Let me start by stating, I have no choice!! I HAVE to Dream Bigger! Have to have Bigger Dreams!! Why? Because I have such a sense of urgency now at the age of 70. With the Good Lord’s help and this incredible opportunity with RRR247, I am more determined than ever to Dream Bigger and to live my life to the fullest and with purpose.
LESSONS
So, what does Dreaming Bigger REALLY mean? And can you really dream big even at this age?
OF COURSE, YOU CAN!! I know I have mentioned my age but I have said it because I, for one, do not buy into the whole “age”, your too old to do things, mentality. I’m a firm believer in, with God’s help and a positive attitude, you can achieve anything. and I truly believe God has been preparing me for what lay ahead with RRR247.
This past year has been a real challenge for me. Well, really the last 15. Blindsided by a divorce after 5 years, I returned to New York from Fort Worth/Dallas to care for my elderly parents. My only sister suffered from being bi-polar and for any of you folks out there dealing with someone who suffers from that hideous disease, it is truly a challenge. And one really needs the Holy Spirit to get you through the days.
Fast forward to 2022 and I am the sole survivor of my family. Too painful and sad to share all the details here. However, thanks to RRR247 and the incredible leadership of Rory and Tanya Ricord, I am on my way to the life that I know God has truly prepared me for.
Universal Truths
Before I go back to my story, let’s take a look at some universal truths. How do you start dreaming bigger? If we knew how we’d already do it, right? These universal truths apply to you no matter where you are in life or what mistakes you’ve made in the past. I’ve certainly made plenty in my 70 years.
Everything you want to achieve begins with a thought…so allow yourself the time and space to daydream, visualize, and use your imagination to craft the most amazing scenarios of what you want your life to be.
There is no dream that is too big to achieve. Whether you want to live in a mansion, be a Broadway performer, or own your own personal island, there is nothing too big for you to achieve.
We all have gifts and they are meant to be used, given, and shared in this life. Use it, gift it, apply it, but whatever you do, don’t waste it. Life is too precious to leave your song unsung, your book unwritten, or your dreams undone. Stop questioning if you are good enough, special enough, or gifted enough to do it. You have to believe you are!!
You are meant to thrive and that means doing great things and enjoying life. In fact, isn’t that what life is all about.? So, stop questioning your worth, let go of the stories you keep telling yourself about why or how or when you will be able to do XYZ and just do it already!
No matter where you are in your life, you will always be able to come up with an excuse to wait. Don’t. You may want to wait until you have more money, experience, time, courage, or when you are smaller, wiser, healthier or more mentally prepared, but the truth is there is no “perfect” time to do anything. Life changes daily and as long as you use that as an excuse to keep waiting, you’ll never begin.
Simple steps turn into big hits of inspiration that will open doors of opportunities you never knew were possible. This world is made of an intricate, seemingly invisible web that connects us all to amazing opportunities and possibilities. Your job is to take the first step and follow that web through your inspiration. Even the smallest act can create enough momentum to provide more progress than you know.
Your intuition is your inner GPS and when you are tapped into it, it will guide you along your path almost effortlessly.
You don’t have to know the “how”, the “when” or the “why” right now. Just trust that you will know the steps to take when the time is right and you will be amazed at the resources, time, money, and contacts that arrive exactly when you need them.
Have faith that it is coming together even when you can’t see the physical signs.
You are supported always, 100% of the time. There are people, friends, coaches, mentors, and your belief in God that will form your tribe to encourage and uplift you when you need it. Take the leap and know that if you need it, your tribe will catch you.
Taking a leap of faith allows the net to appear for you. It is amazing what positive expectations can do. We have to trust it!
Fun is important too! Being playful opens you to receive an abundance of inspiration, opportunities, and energy to accomplish your heart’s desires. So, give yourself some time to laugh, play, and get curious about life.
ME
For me, I always thought that my success depended on a man. Crazy to hear myself say it out loud now but that was how it was for me. I was caught between two worlds growing up. The traditional and the Women’s Movement that upended everything in the late sixties. Top that off with an overly critical parent, where the word “should” practically started every sentence, well, it didn’t do much for one’s self confidence.
For ten years, my sister Nancy and I attended a summer camp in the Adirondack Mountains in New York. My Dad was the Athletic Director which was how my sister and I were able to attend. It was primarily a pretty exclusive camp for kids from NYC, Syracuse in upstate NY and Montreal. My Mom stayed home for those months of July and August but this always perplexed me as I got older. From the ages of 7 to 17, the 4 of us in my family were under 4 different roofs. It saddened me as I got older and saw it for what it was. Dysfunction! But for me, it lead to a sense of real independence. Even with my three marriages, I remained fiercely independent. But it gave me my love for the mountains and with nature. One of my dreams is to have a Lodge in the Adirondacks close to Lake George. Still high on my list.
Myself
I became a bit of a Renaissance Woman. The definition is as follows and is so totally me – If you describe a woman as a Renaissance woman, you mean that she has a wide range of abilities and interests, especially in the arts and sciences. I have a curiosity about everything and as they say, a joie de vivre! Dreaming Bigger is about anyone who lives fully and passionately. Do you notice and appreciate the small things? Are you grateful for everything life offers you? Do people love being around you? It must be your joie de vivre!
I am a teacher, an esthetician, reflexologist, did a stint in broadcasting {radio, television and voice overs), a crafter of Christmas Ornaments, (The 12 Days of Christmas) but my favorite stretch in my dash of life, was being a server at the Aujourd’hui Restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston. It was ideal for me, combining my love of theatre, food and wine. ‘Twas showtime every evening and there was such glamour because so many of the stars would stay there. If I could do things over, becoming a sommelier would be on the list. But having a food truck selling my home made Baklava and Manicotti, where I make my own shells and incorporating my Italian and Greek Heritage is also right up there!
My Future
When I came across the PBS program, it clicked with me immediately. I knew in my heart of hearts and deep in my soul, that this is something I would do NO MATTER HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE! To be honest, I was not in the position to start when I did, yet, I knew I HAD to not let it pass me by. I was taking care of my elderly parents, working over night at The Turning Stone Casino as an overnight Room Service server and trying to do it piecemeal was hard. Too inconsistent. Different instructors. I was totally overwhelmed and frustrated.
In the five years I have been in, it has grown tremendously. Trainings and presentations have improved greatly! For those of us that remember the beginnings of our Wednesday Night Wine and Dines, they were really a hoot!! Now, they are as good as any Food Network Show!!!
But let me wrap things up with just a couple more of my dreams. E I would love to expand on each one of my interests I mentioned above. However, the ability and privilege to share my wealth is at the top of my dream list. To pay for someone’s groceries, to pick up a dinner tab, to give to shelters and primarily, to create a home for elderly animals that no one wants and to let them live the rest of their lives in dignity. Be it a cat, dog or horse. Not having children, my dogs were the closest thing to heaven to me. I miss them so. So, there are many things I hope to do with my success with RRR247.
My Work Ahead
There is much to do. I know I am better than the situation I am in. Buryng myself behind the pain, feelings, disappointments and rejection over the years has not been the best. I have been burying my gifts and they have to be dug out. This is my year of transformational thinking and I have to come out of hiding. If the only thing that changes is the date on the calendar, then my old life is going to continue. It is not the date that needs to change, it is my attitude. New Year. New Attitude. And to continue to DREAM BIGGER!! And I know it will happen with RRR247!
Response Magic