...

"First , be sure, then go ahead." David Crockett of Tenn.
"Yor gut instinct will take you further on the right path than anyone can tell you."
Friend and mentor, Older Than Dirt
YeOldFurt

Anonymous said...

Amen my brother.
I'm with Sue, this came on a day that we needed to hear this.Makes the decision we made last night easier to live with.I've got my cup and the dream is alive and well.
-George in Texas.

JoJo said...

Good morning my Special Friend,
This was a very, very good post. I dreamed of getting my camper and put it off for a long time because of others negative thoughts. Then I finialy realized it just isn't something they can understand because they aren't interested in doing what I want to do so badly. Well you know the rest of the story. We all need to do what we love and we can't let others make our choices for us. Go with your heart and make yourself happy and live your dreams. We may only pass this way once.
Now lets have a nice cup and smell the flowers and hear the birds singing their spring songs
JoJo

HermitJim said...

Hey Cath...

how right you are about it being sad to see someone give up a dream just to fit in.

Always room to share for someone with a dream, my friend!


Hey YOF...

how true that is! The inner voice can be a good guide so many times!

My dad to used to say, "Go with your first impression"!

Thanks for the visit, Buddy!


Hey George...

We have to stay true to our dreams so we don't spend our later years saying "I wish I had done..."

Dream it, then do it! Thanks for the visit, George!


Hey JoJo...

My special friend, I knew that you would understand what I meant! It's a privilage to share a cup with you this morning.

Always my pleasure when you drop by!

A World Quite Mad said...

Very true! I too have encountered that in my life. And that's the hardest kind of opposition to overcome, when your family and friends don't want to support what you're doing.

I think I'll have another cup of coffee, to calm my nerves ;)

HermitJim said...

Hey Mad...

Sad, isn't it? The ones that should be our strongest supporters end up fighting us the hardest!

Family and friends! Just gotta LUV 'em...but it ain't always easy!

I sure do thank you for stopping by, my friend!

Rod said...

All I can say is excellent post Jim.
With all that is happening around us you have gave us all a little well placed kick.

Rod

HermitJim said...

Hey Rod...

I'm glad you enjoyed the post, and you know that I really appreciate the comment and the visit, my good friend!

Baby Sis said...

Not ALL the family is agin ya, Bubba. I say go for it - as long as you're not hurting anyone else and it's not illegal (although these days that may be another question), your dream and your life are yours alone. You are the one who has to live your dream and passion or not, and then look back and live with the decisions made. Go for the gusto! Love you much.....

Anonymous said...

Good morning Jim;
If you can dream it you can do it.
Enough said-pass the coffee.

HermitJim said...

Hey Sis...

Just mainly speaking in generalities, ya know? I know I have your support for sure. Gotta do things before I get too old, ya know?

Love ya, Sis...thanks for thwe visit!


Hey Tony...

Man, I couldn't agree more! Thanks for coming by!

Gwen said...

Beautifully said, your post and all these comments. Thank you!!

HermitJim said...

Hey Ginger...

My desert buddy! Glad you dropped by today! Is that area getting any rain? Boy, the Houston area is getting pounded almost daily.

I keep thinking of all that water I could be ctching out there!

Good to see you today!

Josselyn said...

Thank you...great post. I am blessed to finally have my husband mostly on board (He just likes those darn gadgets, you don't really need, a bit too much though).

The rest of my family thinks I'm cuckoo...."What are you gonna do with dehydrated lemons?...You have a freezer in your bedroom???...You want to live in the woods? You know there are coyotes in the woods. Aren't you worried about the kids? You know you can get sick from canning. You like to hang clothes on a clothesline??? I could write a book on all the "encouraging" words of wisdom from my family & "friends". Thanks Again

HermitJim said...

Hey Josselyn...

I hear ya on all counts, believe me! It's amazing that people just don't see the simplicity and the common sense of what we are trying to do!

I guess that all we can do is to smile and nod...then go on with what we were plannig anyway!

Really appreciate the visit today!

Mayberry said...

Dreams are what keeps us alive! Never let anyone smash your dreams....

Noki said...

My dream is to grow my own wings so that I can fly unassisted. I'm still trying to figure out how to avoid airplanes, though.

Hugs,
Ashley

Cygnus MacLlyr said...

Love to leave comment, but I'm hearing sump'n..

HermitJim said...

Hey Cyg...

hearing voices again, are we? Remember what the doctors told ya about that!

CoyotePrime said...

Great post, HermitJim! Best advice anyone could get...

Cygnus MacLlyr said...

T'were the voice of a dream, Hermit... and fambly ain't no doctor! hee!