LAURA KIDD: HOW DO WE ACTION OUR DREAMS?

Commitment.

This has been a running theme in my life for the past few years. I think once I started to realize how challenging it is to firstly decide to do something and then follow it through to the end, I found value in commitment.

Commitment — to relationships, jobs, heck — even cities, is a challenge I notice a lot of people facing, myself included. Speaking on behalf of my millennial experience, I'm living in a world where I have a lot more social freedom than my parents and grandparents did. It's perfectly fine to get married or not, have kids or not, have multiple careers, travel the world, or all at the same time, and blog about it!

Despite it's challenges, I've found so much beauty in commitment and wanted to share with you what it means to me.

This week I was reminded of a quote I posted back in 2015.

Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would have otherwise occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no one could have dreamt would come their way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. - W.H. Murray

The essence of this quote is what has given me the realization to dream big no matter what. When we decide on what we want to achieve and dedicate ourselves to it, we're committing. That's the hard part. To be wild enough to dream big. Once we decide, or commit, things begin happening that contribute to our dreams being realized. Things that can't be explained by conventional methods.

Things can be positive and obvious like meeting someone, seeing a specific number or object that relates to your dream, getting a job or volunteer position, or finding out helpful information. Or they can be seemingly negative like maybe you didn't get a job you wanted (because that job wouldn't have led to you getting a different job that is actually better). Or maybe you failed at something (but it led you to come to realizations that have in turn helped you improve).

This doesn't just happen to a select few people either. It can work for anyone. The problem is most are consumed by over-working, stress and anxiety, that they're unable to notice when the things happen. So, how do we begin to notice when opportunities come knocking? This is where my yoga and meditation practice comes in. When I began to really work on clearing my mind, I began to notice so many things that I didn't before. Whenever I am struggling to find an answer, it usually comes to me during meditation.

Commitment came up again when I was in the Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training course. We were given homework to write one page on what Commitment meant to us. At first, I really wasn't sure what to write. But when I looked at the word from a different angle, I found that I related to it much more than I thought. Here's an excerpt of what I wrote:

When I think back on anything I’m proud of, it all stems back to a commitment that I made to myself. As a teen, I realized that I could either let my given circumstances dictate how my life would go or I could put my foot down and choose not to. Choosing to be different, to do different, and expect different isn’t the easy path but was and is the only path for me.

Commitment, though, doesn’t come without work, sacrifice, and will power. It’s the difference between fantasy and reality. We’re only limited by the limits we place on ourselves so if we’re crazy enough to dream something up, our commitment will make our dreams a reality.

Is there any better feeling than deciding to do something and actually following through to the end?

Commitment came up once again this past September when my work-wife-bae got married. She sort of re-defined what that can look like. Their day was really about love. Simply love. It was understated and whimsical, classy yet modern. I was so honoured to be part of this special day. Here's what me and my date (aka my twin Lisa) wore to the wedding.