Don't Let Negativity Slow Down Your Dreams

Somewhere along the line we stopped believing we could do anything.
And if we don't have our dreams, we have nothing.
Billy Bob Thornton

by Skip Cohen

Sundays are always my time to jump the tracks from topics like business and marketing. It's always been easy to find a topic that was on my mind to share outside of what I usually write about. But this morning is tough, as I find the outside world interrupting the peace and joy of the bubble I consider our home.

I find it hard to ignore my anger and frustration with politics. We all know that if you want to end the government shutdown, then hold back the salaries of the members of Congress! Seriously, whether red or blue, it would be incredible how quickly they'd figure out how to work together! 

I'll spare you my feelings on everything else, because for the most part, I'm betting most of you are on the same page, and we're all tired of the insanity. So, I'm changing directions and writing a reminder to myself as well as all of you - never let go of your dreams. As we're bombarded daily with the negativity in the world, it's more important than ever to focus our energy on our dreams.

Author, Lou Mitchell, came through today with the quote above and the following...

..."It is crucial to rekindle our aspirations and hold onto the vision of what we can achieve. Dreams give our lives meaning and direction, fueling our passions and creativity.  By nurturing our dreams, we can regain our sense of purpose and motivation, transforming our aspirations into reality."

Here's my point - no matter how frustrated we are with the world outside our control, if we let go of our dreams, they win!  It's our dreams and visions that keep us focused, motivated, and bring the energy we need to our creativity. It's not easy, but I'm slowly learning to tune out the outside world's noise and focus on what's within our control, and things important to me and Sheila.

For example, the Alzheimer's organization has asked me to be one of their representatives at a county legislature meeting next month reviewing healthcare. And on Monday, I've been asked to capture a group shot of the staff of the Senior Friendship Centers at their local retreat. This is a group of people who never stop working to make the world a better place. We can't change anything outside our control, but we can contribute, even in baby steps, to helping make our communities better.

So many of you are doing similar things with organizations in your communities that are fighting to make the world a better place, one zip code at a time. That's the thing dreams are made of, and I refuse to let the world grind us down!

Wishing everyone a day ahead with time to focus on the different aspects of your dreams.  Woodstock may have been 56 years ago, but the need for peace and love is even greater today. I know it sounds sappy, but together, all of us really can change the world...starting with our own little piece in our community. 

​Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.

If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.
Booker T. Washington