Dare to dream Big Dreams

 The topic of this week’s class was Dream big Dreams.

Most of us are very familiar with this saying, however do we really believe we are allowed and entitle to really dream big dreams? Many times, we do ourselves and unfavorable self-sabotage, due to lack of confidence or fear. Fear of the unknown or undesirable position that perhaps we already earned and lack the confidence to recognized to ourselves.

The video “ Don’t overestimate yourself’ by Taylor Boats, made me to recapitulate many situations in my past where I found myself doubting of my own talents or accomplishments. I lacked the maturity and confidence to recognize the deserving place I had earned for my dedication and intense labor. Jealousy, envy and criticism made me to withdraw in many of my young dreams as self-doubt got planted during that tender youth era.

I personally remember with awe and disbelief as the video mentions an occasion where I attended an International martial arts championship; the tournament was representing the three countries Canada, USA and Mexico. The participants of the martial art school where the best combat sportsman on the region at that time.

During my youth I belonged to the martial arts academy whom the Instructor was the National President of Martial arts in Mexico and conduct, respect and discipline was expected from all of us, his students. We had to be an example in every single event. In This particular event I was going to participate in the “Katas” which is the forms, I was one of the first one nationally who incorporated music to such martial movements. I was happy with my martial art form collaboration and fighting was not an option as I was really afraid of being hit really hard or even worse be unconscious as I had witness in many tournaments. The problem began when the two women who were going to participate in the combats for this big tournament representing our school did not show. My instructor approached me to let me know I will be participating and representing the school as the only woman in combat.

I wanted to run away but that was not one of my options; I was obedient teenager and raised to obey my teachers and instructors, so I did. I remember going to the restroom to composed myself to my eminent dead as I thought will be, as I return to the dojos, I saw all the contestants and fear in me was palpable. The fights begun and eliminations took place; with the adrenaline going as the fights moved on, is hard to recall in detail but something that stayed in my mind was my instructor telling me that I could win as I had the skills and training, now it was time for me to show the techniques. Needless to say, I moved to finals, by the end of the day of the tournament my uniform was completely shredded by the time of the award I ended holding the second place with only pieces of my uniform; more the 100 fighters participated on a National Level and more that 30 Martial Arts Academies. The experience was surreal as it seems I was observing all this as the spectator. This experience did change me; not only as a sportswoman but as an individual. I never dreamed that big before; my limited perception of ever coming in a place to hold a national trophy on combat was not perceivable until someone leading me believe in me and in my behalf. My instructor knew me from early age, knew my fears and weaknesses, but he concentrated in my potential. My Sensei is no longer in this world, but I had carried his teaching and his philosophy through my entire life and will remain embedded in my heart forever.

I love the scripture 3 nephew 27:27 :” Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am”. This is a promise of love and an assertion from Heavenly Father that Jesus Christ that we have the potential, capacity and gift to become as he is, we just have to work within to be able to reach that promise.

We as parents have the job to nurture, teach and help of children to build their self-confidence, to trust on their potential and to trust on the wonders of self-discovery. Our limited perspective and reality will not let us dream beyond our dreams… we have to trust the process and that possibility of those dream to come reality  exists. We don’t have to know the answers in how we will accomplish those big dreams, Heavenly Father will take care of it, we just have to let ourselves be guided with a pure heart just as children do.