4 Simple “Dream” Ideas for Setting New Year’s Goals

Dreams are weird. I think most of us can relate. Who hasn’t had a dream that was so bizarre you could never invent it if you tried? Sometimes they reflect our hopes and desires, sometimes our worries and fears, and sometimes what we ate for dinner. I don’t know about you but every once in awhile, I have dreams that seem… different. More meaningful. You can call that fate or coincidence or God speaking or random nothingness or whatever you like, but they are special.

I was recently reminded of one of those dreams. I tend to be more reflective this time of year and that led me to look at some old journal notes. I stumbled across a dream that I had written down on Dec 31, 2015 because it felt like one of the “more meaningful” variety. It seems somehow appropriate for Old Year’s reflection and New Year’s goal setting so I thought I’d share it here. I hope that it helps you decide on what you want to achieve or, more importantly, who you want to be in the year ahead. Remember, this is a recording of a dream so take that into account as you assess the weirdness factor :)

I dreamed that I was talking with four friends about life. About what I’d learned and things that helped me live the life I wanted. The odd part is that they were all playing on a giant swing set while we talked. Go figure. Here are the four things I shared:

1.  PLAY – it’s the field where new ideas are birthed and all things are
possible. What does playing look like for you? What gives you joy and makes you feel like a wide-eyed child again? Do that regularly in the new year and see where it leads you.

2.  DREAM – allow God and/or your own imagination to bring visions to your mind and heart. Dream big dreams. What are you passionate about? What would you attempt if you knew you wouldn’t fail? What would you try if you had unlimited resources? Take a few minutes to regularly let your mind run free this year. It will probably point you in some new, life-giving directions.

3.  PRAY – ask God for wisdom and direction on what you should do. If the God thing isn’t for you, seek advice from others you respect on significant decisions you need to make or ideas you have. This is a smart thing to do in addition to prayer anyway. It can help you focus your efforts and avoid pitfalls in the year ahead.

4.  PLAN – prepare, organize, and do the work of going after your dreams. When I lived in Michigan, we had an auto insurance acronym called P.L.P.D. I don’t remember what it stood for but I’ve revamped it for my own life to stand for Pray, List, Prioritize, Do. It’s been a helpful framework to give some direction to my goals for years.

So there you have it. Advice from a dream to consider for the New Year. Is there helpful wisdom there? I’ll let you be the judge. Whatever you decide, I hope you’ll be joining me this year as we chase the life we really desire! If you do, you’ll take another big step toward Becoming Yourself.