So you finally did it! It took you all your life to start pursuing your dream with everything you’ve got, and naturally you thought the whole world would applaud your efforts from the sidelines–even go as far as to run beside you and help you along the way! Then you turn around to see, and instead of seeing everyone cheering you on, you find that they are angrily walking away. Or worse. Maybe someone you trusted is doing everything possible to stop you from achieving your goals.
It happens. More often than we would like to think. Sadly, the biggest opposition to our dreams often comes from our families and closest friends! But why?
I’ve given this a lot of thought. I know that there are a lot of reasons, and I hope I haven’t simplified it too much, but here are a few that I’ve come up with.
- They think they are protecting you. When you think that someone you love is setting themselves up for a failure or disappointment, it’s a natural instinct to want to step in and protect them from that! Maybe what seems like opposition is just your loved one’s way of trying to keep you safe.
- They have seen you quit things before. It would be hard NOT to question the commitment level of someone who is a frequent quitter. Have you started and stopped several projects or dreams before? How many times have you quit on yourself? Maybe you weren’t really paying attention to this pattern, but someone else was. It’s time to prove to them that you DO have what it takes!
- They just don’t get you! No matter how hard you try, there are some people who will never understand you or your dream. That’s okay. They don’t have to! God didn’t give that dream to them. He gave it to you. It’s your responsibility to honor Him with what He gave you. You were born to be you, and no one else was.
- Your success puts the spotlight on their failures. It’s not that they don’t have the ability to do something, it’s just that they didn’t do it. The fact that you are trying to live out your dream simply means that THEY could have done the same thing, but they chose to quit on their own dream.
- Envy. Even though they don’t want to put in the effort to have something better, they don’t want you to have it either.
- They feel threatened. Fear is a strong motivator. It can propel you in either direction! Maybe the person thinks that your success means that you will have no more need for them and what is important to them, OR, maybe they think that because YOU are successful then they can’t be successful. This is a completely illogical line of reasoning that we have all been guilty of at least once in our lives.
- They are just small-minded. Some people just don’t have big dreams or the ability to dream big, and they don’t understand people who do. Dream anyway. Dream, and do.
Don’t stay in any unsafe situation! It’s one thing to not be supported–for someone not to agree with you. It’s something else for them to try to punish you because you have a mind of your own and hopes and plans for your life! Don’t be a victim of mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical abuse. No one has the right to put out the light that God lit in you. HE gave you those gifts and talents and dreams! The world and the haters don’t get to take them away. JUST BE YOU. Oh, and do it with EVERYTHING YOU’VE GOT!
Write the book, fly the plane, paint the picture, sing the song, dance the dance, climb the mountain–or do all of that stuff! You don’t have to limit yourself to ONE dream! You can do anything that God has equipped you to do. Believe the voice inside of you–not the ones telling you that you aren’t GOOD enough, STRONG enough, SMART enough, TALENTED enough, PRETTY enough….that’s ALL NONSENSE!!
You are ENOUGH! You are YOU, and that’s exactly who you are supposed to be.
BE YOU IN COLOR!
Kisses y’all!
Allison
