Are you living your dreams?

For the last several days my Facebook and Instagram feeds have been blowing up with images and quotes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Most of the comments and messages are from Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream," speech which contains a list of inspirational dreams. Some of those dreams have manifested into something greater than I ever imagined. For example, I never thought that I would live to see the day that an African American would be elected as president, twice. 

Mahalia Jackson & MLK(bottom right) 

If Dr. King listened to his advisers who told him not to do the "I Have a Dream" speech for the March on Washington on August 28, 1963, I'm pretty sure the United States would be very different today. Good thing Dr. King listened to gospel singer Mahalia Jackson who shouted out: "Tell them about the dream, Martin!"  (YouTube clip of the speech below)

But what about your dreams? The new dreams, or the old dreams that you put on the back burner or tossed out in the trash because people said, "You can never do that. That dream is unrealistic. You're too old. You're not skilled enough." Well, it's time that you stop listening to those people. Tune them out completely and head to the trash bin and dig those dreams out. 

I'll admit, I rarely share my dreams with anyone because I have a habit of listening to their pessimistic advice and not pursue those dream. A few months later I'm kicking myself because I realized how stupid I was for sharing my dreams with that person in the first place. 

Your dreams belongs to you, that's why they are your dreams. You don't have to share them with everybody. Dr. King shared his dream with more than 200,000 Civil Rights supporters on The Mall in Washington D.C. that day but not everyone was moved. William Sullivan, the head of the FBI's domestic intelligence division at the time, responded to Dr. King's speech in a note where he stated that Dr. King proves to be "the most dangerous Negro of the future in this Nation from the standpoint of communism, the Negro and national security." Of course this was absolutely absurd but Dr. King knew that he had to share his dream because it was his civic duty. Just like Dr. King, know that it is your responsibility to nurture your dreams and give them an opportunity to come to life but you have to be selective with who you share your thoughts and ideas… especially in this day and age of social media. 

Now if you have an army of supportive friends then share away. But if there is one who talks down your idea please don't give up on your dream just because he or she tells you that your dream is a bunch of crock.

So what are your dreams? 

• Are you working toward starting that catering business? 
• Do you want to get that singing career off the ground? 
• Plans for a family? 
• A backpacking trip through Europe?
• Saving for a home? 
• Owning a condo in Miami, Fla. and a co-op in Manhattan, N.Y.? 
• Do you want to change your career to one that's more rewarding? 
• Would you like to give back to the community? 
• Pick up a new hobby? 
• Learning a new language?
• Are you ready to live your dreams?