Over the past couple of months, I’ve been dreaming about projects and setting goals for this year. As I mentioned here on my blog and in my Joy Letter, I’ve been taking my time with this. And it feels good.

Digging deep and writing in my journal and notebooks has me looking back at my creative journey and thinking a lot about dreams and dreaming.

14 years ago I dreamed of “living a more creative life,” but I didn’t have a clear understanding of what that meant to me. My dream of learning how to paint botanical watercolors was buried deep. Or maybe I just wasn’t brave enough to admit it.

Each of us is filled with dreams and ideas.

Sometimes those dreams are unfocused or nebulous. Sometimes we have trouble articulating them and sometimes we lack the confidence to even admit them.

Over the years my dreams have come into clearer focus, and although my first tentative brush strokes didn’t produce the beautiful paintings in my head, they were steps in the right direction. With each failure, I gained the courage to keep going. And to acknowledge the dreams living in my heart.

Some dreams, even ones that aren’t very big, can take a long time to develop. After I had confidently begun making art, it took me years to get comfortable working in sketchbooks. And years after I bought a block printing kit, I finally took it out of the drawer to use it.

Even when we have a clear dream or idea, it can be hard to know where to start.

We tell ourselves we don’t have the necessary skills or tools, that we don’t have enough time or the right space.

Although those are valid concerns, often, more than anything else, we’re afraid of failing.

I just finished a project that took its time.

I shared a preview of it last December when I gave away some sunflower stickers.

I’d been dreaming of making stickers with my art for a long time, but I didn’t know where to start.

Taking a class was my first step.

Ordering samples from a variety of companies was my next.

Then the project stalled.

I couldn’t decide which sticker manufacturer to use, which type of sticker to purchase or which of my botanical watercolor designs to use.

As with any part of bringing a dream to life, making decisions is something you just need to do.

I was afraid of making the wrong decisions, but done is better than perfect and mistakes are part of the process.

So I broke the project down into smaller parts, gave myself deadlines and got to work.

Having a clear plan and small, simple steps made the project much more doable.

Now my first sticker collection is here:

As with so many projects I tackle, now that I’m finished, I wonder what took me so long.

My list of dreams and ideas is long. Some are still coming into focus. Some are well underway. Some have been set aside for the time being. Last year was hard for me. I struggled to find the energy and motivation to move forward with projects. But something has shifted and I’m energized to continue bringing my dreams to life.

What dreams have you been dreaming? What ideas would you like to bring to life?

If you’ve been hesitating to begin something new, these ideas might help:

• Start by dreaming.

  • Take your time imagining. Write in your journal. Read old journals. Get still and listen to your heart.

  • This is a very important part of the process, but eventually, you need to go from dreaming to doing.

• Do some research. What might you need to get started?

  • What tools or materials?

  • Do you need to take a class? Watch a video online? Read a book?

  • Take time with this, too, but just with dreaming, don’t get stuck here!

• Break your project down into smaller parts. The smaller, the better!

• Give yourself due dates for each step of the project.

• Then get busy! And don’t forget to have fun with the process.

Remember that it’s ok for a project to take its time. If you make a mistake, fail or miss a deadline, be gentle with yourself. You’re learning. Try again and keep going.

I hope your year is off to a good start and that you’re listening to your creative heart. Here’s to dreaming and doing!