decision with the information we had at the time. If we didn't act, our puppies would still be a dream and not new cherished members of the family. Sure, we could have continued to research and study our options leading to paralysis by analysis. Where you tell yourself you need to continue to study, or everything must be perfect for your dream to come true. In this case, we would have continued to imagine puppies, but we would have never actually added them to our family. Dreams are messy and will never be perfect, but they can be perfectly acted on.
- This is the first way that dreams are like puppies. You see, we often visualize our dreams, but rarely do we move past the research and study stage. Instead, we become frozen by the fear and the what-if game. Our minds allow us to see how terrible it would be if our dreams failed or if they came true. We never move out of the study stage.
- With a family of five, we had to have a shared agreement to bring a new member into the house. While we needed to compromise about bringing a new puppy into the house, it was not a unanimous decision. Our son with autism wasn't super stoked about a new puppy, and the rest of the family would struggle with picking out Archer as a name, how to best train, whether they could be on the couch or have to stay off the sofa, etc. This is the second way dreams are like puppies. Too often, we look for everyone to give their 100% approval to our dreams, but that is not needed. Your dream is your dream, not mine. When you look for unanimous support, you will find complete frustration. Instead, look for structured support for your dreams. We didn't all agree on every aspect of the puppies, and we may not live in the future, but we all decided to support each other with potty training, walking him, and providing a safe place to grow.
- Puppies have a lot of energy, and Archer is a high-energy dog; he is basically the dog version of me. You must exercise them, allowing them to reach their full potential as companions, and so they don't destroy your house. You guessed it; this is the third way dreams are like puppies. If you don't exercise your dreams, they will become bored and rattle around in your mind for a while and eventually will start to destroy your house. Most dreams need to find an outlet so you can exercise them, take them for a walk, or play catch with them, but if you only want your dreams to sleep, they will bite you. Puppies need the proper food, love, and environment to grow from healthy, happy puppies into awesome adult dogs. Puppies require a truckload of work.
- Dreams need all these things to flourish as well. Especially the work portion, you should work with your dreams. When it comes to dreams, we give up because dreams often resemble work. They don't just magically happen; we must work at them and train them on what and where we want to go. If we don't, we will have a wild, energetic dream that just chases its own tail.
- Puppies will test your patience, grit, and ability to love unconditionally. They will often chew on things you value even though there is a perfect puppy toy right next to your favorite pair of shoes. You will be exhausted and question if you can do this puppy thing at times.
Dreams will also test your patience by chewing on your grit and fortitude. You have a perfectly good job, but something is gnawing at you; it's your dream; you want more. It is common to question if you are up to the task.
I know that comparing dreams to puppies might appear odd, but they both are work wrapped in passion. Archer and Lucy are growing quickly, and with the proper food, exercise, and love, your dream will do the same if nurtured. Lastly, no matter how well-behaved your puppy is, there will be a time when they poop, pee, chew up your favorite shoe, or rip your pillow apart because they can. Just clean it up and make sure you learn from the mess they leave. Dreams also can make your life messy, learn from your mistakes and keep pushing forward.