Building MY Personal DREAM

[Zenita Nicholson]

During the CLC Workshop UNAIDS hosted in September, 2011. I did my first dream building exercise..we were given about 10 minutes to do this .....this is what I drew:

My dream spoke of having easy, readily available access to Mental Health support / services for everyone.......of having no taboo / stigma  when accessing mental health support / services .....of taking care of our mental well being on a personal level through yoga, meditation , positive socialising like being in nature. I dreamt of caring for the environs by  planting trees.....here I discovered that I am completely taken with the Palm tree...lol... later I  confirmed this since 90% of my sketches were some sort of Palm plant! O Palm Tree, I love thee! *_* 

Some time past,.... currently I am doing the blended learning program. I am at Module 3, Build YOUR dream. Here I have been asked, what is your personal dream? This is an account of that process...

 

I have written in my notebook on this exercise for nearly three days now, at first all kinds of ideas spewed from me....Soon I found myself hesitating..I know I must post in the forum ...yet ....here I am ....witnessing my own thinking...

I came across a quote that STOPPED me in my tracks...it reads,"the pessimist curses the wind, the optimist hopes it will change, the realist adjusts the sails"

Soon ....I found myself adjusting my sails......thinking ....*_*
+ Is this "MY" dream for a competent community?
+ Yes,seriously , from the heart?
+ Is this what I honestly want to create and manifest?
+ What exactly do I want to see?
+ Where is my community right now?
+ How to do this?
+ Who has similar dreams to mine? Perhaps we can support each other and make our dream a reality.
+ How is this beneficial to my community? ..again? 
+ Is this achievable?
+ Am I committed to seeing this happen or is it just talk shop?

This is a first time experience for me, I have never heard myself in such an intimate mental dialogue before. It's nice. 

From all the chatter ...I organised my thoughts ...which reflects that there are indeed so many things I envision in my competent community. Things that overlap and cross cut each other.

So I pulled out the framework of the mental vision,of what my competent community at this point in my life would look like. *_*

 

My mental vision of my competent community...... firstly, is one where there is easy, regular, ready access to Mental Health support / services and knowledge. Our mind is a very POWERFUL tool, a tool we do not have the instructions manual to *_* . Using orthodox approaches such as having Psychosocial support / services accessible to everyone with no taboo attached to accessing these services…No related stigma ….and Mental Health being a priority for our local Ministry. In addition other approaches such as doing an Art of Living course, where the ancient breathing technique called Sudarshan Kriya is taught, through Yoga and meditation to care our most precious asset…our mind!

Secondly, for a sustainable CLEAN  environment I dreamt of planting more trees, flowers …the placement of more bins for trash ..and of course recycle.. recycle …..recycle. Let’s all walk with a reusable market bag when going shopping *_* rather than collecting so many plastic bags ..these are very little things we can do, that have such a BIG impact! Also by meditating….some say that this improves our space…  I personally endorse this! It works! Do it and see what happens…what have you got to lose? *_*

Thirdly, we live in a very diverse world, all the people in my drawing, are significant of this, there is acceptance and support of that diversity …the differences that are there, whether it is that we are differently abled, straight, gay, lesbian, bi sexual , transgender, young, old, …whatever the differences …..And though it appears that there are differences, there really is none….some things are beyond what we see, and this is one.

The SERENITY Prayer came to mind here:
Lord grant me the SERENITY to ACCEPT the things I CANNOT CHANGE ,the COURAGE to CHANGE the things that I can and the WISDOM to KNOW the DIFFERENCE. Amen.

Now I have pasted on my wall at home .....the visions I created of my Dreams as a stimulating reminder of what I have to get done ....soon I will putting up alongside it ....what and who can help me get it done *_*

[Zenita Nicholson]

Dear Laurence, 

I now see what you were stimulating within me.....I am back to the drawing table ....doing a self assessment .....seeing where I am ...I beleive I have some re defining to do ......where it is more achievable ...maybe a SMART approach *_* Bless you. With Love, Zenita 

[Zenita Nicholson]

Dear Laurence, 

You have given me much to reflect on! I could not possibly give you an answer earlier *_* ..You have led me to a place within...where I sit on a log under the dark velvet starry sky , by a warm camp fire roasting smores *_* ...it's nice there .....my role in my community is what I am expert in....being ME..... lol ..it is maintaining  that connectedness and being rooted in my PRACTICES....I know that it's a long shot to influence change in an entire Ocean (community), when it comes to acceptance , caring for the environment and so on.  ...yet I know that I can influence the ocean one drop at a time. I also am part of a great community of "seva warriors" that supports my dream or my dream supports theirs ...Art of Living,. Teaching courses ....will allow me to facilitate the process of  transporting  each person to that place.....where that inward journey begins.... ...one that can only be experienced ...I feel that once persons are on that journey...everything else falls into place....the caring for the environment. and so on....*_* it comes naturally .....as we begin to grow into our true nature ..."LOVE" ...there are also some projects that I am working on....in raising awareness for a cleaner greener environment..xoxo 

[Zenita Nicholson]

Naomi, thank you for telling me that you feel in- spired (in - spirit) , my interpretation - my connection to the Universe is strong and Good!  *_*

[Zenita Nicholson]

Thank you Gaston! That's is a great idea I will also do that when I do my self assessment ! Put it on the wall, I find that when I see  pictures, I relate better and it becomes alive for me...it opens up so many possibilities xoxo 

[Laurence Gilliot]

Hi Zenita,

 

Wonderful dream. I love to follow your mind process. I think that our dreams, if they are genuine, do not come from the mind but it comes from the heart, from a place of inner knowing. I find that drawing helps a lot to access this part of our being. We use visual images.

How do you see your role in your dream community? What is your contribution?

 

Thank you for sharing.

 

Laurence

[Gaston]

Wonderful and inspiring. Not much more to say about it. I like how you added the flag to the last photo. The fact of putting the dream on the wall is a great idea. 

 

I know in Guinea, West Africa, UNICEF used CLCP applied to malaria in hundreds of communities. They would do their self-assessment and hang it in their community hall so they would be reminded every time of their local journey when they would be there. Next time, I'll talk to our coach there (Idrissa Souare), I'll share your story. 

[Naomi Singh]

Great thoughts Zenita! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your intimate mental dialogue (smile). Your questions reminded me of when I used to look at the Miss World pageants where the judge would ask the contestants about their dreams and many would answer "WORLD PEACE!!!". Have you seen any of them in the forefront fighting for World Peace? These cliche answers are quite the IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS. They mean nothing. What they sometimes are is an answer to a question we feel compelled to answer.. what we think people will want to hear.

You have a dream with direction and purpose and with personal meaning... Keep it up! And thanks for sharing.. you have inspired me.

[Zenita Nicholson]

Thank you Irit ..It's a joy sharing! and especially receiving feedback and unwavering support from my CLC family *_*  <3 <3 <3

[irit hakim-keller]

A beautiful dream and fulfilling.

thanks for sharing.

shared :) on FB