Episode 60 - ‘Dreaming Big’ vs ‘Opening up to Infinitely Exciting Possibilities’
Have you been told to 'dream bigger'?
In this Episode I explain why, despite this being a nice idea, it doesn't work for me - and how I get my brain and body to open up to endless possibilities instead.
You'll learn how to courageously, adventurously and sensuously step into your true desires to uncover what you really want and start living into that dream.
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Full Episode Text
Episode 60 - 'Dreaming Big' vs. 'Opening up to infinitely exciting possibilities'
Welcome to this episode of the managing the smart mind podcast with Master Certified Coach Else Kramer, a.k.a. Coach Kramer.
Hey Smart Human,
One of the best things people can say to me is:
‘That’s never going to work.’ or
‘You’ll never achieve that.’
To me, that’s like the best incentive ever to do it anyway.
Maybe you’re the same - and you’ve created some pretty fun stuff because other people DIDN’t believe in you.
But we don’t want to rely on the naysayers when it comes to building a beautiful life.
And without them, we tend to play small.
To stay underneath our own ‘glass ceiling’.
Why?
Well, first of all, we can’t really see what is beyond that. What infinite number of things are also possible for us.
In addition, there is a lot of inner chatter interfering with and blocking our true desires.
The moment we start thinking
‘oh, woudln’t it be nice if I became the face of the next Dior campaign’,
or
‘If the government gave me a 10 million stipendium to create awareness around giftedness’
Or
‘If I got invited to teach a creativity workshop at this really cool company in Kyoto’
Our brain shuts down that train of thought.
Why?
It thinks it needs to protect us from disappointment, ridicule or disapproval.
That’s ALL it is, really.
But here’s a secret.
Once you are willing to risk disappointment, ridicule or disapproval (the latter will be there pretty much regardless of what you do anyway), you can start to have the most amazing, crazy fun life.
Doing things you can’t even conceive of right now.
Which brings me to dreaming BIG.
This is a concept many coaches use to get you into a dreaming/thinking space outside your own, relative small norm.
Which, in itself, is a great idea.
But when someone tells me to ‘dream Big’, dream bigger!, it doesn’t work for me at all.
When someone says ‘dream BIG’ I have this knee-jerk reaction of dreaming up skyscrapers and fast cars and Helmut Newton women and endless sunny days…
A mash-up of Miami Vice and Wolf of Wallstreet and a bunch of other movies which have nestled in my brain under the umbrella concept ‘making it BIG’ but which have nothing to do with what I, personally, aspire to.
Dreaming ‘BIG’ doesn’t work for me - it just conjures up this Hollywood-approved cardboard version of reality.
So what DOES work when it comes to moving beyond what your brain currently misguidedly thinks is possible?
Dreaming courageously, adventurously, and sensuously.
Using your entire body to ‘feel into’ your dreams.
To ‘sample’ them, live into them and experience what they feel like without shutting them down because your brain can’t believe they could come true.
That’s dreaming adventurously and sensuously.
The courageous part?
That’s fulling your nudges.
That first thing that comes up when you’re daydreaming could be an image of you baking sourdough bread - when you were expecting to see yourself in a glamorous office or on a stage in front of thousands of people.
So when that happens, you want to be courageous.
Don’t judge yourself.
If you see sourdough bread in your future: run with it.
Get curious.
What about this is appealing to me?
Do I long for more touch?
For the joy of making?
Do I want to find ways of nourishing other people?
And then ask:
How can I get some (or more) of this into my current life?
You also want to be courageous enough to not fall into the guil-trap.
Guilt about being capable of so much, being so smart and talented, maybe already HAVING so much - AND THEN WANTING EVEN MORE.
Let it go.
It’s a complete waste of time.
The desire for an even better life doesn't make you a bad person - it’s just a feeling in your body.
No need to feel guilty about it - not useful either.
How you go about fulfilling that desire is a different issue.
But wanting something is neither good nor evil.
It’s an emotional reaction in your physical body.
So instead of defaulting into guilt, drop into the dream.
What does it feel like to want this thing?
This experience?
This life?
What does this desire teach you?
And how can you start answering its call in small ways, starting today?
Listen.
Lean into the feeling.
Start playing with it through small actions.
And see what infinite possibilities start unfolding.
Have a fabulous week,
Else a.k.a. Coach Kramer
Want to fall back in love with your life and work? Then I can help. DM me on LinkedIn, or Instagram to learn how you can work with me, or email me via podcast@elsekramer.com.
Thank you for listening to the Managing the Smart Mind Podcast, I love that at
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