Have you ever gone to the movies with someone, then exited the movie and discovered that your date is now behaving like the characters from said movie? I have young kids, so let’s take it there. Kids exiting a Marvel movie act like superheroes. Very cute, right? Posing as Ironman or Thor. Shooting fake webs from their adorable little fingers while jumping around like a spiderperson. Imagination. It’s an amazing thing, the gift to see things not as they are, but as you imagine them.
As an only child, I developed what some might call a vivid and wild imagination. I don’t just dream in color, y’all. I dream in Ultra High Definition 2160p! Whatever that means. So when I envision something in my mind, when I close my eyes to see it, it’s vivid.
I do this a lot when I’m trying to set goals. I close my eyes and envision myself in ten years. But I see every detail. What am I wearing? What color is my hair? How does my skin look? What car do I drive? What do my kids look like? Did we paint the house yet? Okay, that last one is a little off script, but still valid. And why? Because I want to paint the exterior of my house, and in ten years, I hope to God we have! It’s important when envisioning your life ahead that you’re legitimately seeing a vision. Seeing.
When I met my husband, he warned me that he “dreams like a ten-year-old boy.” So I began calling him Peter Pan and poking fun at his childlike dreaming. As the years passed, I would come to realize that his visions, while being slightly off, manifested into reality and were actually achieved. He was steadily crossing things off his list of dream to-dos, while I was sitting over here calling him Peter-Freakin-Pan!
He would envision passing his mechanics exam and getting the cushy job with the company vehicle and pay raise…and it would happen! It was as if he had some weird bond with destiny; anything he chose to dream up, POOF! Magically, it seemed to appear.
It wasn’t until recently that I realized how he does this. It’s pure imagination! He would imagine himself in this job, or that truck, or whatever it was he wanted. And then, he would work hard towards his vision.
But here’s the truth. If your vision is skewed or you live in a constant state of “I can’t,” then you will never be able to attain those dreams, no matter how vividly you see them in your mind.
I talk to so many desperate people starving for change who are totally unwilling to see that the only thing standing in the way of the change they crave is them. You can dream in HD, but if your subtitles say “You’ll never lose that weight,” or “You’re too far gone for redemption,” or “You don’t deserve that promotion,” then you might as well turn off the TV of your life. Your Creator made you so beautifully and so wonderfully. To spend any energy thinking otherwise is a waste.
God designed you in His image, which may seem like a lot to live up to. But I’m here to say that all you have to do is LEAN THE F IN! Lean in. You’re not too far gone to be saved. You’re not too worthless to ask for a promotion. You’re not too fat to lose weight. You’re enough. Just as you are.
If you want more for yourself you have to go get it! No one is standing on a street corner handing out more. At church on Sunday, that basket comes around for you to put in, not take out! And why? Because your church wants more, to do more. So it gets it! And just by asking. More is waking up at five a.m. and riding your Peloton until your legs feel like noodles. More is walking into your boss’s office and not just asking for the raise, but requiring it, with the argument to back it up. More is feeling that fear, kicking it in the face, and slaying your dreams. Because here’s the real kicker: it’s your dream.
As vividly as you see it, there will always be some naysayers to call you Peter Pan and try to pop your dream bubble. If you’re waiting for a group of cheerleaders to come out and RAH-RAH you along the journey, you’ll be waiting a long time. But if you surround your thoughts and dreams with prayer, positivity, and pride, you’ll see results. This I know for sure. It’s not easy. It’s not fast. It’s not cheap. But damn, it’s worth it. Go slay.
Reality Changing Observations:
1. Can you envision your life in UHD1080p or even 4K? Where do you see yourself? Are you proud?
2. How many times have you given up on yourself? What do you think the reason was?
3. What are some great ways you boost yourself up when you’re feeling flat?
