Making it Happen

So today (it's still Wednesday as I write this post for Thursday) was part one of the Making Brands Happen Business and Branding Webinar.  It focused on your brand, what your visual representation says about you and how to better hone your brand to reflect your authentic self -- really that only scratches the surface of what we discussed, but you'd have to attend one of these webinars for yourself to really wrap your head around the whole process. 

Anywho -- Lara Casey and Emily Ley (the creators of Making Brands Happen and other stellar companies to boot) have been two of my pseudo-life-mentors for a while now.  I say pseudo because we don't actually know each other (details) and they're not just talking to me when they blog about all of their wonderful thoughts, ideas and day-to-day genius. But, alas they've made it their life goals to inspire others, to spur them on toward greatness, and encourage everyone to Make Big Things Happen in their lives.

Image via Pinterest

Listening to them talk today got me thinking about what my dreams really are.  I struggled to find a way to articulate them in simple, concrete ways.  I want to be happy. Well what will make you happy? I want to be successful. At what would you like to succeed? I want to be creative. What exactly would you like to create? And then I had it...

I want to play an active and consistent role in creating and maintaining happiness and fulfillment for myself and encouraging others by way of living life to its maximum potential, finding joy in all circumstances, creating both beautiful and timeless tactile goods, experiences and surroundings, and at all times doing the things that put a smile on my face and the faces of others. 

Hmm... scratches head... well, how did you land on that one? 

I did a goal-setting exercise today that asked me this:  "What quote do you live by?"

After a few bible verses popped into my head, I realized they were my "should-be" answers.  (It's true, the gospel should be the quote that I live by.  But I was being brutally honest, and the alternative is not contradictory to the Gospel, but rather, I think, complementary.)  Instead I landed on these two quotations:

“Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it.” - Wilfred Peterson

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. ... We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Nelson Mandela

Image via Pinterest from Making Things Happen

I picked up on a few very important trends in these quotes: 1. Find what fires you up, 2. Let your light shine, 3. Encourage others to shine, and 4.  Surround yourself with people who encourage you.

These four things are encouraging me in a rather overwhelming soul-searching adventure I'm on.  Once I reach the end of it, I might share what all the fuss has been about. But for now, I leave you with this:

Image via Pinterest

Go. Go now. Get out there. Start today what will make your dreams come true tomorrow.

Chase your dreams.

xoxo.