Do you still nurture your own dreams? 
I’m headed across the country to She Speaks in North Carolina next week. It’s the next step in my journey toward a dream.
In preparation, I’ve been thinking a lot about dreams and purpose. Hours have passed writing a book proposal, working on talks for the speaker evaluation groups. I’m up WAY too late, even now, because I’ve been writing.
Why in the world do I invest this much effort into following my dreams? Because if I didn’t, I couldn’t make it through days like today.
Days when medications are imbalanced in my 8 year old, and every transition, change and limit I set with her becomes a nuclear explosion. Days when my younger daughter’s ADHD is leaving a trail of destruction and dismantled appliances in my house. When my oldest’s bipolar-driven agitation has created physical symptoms of stress so severe it makes her vomit.
Friends, if I didn’t nurture the dream of writing a book or developing my speaking skills, I think I’d lose my mind.
So instead of going nuts, I pursue dreams independent of life as mom and I help other parents like me get through the tough times. Does that mean I’m less invested at home? No. Does it mean I love my work more than my kids? No. It just means this is how our family lives the mantra “if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” It’s what fills me up so I can keep pouring life into my kids, despite their intense needs.
Do you regularly make time to go after your dreams? What dream can you cultivate today?
-Laurie