Open Door

Conceive it, believe it, achieve it.

What is it that your mind and heart are yearning for? Can you put it into words? Can you speak your thoughts aloud, write them down, share them with someone you are close to? What if there were no barriers, no issues to contend with... what if you could have anything, or be anyone you could imagine? Can you conceive it?

Do you think you are any better or any worse than any other human being on this earth? Is there any reason to not think you can do at least as much, or as little, as anyone else? Can you picture yourself being in your dream life? Can you stretch just a little more and live as though you're already fulfilling your dream? Can you believe it?

Every single small act, and every single amazing feat have started with one step. There's a dream, a vision attached, and that's what gives direction. But still, it's one step at a time. Even a jump or a leap is just one series of movements... in and of itself not going to 'get you there'. Can you take one step? Can you gear yourself up to take one more step after that? Can you achieve it?

Richard and I had a vision. We talked about it, we shared ideas, we found pictures, we created a picture in our minds of where we wanted to be and how we wanted to be living. Then, we started looking at role models, at people who'd done it already, at methods and lifestyles to learn from. We believed it could happen to us. We started making choices, one at a time, day by day, that would put us on the life path we wanted to be traveling. We did all these things together to get us from an initial feeling of displacement & wanting something different, to coaching each other and believing it was possible, to taking positive action in that direction. And here we are, with the door to our future open before us. And here we are, opening the door to those who travel along in parallel yet divergent, intertwining paths to visit a while, to share. We have each read a lot of books over the years, attended workshops, had discussions, and listened to CD's and tapes... all sharing tools, tips and techniques for motivating yourself to accomplish those things about which you feel true passion. There is a marquis on the way into Augusta that reads something like 'What you continually hear, you will eventually believe' and I think it's true no matter whether those words are coming from those around you, or from inside yourself. If you keep yourself in the company of positive people (yourself included) you can't help but get caught up in the ideas of possibility and ultimately just DO IT, whatever that may be.

What are your success stories? Have you shared them with anyone recently? Have you allowed yourself to re-live your victory? Are you still on your life path? It's not a bad idea to re-evaluate now and then, count your wins, and figure out your next game plan for the next success story.
One key to achieving your dreams is to really be able to visualize what it is you want. The photo on this post was taken the first morning after we found this house. We'd gone home after finding it, and quietly discussed the possibilities, and came back the next day with open minds. We played a little bit, pretending we owned the house, and took photos of each other standing in front of 'our home', as though we already lived here. Then, we would put these images on our computer desktop so we'd always have them in front of us. We'd change the images as it suited us individually, but we didn't waver. It helped me a lot to go into R's office and see 'our home' on his monitor screen, and I think it was the same for him to see my computer. You can have whatever it is that you passionately, desperately want. There may be sacrifices, and it may be that you need to travel a different road to get there. Keep your mind, options and doors open to the possibilities that present themselves to you.

Our door is open to friends and family, we welcome you all.

Open Door comes from the Lighthouse Collection.