Another Chance to Dream

“I didn’t settle, it paid off...and I got another chance to dream.”-YOU, Me, We…speaking as Victorious Winners

“I went into the battlefield…too early, realized the equipment I had was for the pre-battle…and I went over there.”-Memoirs of Another Chance to Dream

I didn’t lose focus, my heart just expanded.

Sometimes we think we’re only given one dream, one BIG goal to achieve, you dream a new dream after we reach the “top”…

Or so I thought!-It’s cool, I’ll be the honest one here, whatev’s.

It’s that moment when we feel the need to give whatever “it” is, all we have. Then when we do, and the results don’t appear to be in our favor, we go back to drawing board and wonder…:

“Was this really my big dream?!?!?”

Maybe I need to try a new route, maybe I need to do this, or maybe I need to do that? Maybe, maybe…Maybe!

But in the moment of thought...reevaluating/reflecting/just really thinking about how YOU, Me, We got here…

We pause

Side Note: This post is not about getting rid of the bigger dream but recognizing you have been given room for other dreams in between.

GYC Personal Story (that will make sense…if you want it to)

I know I’ve talked about running track…and discontinuing “that” but you should know, I played soccer next (for a moment).

Honestly, I’ve never wanted to play team sports…because it required a team effort…all at the same time, not like your appointed/designated/given time on the track.

I learned what it’s like be on a team and need a team to win. Class projects can need teams (groups) but when it's all said and done, it may be a lot of work but you can do it all yourself (been there, got the t-shirt to prove it)…BUT it's pretty hard to win a game all by yourself.

“Girl I don’t care about you playing soccer!”---Just wait…

When I first started, I played on the indoor soccer team where the coach explained my role/position on the field as all of them… “You’re fast enough to play the entire field (of course the field was much smaller than outdoor) so that’s your job when you’re out there”…and I did, although I was terrified and setting myself up to possibly be embarrassed (no, I did not play this sport before hand). ---And yes, my dad flipped and was all “Girl YOU Crazy” as did other parents and coaches from the track team…I never needed or more importantly wanted sports to get into college or be my career. *Quick Note: I knew enough about myself to be myself.*

Indoor soccer was my 1st forced and known encounter with versatility (giving all I had at one time)…yep!

But what I learned was…

Versatility opens your eyes to many things… but when you’re so focused on the one big dream…it gets hard as you appear to have moved on from waiting and preparing for the big dream. Even in starting GYC, I was asked many times about my dream to be a shoe designer and if that was still there…it is.

However,

Really, really Quick Rant…I had to…

One day I sat down to really think about all the things I wanted to do (after I realized it wasn’t time to pursue shoe design in the way I had planned)… 

A vision of me doing these other things (pre-Big Dream) started to form as I began to start all of these ventures such as writing a book…no, not “Don’t Take the Elevator…” which you should read, share and print…gift…all of that…have fun!

As these visions birthed as my own and not as ventures that I wanted to propose to businesses, I realized that I got another chance to dream, think and live more than one dream, be the steward over more than one gift and realize that it all can and will happen in its timing.

Example: The Truth about GYC Girl YOU Crazy

GYC was no way near my idea of giving back nor the non-profits that I had dreamed about owning and running after I was full on grown (and had all of my businesses in full swing). HOWEVER, as GYC began to take form in front of you all…as it still does today (6 months strong and counting), a friend of mine told me that GYC Girl YOU Crazy is just like me.

Open your eyes to more…you never know what is waiting to be birthed RIGHT NOW! The bigger dream is amazing but the journey can be greater.

What do people always say on Twitter…“Be the YOU…YOU always dreamed of being…today”---I don’t know something like that… well…that’s the GYC Girl YOU Crazy version of it (quote me)!

GYC Last Thoughts

Every now and then again…You, Me, We need to wake up and get lost in our dream(s) and the possibility of all of them happening… by developing their details.

Live and pursue YOUR own dreams for the love of YOUR sanity.

“I tear up at the thought that my heart had room to dream more dreams.”-Lauren Alicia

We always have Another Chance to Dream…as long as we have today.

"Print me"

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from GYC Girl YOU Crazy

Don't Take the Elevator... the GYC Book

[http://issuu.com/gyc-girlyoucrazy.com/docs/dont_take_the_elevator_book_gycgirlyoucrazy?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222]

Enjoy GYC Girl YOU Crazy's Gift from me (Lauren Alicia) to YOU! View it, Print it, Share it, Re-gift it. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

What is for me is for me!

“What is for me is for me, I might have to fight but I won’t have to compete…The fight is fixed because I was designed for this!”-YOUR Truth

 

“Follow after your own and your prize will not be revoked.”-YOUR Present & Future (It seems like they talk a lot…)

When you hear “what is for me, is for me,” what do you think about???

A. A way to cope with rejection?

B. Preparing for (possible) disappointment?

C. I wish they would just shut up, and face the facts that they were rejected?

D. Something people say when they don’t know what to say in disappointing moments?

E. The pep talk before you go into an audition, job interview, business meeting, test…any type of pressured situation?

 OR

Girl YOU Crazy…None of that!!!--- “What is for me is for me”…is simply the truth. No disappointment or rejection involved…Hmph!

Now that I have your attention… Let’s talk about it!

As I gathered my thoughts together about this topic, I was reminded of the choices we have, the decisions we make…

and the WHY!

+Why did I make this decision?

+Why am I living out this decision?

+Can I change my “why” later?

+Did I ask “why” before I made the decision?

+Can I justify my “why”?

ALL OF THAT!!!

And in all of that…you think about “did I make those decisions because I needed to or because I wanted to and I could…so I did.”

Hmmm…

You ever heard the phrase... "Get out of your own way!"???

Yes, No, Maybe…What?

It’s cool because I will be referencing other clichés that I may or may not word properly (I get close but I do better when I make up my own…yea)

Well…

Side Note: We are going on a journey in this post, much like a conversation with me that goes in many circles…Go get some snacks! But YOU will be happy when you get there…

And back to it!

When YOU, ME, WE start thinking about our why’s…”Get out of your own way!” makes you think…maybe you even get a little defensive but nevertheless… when you hear it, you wonder maybe “I am in my own way…”or “were my ‘whys’ justified…do they make sense???” (Hmm…oh, its just me huh?…)

I realized that YOU, ME, WE get in OUR own way, when YOU, Me, We forget -----> "What is for me is for me. "

      Such as:

+We start to look around and think about what we don't have…

+Looking around at what others have…thinking that if we had what they had then…

+Maybe I should take some of the paths they took…it seemed to work for them…

Not recognizing that what we DO have is more than enough to help lead us to the dreams that live within us.

GYC Commentary…but YOU, ME, WE Know that it is a Rant:

Everyday we have choices that will either move us forward, keep us where we are, or move us backwards. It is the decisions that have justifiable whys’ that “keep us looking at our own paper”…and believing “if not this one, the next.” All the cliché phrases lead to knowing that what is meant for you to have… you will have if you realize that it is meant for you to have.

Some of the reasons why people stop going after their dreams is because they’re not sure if they have a right to it…right now. But you will never know what you have a right to… if you don’t put some seeds in the ground and water them…

Last thoughts on “What is for me is for me” (and I’m done with my journey):

I’ve realized that I can make my own mistakes, walk down the wrong path, include the wrong people, and say the wrong things…but my experience is my own experience that has built me up to be the person I am today, and walk towards the dreams and goals I’m designed to accomplish. What is for me is for me and I don’t have to compete.

 The route I take may not be popular and not include everyone but it is my own story and I will tell it whatever way I please. Yes, yea, sure, absolutely, I am tempted to quit, stop, look around, compare but when it is all over, I want what belongs to me and me alone. Therefore, I fight my own fight to get my own prize. Sure I have helped and will continue to help others along the way but that is also a part of my fight…what is a part of yours?

 

“What is for me is for me and I don’t have to compete.”

Here are some GYC Quotes for Thought and Deposit…that’s right take it all the way to the bank baby! HA!:

“If you have seeds with enough sense to plant them and patience to water them…you are the richest person!”

“Remain in remembrance of your own dream and purpose.”

“Don't get caught in a plan that is not connected to YOURS for they will be the only one that moves forward. ”

-GYC Girl YOU Crazy

Throw the Box Away…

“Where did that phrase ‘Think outside the box’ come from?” –Innovation speaking in an unimpressed monotone voice…

“I hate (yes…Hate) that phrase ‘Think outside the box’.”-YOUR Dreams

“I was just trying to make you think outside the norm…you know, what is expected…(womp, womp, womp)”-The Box pleading its case

Someone ever give you instructions for what he/she wanted you to do,

Then… you ask for more details (to make sure that you get it right and don’t mess it up)…

And their response is “Think outside the box”???

[Please note: This is not a post about not following instructions or whatever…YOU know that I am too deep for that… “Girl YOU Crazy”]

BUT…

----Why say “that” when you can just answer my question…

Right??? Right….

Side Note: This topic can go in many directions about many things…as do my thoughts so it is written accordingly…but do know that it will involve YOU, Me, We accessing our dreams by putting them into our reality.

First…

(I’m saying “first” here but more than likely there will not be a “second or thirdly, etc.”---Just so you know)

What does “’think outside the box’ even mean????”

1.    That there are actual instructions in place for you, me, we to follow…

2.     We should think beyond what it written/expected…even though the instructions should already say what is expected…

3.    Seems like it means to make up your own instructions…from the instructions---or what is expected…or read the mind of the person who said it…?

4.    I don’t know… does the person who said that even know?…Maybe that’s why there are SO many articles on this…

Hmmm…

WHAT????????????????????

Forget this, I’m throwing away the instructions/box…and figuring this out on my own!!! I do not need this craziness!!!

GYC Personal Story—that will have many “…” so that YOU can feel my pause for frustration:

Some of you may know that I graduated from Parsons The New School for Design…yes the school on Project Runway (that seems to be the fastest way to locate)…

Anyway,

Many of the assignments involved no “box” at all…

Which means there were instructions…well more of a description that WE were expected to…

Interpret the way we see it…and turn in a finished product.

However,

I was new to this process in a school setting, where there is an unknown right or wrong…

Quick GYC Rant about this (you know the drill, run-on sentences and all are expected and excepted here…):

I would get so frustrated because they would not say what was expected and if I was not excited about the possibilities of the assignment, I turned in “whatever”… and it was just a big hot diggidy (yes diggidy) mess!

But after I was continuously put in these situations of frustration, I began to realize the different ways that I think, and understand what my professors were preparing us to do/be…

But why throw out the “box”???

My real moment of “throwing out the box” came from my last design class. There was this one assignment that had nothing to do with the “instructions” my professor gave…the only things I knew for sure was the due date and that it involved sneakers…everything else…up in the air! And he (my professor) thought that was completely normal…figure it out…and turn it in!

After I shared my feelings with everyone that would listen…

I went to the computer lab and stared at the computer for about 3 hours thinking “WHAT, WHY, WHAT, HOW, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!!!???”

Then I said “you know what…???

FORGET THE INSTRUCTIONS/DESCRIPTION/Whatever he thought he gave us!!!”

I let any and all expectation hit the wayside (also, because I didn’t know it) and allowed my imagination to do what it does best…and I turned in the dopest/flyest/coolest/freshest/insert “awesome word” here sneaker advertisement...he thought it was awesome as well (just saying)!

And

My assignments after that involved my own instructions…called let my imagination do what it was designed to do…“show me the unseen so I can create it in my reality.”

And I was graded accordingly…

Best decision I ever made!---HELLO!!!

Let me say this:

When you try to “think outside the box”…YOU are trying to customize something that was already given to you…your ideas don’t come in a box they come from your imagination…the difference is the time and place for when it is used.---Hopefully for living out YOUR OWN Dreams…

*My sneaker ad and presentation did not look anything like anyone else’s…we all came up with something completely different…I mean completely…but we did have a good laugh!!!*

But doesn’t “think outside the box” just mean think beyond what is in front of you, the norm, what people expect?

When you get to Know Yourself…EVERYDAY…

YOU will realize that there is no “box” to think outside of…

The moment you need to discuss…well, compare with someone’s thoughts to create your own thoughts concerning your dreams being in your reality…now you’re inside of their “box”.

Last Thoughts…maybe...

Throw the box away, step outside of what is expected from you…by just being YOU!!!

There is no box to think outside of when there is no box to be compared to…

NOT Keeping Your Eyes on your own paper…that’s when you start having to “think outside the box”

Why???

Because you’re trying to recreate what you have “seen” be successful for someone else…

Versus…

Living out your own dreams that have their OWN path to manifesting success!

More GYC Quotes to think on:

“Don’t try to customize your dream when it was already designed for you to achieve …you just need to submit to the process.”-The Steps

“Don’t ask or tell me to think outside the box, I already threw it away! Okay? Okay.”-GYC Girl YOU Crazy

“I learned to be versatile by throwing the ‘box’ away.”-Lauren Alicia

“Throw the ‘box’ away if you want to live out your dreams, YOU have to create them!”-GYC Girl YOU Crazy

Ps. I’m ready when you are

------Signed: Your Imagination & Dreams!