So Much Potential

A few years ago, I had a dream where my elementary school art teacher and I were catching up. (He was my favorite teacher, and I absolutely loved art) In the dream, he was telling me about another former fellow student and he was talking about the other student not living up to what they're capable of. He finished the conversation with something along the lines of "...such a shame, they had so much potential..."

And I remember in that dream thinking about if I was in the same boat, not living up to my full potential. That dream still haunts me.

Most people brush off dreams like this, but I felt it was something in my subconscious trying to wake me up. I had been living scared. I wasn't reaching far enough. I was sitting in a "safe" zone in hopes of pleasing everyone. I was content with mediocrity because that's what I surrounded myself with.

I was too afraid of failing, or what other people would think that I was not being who I knew myself to be capable of being. Since then, I've gone out of my way to be more active with my goals and aspirations. I push myself every single day to be better than the day before. I fight like heck to reach more and more for that potential version of myself that I know I'm capable of if I just try. I silence that self-doubt now, more than ever. I recognize that if I share my goals with someone and they laugh it off, or try and deter me from trying, that reflects more on their self-image and doubt than anything else.

I might not succeed at everything I try. In fact, I know I won't. Trying to put myself and my skills out there is not easy. I'd be shocked if it ever is. BUT I'm not going to give up on trying because I know that I have so much potential, and if you're reading this, know you do too.