Returning to Dreams

Have you ever felt that quiet tug from a dream you set aside—that persistent whisper reminding you of something you once loved but stepped away from? Dreams possess a remarkable patience. They wait for us through career transitions, family demands, and the overwhelming busyness that often claims our attention.

After a three-year hiatus, Cup-a-Terrific returns with a powerful message about the nature of dreams and determination. True determination isn't about unbroken momentum; it's about the courage to come back—again and again if necessary. Like a garden that can flourish once more after periods of neglect, our passions remain viable beneath the surface, waiting for us to return and tend them with care.

The episode explores fascinating parallels between our sleeping and waking dreams. When we fly in dreams, perhaps our souls remind us we're meant to rise. When we fall, we might be processing fears of failure. Being chased often symbolizes running from growth or our own potential, while dreams of doors and keys represent opportunities awaiting us. These nighttime narratives frequently circle back to our deepest desires: stepping fully into who we're meant to become.

Rekindling dreams doesn't require grand gestures or perfect conditions. Small, consistent actions create sustainable pathways back to what matters. For this podcast, that means setting a simple bar—publishing weekly without demanding perfection. What might your small step be? Writing in a journal? Creating a vision board? Dedicating just ten minutes to reconnect with something that once lit you up?

Your dreams don't judge your absences or keep score of how long you've been away. They simply welcome you back whenever you're ready. What dream has been patiently waiting for your return? Join me each week as we explore life's meaningful moments over a cup of whatever brings you comfort.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Hi, friends, and welcome back to Cup-a-Terrific.
I'm Cherie, your host, and I'mso glad you're here.
Grab your favorite cup ofwhatever you love most Tea,
coffee, cocoa water, whateverand let's take some time
together today.
So here's what's on my heart.

(00:46):
Coming back to your dreams, youknow those things that tug at
us, sometimes quietly, sometimesloudly, and never really go
away.
Maybe you've put a dream downfor a season, maybe life got
busy, complicated or heavy, butthere's something beautiful

(01:07):
about how dreams wait for us.
They don't expire, they call usback, and today I want to sit
with that thought.
And actually this podcast is mydream I'm coming back to.
I started Cup of Terrific overthree years ago, full of passion
and excitement and honestly, Ithought I'd never stop.

(01:30):
But life happens right Betweena career transition and kids
growing up and all the everydaybusyness, I had less and less
time to pour into this space andbefore I knew it, something I
really loved just sat on a shelf.

(01:50):
But here I am deciding to comeback and I'm doing it
imperfectly, rough edges and all.
My bar for success right now issimple Just publish an episode
once a week, that's it, and thatfeels good enough to me.
Dreams are interesting, aren'tthey?

(02:12):
On one hand, we have the onesthat we drift into at night,
right Like falling or flying orrunning or chasing or being
chased, or doors opening andclosing, and on the other hand,
we have dreams that we carryinto our days the things that we
want to become, the things wewant to build, the things we

(02:36):
want to experience, and I don'tthink those two types of dreams
are very separate.
I think of our sleeping dreamssometimes as a reflection of our
hopes and our fears in ourwaking life, For example.
So when you're dreaming aboutflying, it can feel like freedom

(02:57):
or your ambitions or what'spossible, almost like your
soul's reminding you that youwere meant to rise.
When you dream of falling, itmight be about your fears, or
about the fear of failing or ofletting go, or simply of just

(03:20):
what's uncertain, and then beingchased oh, I've had plenty of
those.
And often it's about runningfrom something within myself,
like responsibility or growth,and sometimes maybe even my own
potential.
And then there's dreams aboutdoors and keys, and some of

(03:45):
those are my favorite.
They often symbolizeopportunities and new beginnings
and choices that we're about tomake, and I find it really
fascinating.
The symbols might change, butthey often circle back to the
same things our deep desire tostep into who we really are.

(04:06):
Okay, so now let's let's talkabout this idea of returning to
your dreams.
And I don't know about you, butI've had dreams that I've set
aside, some for weeks, some foryears, and yet they've never
really left me.
They sort of just sit therepatiently waiting like an old

(04:27):
friend who knows that you'regoing to come back eventually.
And this podcast is that for me.
Every so often I think about it, the joy that I felt hitting
record, the connection Iimagined with others, the
therapy of speaking my thoughtsout loud, and I'd feel that tug.
I think I want to get back toit.

(04:49):
But then I'd look at my to dolist or my kids schedules or
whatever.
My job was demanding and itjust felt impossible.
But here's what I've learnedDetermination isn't about never
stopping.
Determination is about returningand choosing again and again to

(05:10):
come back.
I like to think of it like agarden, and I am an avid
gardener.
Maybe you planted somethingonce, but life got busy and then
you stopped tending that garden.
Planted something once, butlife got busy and then you
stopped tending that garden.
The weeds take over, and I knowall about that feeling of guilt
for neglecting it.
But you know what?

(05:36):
That garden can grow again, andall it takes for coming back is
just pulling a little weeds andgently nurturing it.
And just a little tidbit too,everyone's got weeds in their
garden.
If you've ever stepped away fromyour dream whether it's writing
a book, starting a business,traveling, creating a piece of
art or even just learningsomething new it's okay.

(05:59):
You haven't failed.
You've just paused, and thepause doesn't erase the dream.
I want to give you all a gentleinvitation today.
Think about one dream you'veput aside, just one.
What's something you used toimagine to yourself doing that

(06:23):
you haven't even touched in awhile?
Don't pressure yourself to leapback into it with both feet.
That's where burnout can creepin.
Instead, let's take this onesmall step.
Write about it in your journal,sketch out a vision board.

(06:44):
Those can be really fun.
Do just one small action, evenif it's just researching or
writing down an idea or settingaside 10 minutes to think about
it.
That's the approach I'm takingwith this podcast.
I'm not over complicating it.
I'm not trying to polish everyword or produce something

(07:08):
perfect or cut out all thelittle clippy clappies of my
little dachshund's feet in thebackground.
I'm just setting the bar atshowing up once a week, hitting
record and publishing an episode.
That that's my dream in action.
Determination doesn't have to beloud and forceful.

(07:28):
It can be quiet and gentle,like choosing to show up
consistently rather than tryingto sprint your way to the finish
line.
For me, one ritual I love ismaking a cup of tea and sitting
with a notebook.
Sometimes I write ideas,sometimes I doodle, sometimes I

(07:52):
just let myself dream on thepaper.
And now that ritual is spillinginto this mic again.
What could your ritual be again?
What could your ritual be?
Maybe it's sipping your coffeeand brainstorming.
Maybe it's putting on aplaylist and imagining.
Maybe it's talking it out witha friend.

(08:12):
Whatever it is, find a way tohonor that dream with tiny,
consistent moments.
So here's what I want to leavewith you today your dreams don't
expire.
They wait, they're patient andthey'll welcome you back when

(08:33):
you're ready.
It doesn't matter how manytimes you've stepped away.
What matters is that you comeback again and again if you need
to.
That's determination, that'sresilience.
This podcast is proof of thatfor me.
I may have stepped away, butI've come back and I plan to

(08:57):
keep coming back, one episode ata time.
One episode at a time.
Thank you for sharing this cupof time with me today, and I
hope it's given you a littlespark or maybe a gentle reminder
to return to something that youlove.
This has been Cup-a-Terrific.
I'm so glad you joined me.
Until next time, may your cupand your dreams feel a little

(09:20):
fuller.