Dream A Bit

In early February of 2005, Mr. Dr. and I put an offer in on a house after three years of looking and a few defeated offers left wanting. The winning house popped onto my computer screen during my dutiful weekly search and I just knew. We put in an offer and after some haggling moved into our new home at the end of April with a six week old baby. (It wasn't bad at all thanks to some friends.)

After we closed on the house, I looked at my Dream Board during the process of moving. "Steve! Come here quick!" I yelled. "Take a look at this."

And there, to the middle left of my Dream Board was a house that looked nearly identical to the house that had just became ours. Amazing!

For about five years now, the good doctor and I have created Dream Boards. Dream Boards are visual collages of everything we want for the year. Filled with the magnificent and the mundane, Dream Boards remind the artist every time he or she views it of this year's goals.

Cheryle Richardson, a Life Coach and frequent Oprah guest some years ago, first acquainted me with the concept. Our family started them then. A year or two later, at a professional conference, the ending activity was a Dream Board.

Since then, Dream Boards have become a part of my personal and professional repetoire. I like them. Like the word "budget', the words "goal" and "resolution" have become weighted words associated with failure as much as success. Resolution is worse--often it is like one of the ten commandments "I shall not eat five tons of chocolate in 2006 when I'm stressed."

In contrast, Dreams seem like fanciful notions that would be wonderful if they happened but not devastating if they don't--they are dreams afterall not strategy sessions with Bob from accounting giving you heck if your endeaver ends up being unprofitable.

Here's the funny thing, though: Dream Boards work. By gently and beautifully reminding us of what we wanted in January, decisions are unconsciously made here and there that bring the dream to fruition. It has happened over and over and over for Mr. Dr. and me which is why we wouldn't dream of not doing one. Why would we miss out on the benefits?

I leave you with this warning: be precise and thoughtful about what you put on your Dream Board. You may just get it!