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Second Chance to Live

Empowering the Individual, Not the Brain Injury

I Don’t Have to Wait to Live My Dreams

November 14, 2023 By Second Chance to Live

In  Part 3 of my article series, Traumatic / Acquired Brain Injury — Do Not Give Up on Your Dreams! I shared with you a milestone that I accomplished on November 8, 2008.

Accomplished on my way to realizing a dream that I had for many years. But; on the way to that milestone, I experienced disappointment, discouragement and even despondency.

Because I experienced disappointment, discouragement and despondency, I faced times when I questioned wanting to give up. Wanting to give up because things were not…

Progressing as I thought they should be, given the  time, effort and dedication I was putting into realizing the dream. At these times, I found myself questioning and asking “why?”. “Why?” in the face of my discouragement, disappointment and despondency. “Why?” in the process of pursuing the dream of achieving my black belt, when giving up would have been much easier.

 A “Silver Lining” Amidst my Disappointment, Discouragement and Despondency

In the midst of my struggle to understand, “WHY?” I learned an extremely valuable lesson. I no longer had to wait. I no longer had to had to wait to live my dream. The dream of achieving and obtaining my black belt in International Martial Arts and Boxing. Instead, I could live and experience my dream in my now.

Celebrate Achieving my Black Belt through each Part and Step in the Process of my Dream

Although I had not yet obtained my black belt, I realized that I no longer had to wait to celebrate obtaining/achieving my black belt. Instead, I could celebrate the dream of obtaining my black belt in the now. I could do so, instead of waiting until the end of the black belt test to find that I obtained my black belt.

Celebrating each Part or Step in the Process of Achieving the Dream

Each step in my process and journey towards achieving and obtaining my black belt. By celebrating each step along the way I realized the I no longer had to wait to live my dream. Any dream. Be it the dream of obtaining my black belt or any other dream that I may have for myself by celebrating the process.

 We Don’t Have to Wait to Live Our Dream (s)

You may also have a dream that you have been working towards. A dream or one that you would like to accomplish. A dream that you think, if I just  obtain that dream, then I could celebrate. Celebrate the fulfillment of that dream. My encouragement to you would be to celebrate each part (step) of the dream.

 Each part (step) in and of the process of obtaining your dream (s) as something to celebrate.

“Pot of Gold” at the end of the Rainbow of our Dream (s)

The good news is that we no longer have to wait to find the “pot of gold” at the end of the rainbow by fulfilling our dream (s). The good news is that the “pot of gold” can be found in the progress we are making toward our dream (s). We can celebrate each step in the process of working towards those dream (s).

We can do the “footwork”, let go of the timing and celebrate the process of achieving our dreams.  

 Celebrate and be Encouraged

By celebrating what we have done and accomplished on the way to our dream (s), we will stay encouraged. Encouraged to keep moving forward/toward, and in the pursuit of accomplishing our dream; a little at a time, even when we experience, discouragement, disappointments, despondency and face setbacks.

By celebrating our progress, we are able to celebrate our dream (s) in the now.

“Big things have small beginnings.” Prometheus

“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” Babe Ruth

“Inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, life’s hard.” John Bytheway

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” Lao Tzu

“I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison

“Don’t give up at half time. Concentrate on winning the second half.” Bear Bryant

“All life is an experiment. The more experiments the better.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.” Zig Ziglar

“Research your own experience. Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless and add specifically your own creation.” Bruce Lee

“Decision is the spark that ignites action. Until a decision is made, nothing happens.” Wilfred A. Peterson

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” Zig Ziglar

“Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will lives its whole life believing that is is stupid.” Albert Einstein

Filed Under: Celebrating Success Following Brain Injury

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