I practiced law for a lo-o-ong time. Doubt, disbelief, and challenge is a blood sport in the law, and nothing is accepted without solid, credentialed proof. Now, I hang around people who believe in magic, and the more I’m with them and the more I play with magical processes, the more I agree that there are wonderful, whimsical, magical forces guiding our lives. But I still think I’m rational and intelligent.
A couple of months ago I made a vision board–my experiment with the concept of influencing reality by regularly viewing inspiring images. I created a collage of African animals, illustrating a deep desire to someday visit the place where humankind first emerged and magnificent animals roam freely.
A few weeks later, I dreamed I was a heroine in a broad, gray-green African veldt, diverting a charging rhino from attacking the small children with me. Then, I met some wonderful South Africans in Chicago at our coaches’ convention. And I began to trade Facebook messages with a coach trainee who, unknown to me at the time, is South African.
And just last week, my lunch was served by a lovely South African woman who proudly told me about her beautiful country.
The idea of actually going to Africa in the near future never really occurred to me though. I could have given you very solid evidence of why and how it would probably never happen.
Just a few days ago, going to Africa existed only in a mélange of images on my vision board. And now it’s happening, and at warp speed. Next Saturday morning, I’ll begin a 26-hour flight to South Africa, to join Martha Beck and a small group of amazing people, many of whom I’ve met either in person or online in just the last month.
Coincidence or synchronicity? Until I glued those pictures to a slab of foam-core board and propped it up it my bedroom, I knew no South Africans, never had dreamt of Africa, and thought the chances I’d actually get there in my lifetime were wildly improbable.
Today, magic is looking like the rational choice of intelligent people. I can hardly wait to make my next vision board. Shall I visit the moon, or stay here on earth to become a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet?
And you? What are your wildly improbable dreams? Post them here, make a vision board, and tell everyone you know about your secret desires. Let your imagination run wild, and get excited with the realization that dreams really do come true, and magic just might be the force that makes them happen.
Go ahead and do it! It’s a rational, intelligent act.
14 responses so far ↓
1 Rhonda Sandler // Aug 24, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Wow, Terry, you are going to Africa! That is so great!
2 admin // Aug 24, 2009 at 8:13 pm
I am absolutely over the moon with excitement, Rhonda! I’ll be sure to post a lot about it when I get back, if not while I’m there!
3 Diane Hunter // Aug 25, 2009 at 12:42 pm
I LOVE this story and how your dream manifested into reality. I’m a complete believer!! One of my current WIGs (I have many) is to travel to Sydney, Australia to teach parents about working with their non-verbal children with Autism. How’s that for putting it out there!! Feels AWESOME!!!
4 admin // Aug 25, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Diane, I love your dream. It’s out there girl! OXOX
5 Debbie // Aug 25, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Chills up and down my body! So cool, Terry!
The vision/dream board I created a few months back consisted of pictures of Alaska and the Alaskan wildlife … and after a trip there in July, I am moving to Alaska in a little over two weeks … oh, and I found love to boot!
There’s magic everywhere …
6 Constanze // Aug 25, 2009 at 4:46 pm
This post got me so exited, Terry! The energy is infectious and almost bounces off the screen.
Can’t wait to hear a lot about the Africa adventure.
I have a number of WIGs and this is oviously THE place to come out about them!Here are two:
1. hiking the polar route in Greenland next summer.
2. building a small office/guesthouse on my land with my own hands (and the hands of friends)
My website is under construction right now it will be ready in a few weeks.
address: http://www.wildlyimprobable.com
7 admin // Aug 25, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Constanze–love that name–I’m grinning from ear to ear just reading it–you GO!!!
OX
Terry
8 Denise // Aug 25, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Hi Terry,
I can’t tell you how much fear this post set loose for me. That is actually a good thing, since I was wondering what has been holding me back and clearly this is it. Now I’ve got something to work on tonight!
Have a wonderful trip (taking my daughter to Africa is a WIG of mine!)!
Denise
9 Lux Nuova // Sep 2, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Hello, I just happened on to your site, and have been thinking about some of these ideas (visualisation, etc) recently. I was just curious – do you think there is a significant difference between nurturing a dream about going to Africa, and one to be a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet? Do you think an image board would work in different ways for these two ‘wildly improbably dreams’? If there is a difference, what do you think it is? Thanks, I really value your input!
10 admin // Sep 6, 2009 at 8:54 am
Thanks everyone for your well wishes and support. I’m back and will be posting more about Africa soon.
Lux–here is a big difference–being a principal dancer in the NY City ballet is way too far-fetched for me to believe. I wrote this humorously. For a dream we are visualizing and nurturing to actually happen in our lives, we must believe it can come true, even if it is a stretch for us. I am untrained as a ballerina, and, honestly, too old to begin training. To become a professional ballerina, I’d have to turn the clock back at least 40 years. So I can’t believe that would ever happen. Traveling to Africa is another matter entirely. That was always a possibility, although wildly improbable. The key is improbable, as opposed to impossible. We often don’t even allow ourselves to dream big like this. By putting it on my vision board and dreaming about it, when the opportunity came my way, I seized it. It was a possibility for me. Otherwise, I might have done the same thing I’ve done so many times in my life–I don’t have the time, I don’t have the money, I can’t, I shouldn’t. This time, I thought–here it is–I’m going for it!
Another point. We dream it, visualize it and let it go. We have faith that the outcome that is the best for us will happen. Once we project grasping, desperate energy into a dream, we thwart ourselves, because the energy we are then living in and projecting is “I must have it,” “I need it,” “I can’t live without it,” etc. So dream big, visualize it, put it on your vision board, then just let it go and allow it to happen. Either way, know you are fine, know you can live in joy, and know what happens is always the best for you.
Hope this helps Lux. Thanks for the great question!
Terry
11 Deborah Trenchard // Sep 8, 2009 at 1:09 pm
This is all about fulfilling a long-held dream. Ten years ago I yearned for a place where women could come and heal. Heal spiritually. Whilst house-sitting in a new-found healing valley in the French Pyrenees recently, Looking out onto the mountains and lushness of my ambient surroundings I had an epiphany. This verdant retreat put me in touch with my ‘soul’. And, without warning, my long-held dream became irresistible as I sat and visualised it.
And what a better place to do it – the Languedoc region of France!! Why is this area? Destiny! In 1981 – out of the blue – I decided to do a French cookery course, not only to learn some new gastronomic techniques, but to embark upon a small catering business. Bear in mind that I had recently arrived in London from nine years in New York, via Barbados, where I was born. I knew nothing about France. On the course we each had to choose a region of France as our cookery project. I chose the Languedoc! A place I’d never heard of until the day I looked at the map we were given and told to ‘choose a region’! And that’s why I said ‘destiny’!
12 Deborah Trenchard // Sep 8, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I wanted something different. I wanted an establishment that, in addition to earning a living, would present me with endless ways to combine all my skills, including my culinary expertise. Hence the added benefit of a chambre d’hộte/B&B.
So now is the time for me to jump. I’ve even been dreaming in French!!
Watch this space
Deborah
13 Jeannette // Sep 15, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Magic as a rational choice of intelligent people – I love it, Terry!
Thank you for sharing this experience – I’m loving the trip photos and commentary, too!
14 Janelle // Jan 8, 2010 at 4:54 pm
I love WIG’s! I set a WIG to see my niece in Australia, even though I didn’t have the money. I made a dream board, and I googled, “Win a trip to Australia” and the perfect essay contest came up. I entered and won a great trip and a magical time with my niece. I wrote about it and Martha’s special magic on my blog: http://www.whatmakesmelaugh.com/2009/03/19/how-to-win-a-trip-to-australia/.
Leave a Comment