I’m someone who likes to curate various blog posts and insert links, posts, graphics etc into them in WordPress but I may not hit the Publish button.

So there’s a steady collection (and building) of DRAFT blog posts.

This morning while doing my monthly clean up of the back end of WordPress, updating plugins, checking out the spam blockers and cleaning up the notifications, I decided to go through my DRAFTS folder and re-read these half written posts.

Many of them didn’t make sense to me at all so they were deleted.

However, I found others that I will return to and create a blog when I get the chance.

These draft blog posts really are a record of my interests, thinking, work in progress and passions over time.

I found this particular one called “My Dreams” that piqued my curiosity because since 2015 I have been steadily ‘ticking off’ items on my dream list.

This is What I Wrote in 2015…

One of the tasks that my business coach asked me to do was to create a “Dream Board”.  A board that has all the things I want to do and achieve in my lifetime or aspire to. Of course, things like “health, well-being and world peace” are in it but I had to think of things a little bit more specific to me.  Some of them are quite achievable, others are a bit frivolous but nevertheless, show a bit of my character.  Sometimes these are also called, “Vision Boards”.

The board can be created in any matter – it’s a personal choice.  Some may cut out pictures from magazines, others may create a Pinterest board while others may simply write them down on some nice notepaper.  I decided to use Canva to get all my dreams down and see how I go.

This is what I came up with and I’m happy to share it with you.  (I figure if it’s “out there”, you never know what opportunities may arise with people seeing it and so becoming a reality).

If I had to hone in on one that would be the most professionally and personally significant to me would be to ‘Start a movement that becomes a Legacy’ (and the Third Place In the ‘Burbs is something that has been playing out in my mind).

If there was one that would provide me with such delight, pleasure and a need to get down to the most fundamental and basic elements of craft and nature would be to spend time somewhere in northern Scotland or its isles learning woolcraft and knitting in a small community. The more rural, the better.

If there was one where I could just be a helper on set so that I can simply view how creative people form, interplay with the various roles and create a movie from story to up on the big screen, would be to be involved in filmmaking behind the scenes – simply for my own curiosity.

I’m all for experiences.  Despite my circumstances that don’t allow me to simply up and travel freely now, I know I could do this easily if I had the opportunity. I have done it in the past with solo travel and cultural experiences.  I just haven’t had my ‘fill’ yet.  I wonder if people who experience travel from early age ever do?

Do you have a dream board?  Why don’t you share yours too!

What’s Happened Since 2015?

Well, this was surprising.

Although I cannot travel internationally as much as I’d like to, it is and will remain one of the most critical needs of my life.  However, I’m now more open to travelling locally and make an effort to be a tourist in my own town until such a time I can get on a plane and head off to other countries and experience different cultures.  I am happy to say that I have travelled with my parents since creating the vision board and we’re already planning some more local and regional trips because we keep great company and in good spirits when we do.

Filmmaking (Learning to Make Films as well as working behind the scenes of a film) has also been ticked off.  In fact, we created a short film that made our local cinema as part of the Senior Citizens Festival in 2016 as I was selected to be part of an intergenerational film project that was sponsored by the local council.  This made me appreciate the work that goes into creating film and the different roles people play.  It also was a creative outlet for me because it allowed me to experience a process – from idea inception to seeing your effort on the big screen.  Usually, in life, we don’t see the end product of our efforts – but seeing it on the big screen made the hard work that went behind it make sense – and I was grateful for the opportunity.

Although I can’t say any more about a particular project I’m already in discussion, my filmmaker friend and I pitched an idea to a potential client to project manage the film shoot of a production so if they agree to that, I can tick this one off the list too. Fingers crossed (because it will meld my love of history, story telling and learning).

Later this year, I have been invited to present at LearnTech Asia 2017 in Singapore so I can cross that goal off the list too.

I’m 99% finished with an book I wrote on Snapchat: Bringing Your Work and Expertise To The World (title TBC) which is currently in the process of being edited.   I’ll have more information about that soon.  It’s work related though.

Many people have asked me to write a book “for credibility” but I keep putting it off.  If I’m entirely honest with myself it’s because I feel as if I’ve been writing, filming, creating for many years – and much of it is online.  Do a Google search and you’d see it all – and is a much richer experience – you see my work, my thinking, my face, my voice –  than a one-dimensional book.  When so many people are writing books, I feel as if writing yet another one into the plethora and noise of others out there won’t help matters, or help me.  If evidence of my work online, testimonials or networks aren’t credibility enough…well…

Tick – white Christmas thanks to a trip to France and Germany last December and January.

The staying healthy and active is ongoing.  Over two years ago, I had stopped any additional spending to cut costs drastically and one of them was an expensive gym membership.  However, if I was entirely truthful to myself, I really hate exercise but I love variety.  I revisited my finances and joined back up again enjoying different classes, swimming pool, pilates, yoga and the social element that a gym provides.

Overall, I think I’m on the right track on achieving as much as possible.  Ultimately, it’s all about travel and immersing myself into that experience.  Everything else is nice to have.

I think meeting Casey Niestat is a matter of time in fact.  I have a sneaking suspicion it will happen somewhere and somehow.

Eurovision. That’s also a matter of time too.

My tropical shirt is in the cupboard waiting to be worn, however, with a husband who despises heat, beach and sand I think that one will have to wait – or I go on my own.

Scotland – standby. I will return to you my friend.

What are your dreams or goals?  Do you have a vision board?