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I was used to viewing life with optimism, welcoming each new dream with a passionate yes, overcoming my inner critic’s self-destructive thoughts with determination, meeting each new challenge with grace, and believing in gratitude as my mantra.
Not this time.
One day, and for many days after that, I found myself sitting on my sofa emotionally paralyzed and depressed. I don’t remember the exact reason. I might have been triggered by one of the tougher times in my marriage, the ups and downs of trying to be a “perfect” mom, professional stressors, confusing emotions, financial issues, or hormonal fluctuations. It could have been any of these things, or none.
As I sat in my inner cave of darkness, a feeling of hopelessness enveloped me.
Then, a miracle. Despite the darkness I was feeling, I remember the exact moment when an unexplainable whoosh of loving energy pulled me up from the couch, brought me to my music room, sat me down on the piano bench, placed my hands on the keys, and in the stillness, I suddenly heard a beautiful melody with stirring words gently enter my body, mind, and spirit.
It was a song that seemed to come out of nowhere, opened my heart, rekindled the dreamer within my soul, and succeeded in moving my emotions from a place of hopelessness to a place of hope.
As I sang each word with passionate longing and reignited intentions, my fingers seemed to be on autopilot, intuitively sensing how to play the song as if I had known it forever.
The professional version of “If You Have a Dream” can be heard on any music streaming service under my stage name, “Cheryl Melody,” but you and I know the truth. I didn’t write this song. I had otherworldly help from a mystical energy greater than myself.
Chorus:
If you have a dream, hold on to the dreamer.
Fill yourself up with music and light.
Reach out to Spirit who gave you meaning.
Trust in your dreams both day and night.
As we focus on these lyrics together, it is my joy to motivate and stimulate your own heart of dreams by interpreting what the gift of each word symbolizes.
First line, first phrase: “If you have a dream.”
Whether or not you are an innate dreamer, lost your dreams along the way, or have never known how to dream, the words, “if you have a dream,” are here to encourage you to set aside time to daydream, to…
>> Envision.
>> Imagine.
>> Be.
>> Breathe.
>> Create.
>> Explore.
>> Discover.
>> Believe.
>> Heal.
In school and out of school, I was the kind of child who stared out the window while I dreamed my next dream. Whether or not you were like this too, it is never too late to manifest your dreams into real-time existence.
It all begins by taking the art of daydreaming seriously. As Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”
As you envision new goals, dreams, projects, and purposes for yourself and for the world, do your best to let go of your inner critic and all the “buts” in your head. Don’t let “buts” override your desire to live your one life fully.
The inner world of “buts.”
>> But I can’t do it.
>> But it’s not the right time.
>> But I don’t have the money.
>> But I don’t know enough yet.
>> But I’m not in shape.
>> But I’ll make a fool out of myself.
>> But I need his or her permission.
>> But what if I fail?
>> But I need to take care of everyone else’s needs first.
The inner world of “yes.”
>> Yes, I can do anything I put my mind to.
>> Yes, the time is now.
>> Yes, life is full of abundance.
>> Yes, there are unlimited possibilities in the world.
>> Yes, I have the power to change my life.
>> Yes, each small step I take toward my dream makes it closer to coming true.
>> Yes, I am ready.
>> Yes, I give myself permission to honor my dreams.
>> Yes, I believe in this dream and all of who I really am.
>> Yes, I matter.
First line, second phrase: “hold on to the dreamer.”
No matter what challenges present themselves to you, keep believing in yourself and in your dreams. Even if money is scarce and even if no one is there to encourage you, hold on to the dreamer inside you.
Consistently honor and value your beautiful, persistent, determined, gifted, resilient self, and above all, never give up—no matter what.
If you are still affected by the negative comments you received from all the naysayers of your past and present, shoo their words away and create positive affirmations that replace their unfounded admonitions.
Naysayer’s words: “Don’t do that. There’s no money in that career. Besides, you won’t like it. Mark my words.”
Your words: “I define who I am. I give myself all the permission I need to step toward the actualization of my dreams.”
Second line of chorus: “Fill yourself up with music and light.”
Feed your soul with everything and anything that anoints you with joy, happiness, passion, delight, gratitude, and emotional satisfaction.
Third line of chorus: “Reach out to Spirit who gave you so much meaning.”
When I was 15, I met Morris. He was a mystic, poet, musician, doctor, and artist, and he gave me a burst of wisdom that has lasted my entire life and is the basis for all I do and how I do it. As you read his words of wisdom, what are your takeaways for your own life?
“You have been blessed with many talents, my friend. It is your responsibility to share them. Do not hide. Carve your unique imprint. Give back. This is the only way to reflect a spiritual thank you to the universe for all the gifts that you’ve been given.”
Fourth line of chorus: “Trust in your dreams both day and night.”
There’s that beautiful word. Trust. Trust in yourself, trust in the magical mystery of the unknown, and trust that you are being guided toward the fulfillment of your dreams even when it’s not obvious to you.
Take a leap of faith and step toward your life with a resounding yes! Believe in yourself. Love yourself. Be yourself. Don’t hide. Don’t hold back, and if you do hold yourself back or life hasn’t spotlighted the right timing for you to pursue your dreams yet, tell yourself and the universe, “Here I am world! I’m ready now. I’m ready to listen to your whispers, my wisest knowing, and my highest intuition, and follow the passions of my heart all the way.”
Above all, breathe in the affirmations in “If You Have a Dream.”
>> Rise to your true self. Who you really are.
>> Your life is filled with unlimited possibilities. Reach for the stars!
>> You have the power to make your dreams come true.
>> The power is all inside you to dream, to act upon your dreams, to love, to find peace within, and to be all of who you really are.
>> Stand fully in yourself. In your “I Am.”
>> Look up high in all you do.
My gift from my heart to yours: As a way of saying a spiritual thank you and yes to the universe, my professional recording of “If You Have a Dream” is enclosed. May it inspire you to release all your “buts” and step into your life of dreams and dreams-to-be with a passionate yes!
As you listen to the song in its entirety, sit back, close your eyes, put your hands on your heart, inhale and exhale deeply and slowly, and imagine that I am singing these words directly to you.
Because I am, dearest dreamer, I am. No “buts” about it.
Please Note: “If You Have a Dream” is included in Cheryl Melody Baskin’s interactive audiobook, Heart-Dreamer: Stepping into Life, Love, Creativity and Dreams – No Matter What. It can be downloaded from any audiobook distribution service.
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AUTHOR: CHERYL MELODY BASKIN
IMAGE: AUTHOR'S OWN
EDITOR: LISA ERICKSON
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