Breath Life into your Dreams
What does it take to be authentic?
July 11th, 2018 was one of those defining moments in my life. I was at the ER before 6am and that began my 9 days in the hospital, which forever changed what I considered to be normal. As I lay in that bed and reflected on my 56 years on earth I wondered how many of those years I lived authentically. I wasn't real happy with the answer I gave myself. The question begged the question. Why, why not, what was stopping me, and what was I going to do about it.
I've always believed in pursuing your passionate purpose and dreams. I admit that being pursuant is a moving target, HOWEVER, there are dreams that are indelible marks on our heart and soul. Those dreams are what we should build our daily lives around. That is what I call living ALIVE. Most people, even though they may not admit it follow the crowd. To be authentic you have to be willing to color outside the lines and to walk away from the crowd.
Life certainly throws us its share of curve balls. Heck some are even fast balls that seem to come out of nowhere. When those moments happen, we can no longer retreat, we must choke up on the bat, crowd the plate, and swing for the fences. If we don't, in our minds, our life was lived without meaning. We lost the game without even swinging.
I recall a specific period in my life where I felt like I was living in darkness every single day. I struggled with a belief in a deity (God) and struggled even more with who I was. Externally I was one person but inside I was someone else. My dreams were long gone, my purpose was irrelevant, and passion simply did not exist. Even though this story is about me, it could be about you as well.
That July day in 2018 gave me the boost I needed to see what some refer to as the BIG PICTURE. I could see clearly that the sand in the hour glass was no longer working in my favor. I was well past half time, heck I was mid way through the 4th quarter. For a brief moment I started hoping for over time, then I discovered something so simple and profound that I had to share it.
If there is time left on the clock, sand still in the hourglass, we do not need to waste a breath on overtime, we need to get busy living. At this juncture in life, I realized what I already knew, I was approaching the two minute warning in regulation. I decided to quit living in the hopes that I would get an overtime and start playing to win the game.
What is your dream? Have you given yourself the time and permission to discover your purpose? Here's the deal folks, here is the reality, we are all living in the two minute warning. We can no longer sit back and hope that we get a few extra minutes. NO this is life and we must live it ALIVE. You absolutely must ask yourself what is important, what am I willing to do to make my dreams real. Once you make that determination, start building your life around the answer. Please this isn't the time to go "oh but Dale you have no idea what I am dealing with, I can't pursue my dreams right now" Let me let you in on a little secret folks, I have stage four cancer growing in my body, I live with a full time catheter, yet I am swinging for the fences, I am playing to win, Your dreams have to be larger than your excuses or you will never realize the potential God placed in you from birth.
We cannot and will not live another day DEAD. We are ALIVE. It is time for the authentic person that dwells in your human abode to live. You may want to believe you are living in total authenticity and you may be trying to convince yourself, but you know damn well that something inside has tried and died. This is the resurrection. It doesn't matter where you are in life, if you want more, only you have what it takes to get it. If you desire in your heart to be a better person then you must give life to your authentic self. Sure you may lose a few friends along they way, but at least you are on the way.
Here's the final piece of this puzzle, you have to focus every minute of every day on living ALIVE. Champions are constantly seeking new ways to win, while losers are sitting on the sidelines wondering why they are loosing. Once you allow yourself to be authentic, life will open in abundance. Your mood will improve, you will feel better, you will no longer see the world as bad, you will learn to love again, and trust again.
The clock is moving. The sand is flowing. It truly is time to bring those dreams to life. You are walking out of the tomb and into the light.
God bless
Dale Childress
please contact me if you have questions or comments at dalechildress@icloud.com
July 11th, 2018 was one of those defining moments in my life. I was at the ER before 6am and that began my 9 days in the hospital, which forever changed what I considered to be normal. As I lay in that bed and reflected on my 56 years on earth I wondered how many of those years I lived authentically. I wasn't real happy with the answer I gave myself. The question begged the question. Why, why not, what was stopping me, and what was I going to do about it.
I've always believed in pursuing your passionate purpose and dreams. I admit that being pursuant is a moving target, HOWEVER, there are dreams that are indelible marks on our heart and soul. Those dreams are what we should build our daily lives around. That is what I call living ALIVE. Most people, even though they may not admit it follow the crowd. To be authentic you have to be willing to color outside the lines and to walk away from the crowd.
Life certainly throws us its share of curve balls. Heck some are even fast balls that seem to come out of nowhere. When those moments happen, we can no longer retreat, we must choke up on the bat, crowd the plate, and swing for the fences. If we don't, in our minds, our life was lived without meaning. We lost the game without even swinging.
I recall a specific period in my life where I felt like I was living in darkness every single day. I struggled with a belief in a deity (God) and struggled even more with who I was. Externally I was one person but inside I was someone else. My dreams were long gone, my purpose was irrelevant, and passion simply did not exist. Even though this story is about me, it could be about you as well.
That July day in 2018 gave me the boost I needed to see what some refer to as the BIG PICTURE. I could see clearly that the sand in the hour glass was no longer working in my favor. I was well past half time, heck I was mid way through the 4th quarter. For a brief moment I started hoping for over time, then I discovered something so simple and profound that I had to share it.
If there is time left on the clock, sand still in the hourglass, we do not need to waste a breath on overtime, we need to get busy living. At this juncture in life, I realized what I already knew, I was approaching the two minute warning in regulation. I decided to quit living in the hopes that I would get an overtime and start playing to win the game.
What is your dream? Have you given yourself the time and permission to discover your purpose? Here's the deal folks, here is the reality, we are all living in the two minute warning. We can no longer sit back and hope that we get a few extra minutes. NO this is life and we must live it ALIVE. You absolutely must ask yourself what is important, what am I willing to do to make my dreams real. Once you make that determination, start building your life around the answer. Please this isn't the time to go "oh but Dale you have no idea what I am dealing with, I can't pursue my dreams right now" Let me let you in on a little secret folks, I have stage four cancer growing in my body, I live with a full time catheter, yet I am swinging for the fences, I am playing to win, Your dreams have to be larger than your excuses or you will never realize the potential God placed in you from birth.
We cannot and will not live another day DEAD. We are ALIVE. It is time for the authentic person that dwells in your human abode to live. You may want to believe you are living in total authenticity and you may be trying to convince yourself, but you know damn well that something inside has tried and died. This is the resurrection. It doesn't matter where you are in life, if you want more, only you have what it takes to get it. If you desire in your heart to be a better person then you must give life to your authentic self. Sure you may lose a few friends along they way, but at least you are on the way.
Here's the final piece of this puzzle, you have to focus every minute of every day on living ALIVE. Champions are constantly seeking new ways to win, while losers are sitting on the sidelines wondering why they are loosing. Once you allow yourself to be authentic, life will open in abundance. Your mood will improve, you will feel better, you will no longer see the world as bad, you will learn to love again, and trust again.
The clock is moving. The sand is flowing. It truly is time to bring those dreams to life. You are walking out of the tomb and into the light.
God bless
Dale Childress
please contact me if you have questions or comments at dalechildress@icloud.com
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