Reconnect to Your Why

Just because you’re functional, doesn’t mean you’re living in purpose. Many of us are robotically navigating life based on a program that was given to us that is not aligned with our true purpose, and we feel disconnected.

Every once in a while we may connect with that thing and feel connection and joy but we don’t realize that it’s not just because we appreciate that others did it but that we would like to add well. 

I remember someone said I should dance. I laughed a bit thinking, “I know I say, ‘I. LOVE. DANCE. All dance’, but I just mean I love to watch others do it.” But after that moment, I began to wonder if appreciation for it runs deeper. What if within me less a dancer?

And, am I too late? Is it too late to reclaim your dream that you forgot about? Or is it possible to do it differently… in a way that aligns with who you are now. 

Just because you’re no longer fit to be an Alvin Ailey dancer, doesn’t mean that you can’t dance or even perform before crowds. Just because you never walked across the stage and got your diploma, doesn’t mean you can’t finish high school. Just because you never birthed kids off your own, doesn’t mean you can’t be a mother.

So many of us give up our dreams because they change form. We have such a clear picture of what we always wanted to do that the details of our dreams keep us from remembering our why. 

Reconnecting with our why is how we reclaim our past dreams in the present.

Maybe back in the day you wanted to be a graffiti artist. You loved seeing all the tags and art on buildings, bridges and trucks. You resonated with those artists’ desire to create on a large blank canvas. 

But now you’re over 40, and a law-abiding citizen with a family. You’re not about to go out and spray paint a building. But when you see murals, you can’t help but get excited and feel that longing within for the dream you never actualized.

This is when you connect to your why. Yes, you love seeing these.. And yes you used to want to do it. But why did you want to do it?

With a little soul searching, you may discover that your why is that “it’s exciting to create on a big blank canvas.” Your why could be that, “it’s exciting to see my work displayed publicly.” And it might even be that “It’s exciting to sit back and observe people’s various responses to my art without truly Knowing who the artist is.” That mystery around your art feels fun for you.

So you look back at your why’s and realize that all of those reasons are possible now—with a little creativity. Maybe you could create something on a large canvas. Just like with graffiti, the”canvas” is simply a space. Maybe you own your home and could paint a wall in the basement, garage, or a bedroom. Maybe you could go to a discount store and buy a white sheet and some paints and have at it. Maybe you could create an IG account and your own unique artist name and post your creations “anonymously.”

I think you see where I’m going with this. It’s all about being creative with the interpretation of your why. Maybe you’re not about to go back to school to become a teacher, but you could create an online course, or record YouTube videos. You could share your wisdom and skills with those around you, as a free class at your local library or church.

When we get creative with our why, we realize that although our dreams change over time, we can still find fulfillment in them.

I believe our dreams, that won’t go away, are part of our purpose. They won’t leave us because they know they are part of who we are. It takes work to release the details (if necessary), and get back to our why. 

We have to decide which matters more, fulfilling it exactly and possibly never doing it, or surrendering the details of the vision to gain the satisfaction of fulfilling that deep, nagging why.

You can do this. Just sit with it for 16 minutes.

1. What’s your nagging unfulfilled dream?
2. What’s your why? What about it appealed(s) to you?
3. Is it possible, that with some creativity, you can actualize your why?

I’ll admit it’s not easy. In giving up a dream, there may be a part of you that always wonders what could have been. I choose to believe that it’s still possible. It may just need to change form because you’re in a different stage of life. But that doesn’t mean it can’t still happen… at the core level. 

It’s also possible that you’re already fulfilling your why and just don’t know it. Maybe you always wanted to be a nurse because you wanted to support people in their healing. You don’t realize that as a life coach, or caregiver, you’re doing exactly that… on the why level. 

I choose to believe we can find more peace in our lives by surrendering to the nagging within us. We can find ways to connect with the dreams we’ve left behind by releasing the details and getting connected to the why.

Have an amazing whatever time of day it is for you.

Blessings!

Marlene Dillon Empowerment Specialist