Follow Your Dreams

Do you have a dream, or a little something always niggling at the back of your mind that you would love to do? It might be something huge like a career change, or writing a book. Or a flash of inspiration for a new lifestyle, a new look, or better way of living. The new year is a brilliant time to put this into action, but any time is a good time. Time goes by so quickly that we should do all that we can to follow our dreams, or risk regretting it later.

You might be looking for something, but not know what it actually is. There’s just a feeling that something is not right, or you have a calling to do some good in the world, or to follow your passion. Work out what it is by taking some time to open up the mind; start meditating, read inspiring books, volunteer, do a course in a subject that interests you, and distance yourself from more negative parts of your life. Your dream might not be to do something new, it might be to stop doing something. To stop a bad habit, or break free from a fear or phobia, or overcome a troubling problem. A goal might be to help cure a health problem that is getting in the way of life. If you are stuck for inspiration, then updating your diet and fitness regime will always be of benefit. Looking good and feeling great helps our mental and physical health, as well as assisting us in dealing with the challenges of life.

Whatever the desired change is, the first step is to work out what your dream is, and then research the best way to achieve it. Spending the time doing research will pay off, as there may be simple but effective ways to achieve the goal, instead of a long-winded ineffective method. Once you know the way to go, then take little steps each day to achieve it. Set a time in each day or week, that is dedicated especially for this. Make this a time when you will not be disturbed, so you can be totally dedicated and really enjoy the planning and preparation. Enjoy the journey, as well as the destination.

It’s easy to get held back from making changes, with such busy lives plus work and family commitments. But if we are happy and content, then we can better help those around us. So it’s worth making this a priority in your life. The next hurdle is how to stick to it. Write down key dates and requirements in your diary, as you would with any other important event. Take these dates seriously, as seriously as you would a work commitment, and stick to it. Write down your goal on small pieces of paper, and then place them in areas where you will see them regularly. Place them in your purse, car, make-up bag and food cupboards - for regular reminders of where you want to be.

Financial factors can often be the limiting factor when it comes to following our dreams. There could be a way round it though, managing our budget better and dedicating more time to our dream in our free time.

It’s important to visualise yourself in the situation that you want to be in. At some point working towards your dream will become part of your everyday routine. If at any point you feel like you are failing or not near your goal, look back at how far you have come along, this will give you a lovely boost. Also, think how sad you will be in years to come to have not continued with your goal and passion. In the book Making Habits, Breaking Habits by Jeremy Dean, Jeremy researched how long it takes to make a new habit, or break an old habit. Jeremy found that the traditional belief that 21 days was enough to do this is not really correct, he found that habits could actually take 250 days to form. So do not give up, time goes by very quickly, so 250 days will actually fly by, and you could achieve an amazing amount in this time.

Your goal might not be a career change or following a dream, it might be to reinvent yourself, or your look. Start by decluttering belongings, clothes and old things no longer used or helpful in your life, take them to charity for a feel good lift. Decluttering can be hard, so follow these rules; is it useful or does it make you happy? If not, then you may not need it. A good clean up as well as finding new storage solutions to keep the things that you do love, can make you feel beautifully cleansed and refreshed.

A new look can be a great boost, so how about a new hair cut to put a spring in your step? We recommend spending a lot of time researching the looks that you like. When looking remember to take your own hair texture and length into account. Then visit a skilled stylist, who will be able to advise on the most flattering look for your face shape and features. If you love your cut, then try experimenting with new styles and ways of wearing your hair. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, and do the same thing every day.

Going to a beauty salon can also do wonders for your look. Beauty salons offer so many innovative boosting face and body treatments, there is definitely something for everyone. Eyebrow looks are still massive and they really shape the face, so a great look that suits our unique features can do good things for us, and give a lovely lift. Coloured nails can bring a bit of life and sparkle to our days, and there is now lots of natural nail varnishes to choose from. Similarly, a wardrobe refresh will bring some uplifting colour and style into our lives. The sales are a great time to buy classic styles at good prices, but take care buying out of season, as fashion styles do change. If updating your look and looking after yourself more is a goal for you, then Nakin can help with the skincare element. We offer high performance natural anti-ageing skincare. To help skin look as fabulous as possible, and without harsh chemicals. Take a look at our full range of natural face care at www.nakinskincare.com to see some of the best skincare products available. This includes Nakin’s full range of gentle cleansers, sumptuous face moisturisers and eye creams and luxury lip, face oils and face treatments.