Monday, June 6, 2011

Dreaming Big


I had one of those occasions where a lot of separate conversations, thoughts and ideas suddenly came together and resulted in something big.  A couple of weeks ago I was working on a playlist of songs about "Wishes and Dreams" Inspiration Studio.  Then I was working on an assignment for Creativity Bootcamp that asked us to define and illustrate the core of who we are, the roots that give that core strength and the branches that come out from that core.  Both of these projects made me really stop and examine where I was and what I had done lately to accomplish some of my goals and dreams.

I realized I wasn't where I wanted to be, I was just kind of floating along, I was in a happy place, but I wasn't actively taking the steps I needed to be taking if I wanted to reach some of my long-term goals.  This realization coupled with two conversations - one with my sister and one with a friend made me realize maybe it was time to see what steps I could take to make it a reality.

For several years, I've dreamed of living in Southern Utah, near Zion's National Park (St. George for those who know the area.)  I've learned that as much as I love my home state, I'm not a fan of the winter weather in most of it.  I have a tendency to hibernate when there is snow on the ground, so I feel like I miss large chunks of the year.  In St. George, snow is rare, it is much warmer in the winter and there are more than 300 days of sunshine.  It is very popular in Utah with retirees - or people with second homes who want to get away from the cold winters - which means that in the past it was horribly expensive to live there.

Luckily with my job I can live where I want (as long as I can easily get to an airport.)  And with the downturn in the housing market - St. George is affordable again.  So, I decided to use the Memorial Day holiday to visit and look around just to see if anything in my modest price range was livable - I got extremely lucky and found an adorable little house that had just come back on the market with a lower price.  I took a deep breath and put in an even offer, which they accepted!

I'm now going through the due diligence process so it isn't a done deal yet - but if things to continue to go well, by this time next month I'll have a little oasis in the dessert to escape to when the snows fly.  Proof that it is important to stop every once in a while and ask what steps you can and should be taking to make your dreams come true.

I'm skipping a lot of the boring details - but let's just say that the car I'd been saving up to buy is out of the picture, as is the granite countertops and fence I was planning for my current house.  I'm also extremely lucky and have the furniture, linens and kitchen stuff to furnish it - thanks to my grandparents, whose house we haven't finished cleaning out.  It really does feel almost as if all the stars aligned for me at that perfect moment when it was possible.

Since it's still not a done deal, I thought I'd just share a peak, but not of the house - the photo above is the view from the front yard - aren't those red mountains amazing?  I can't wait to start exploring.  I'm already dreaming of the challenges and fun that will come from learning to photograph this type of landscape.

What have you done lately to make your dreams come true?

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30 comments:

urban muser said...

wow, that is exciting news! i was wondering what was going on after you hinted in your last post. fingers crossed that everything goes well and you are living your dream in no time :)

Courtney said...

Congrats, girl! So very excited for you and I cannot wait to see more pictures of your new oasis and hear about all the changes I'm sure you'll make to make it completely yours. AWESOME.

Ms. Becky said...

can you hear me squealing and jumping up and down? can you? I knew it would be big, but this is huge. to realize a dream is...well, the ultimate I guess. if you dream it, it will come. I believe that. the view is fantastic, as will be the climate. I will hope for you that all goes as planned and things continue to fall into place. sending love and hugs across the miles right to your door Jamie. this is good.

michelle@decorandthedog said...

Wow. I'm impressed! That's a huge step. Sounds like a great decision! Excited to hear more!

Ashley Sisk said...

Now that's what I'm talking about - that is so awesome. Congrats my friend!

Vintage Restyled said...

Wonderful and very thought provoking. I am quite impressed with your decision and your ability to follow your dream!

Anna said...

Jamie, how exciting!!!!! Hoping all goes well to complete the deal. As you know, we love the UT desert and dream about retirement and winters in Castle Valley by Moab. So happy for you!!!!

i.ikeda said...

Oh wow, congratulations! The news are well worth the wait. And that view makes me a bit happier that we're going West.

I really need to be more diligent about achieving my goals. I have all the steps written down,now I just need to get moving. :)

The Felix Family said...

I am SO excited you're following your dream because I personally get to benefit from them. :) i can't wait to see the house!!

tinajo said...

Wohoo - you brave girl! I´m so glad you took that step; I´m sure it will all work out for the best. It will definately lead to something great, I´m proud over you! :-)

Lesley said...

How exciting, Jamie!And how I admire you for having a dream and making it come true.

k said...

oh wow, congratulations!!!! i can't wait to see the house! too bad you aren't coming to switzerland for house hunting :):):)

Corinne Cunningham said...

Jamie!!! That's incredible :) I have chills reading this, congratulations!!!!!!!!

Kat Sloma said...

Yay, how exciting! I love it when I see people taking action to get what they want out of life. It's a good reminder to all of us that you CAN have your dreams. You just have to take some action! If it's the right thing, everything will just go without a hitch. :) That's what I experience, anyway!

Clare B said...

This is huge news! Congratulations on your new purchase. Dream big and things will happen.

Laura lok said...

this really is exciting. I LOVE zion. my cousin introduced it to me a few years ago she goes 2 times a year (she is from florida) so we went and had the best time. we drove through st george and talked about how if we ever could live somewhere else (I too hate winter and snow) that we would choose st george. Snow canyon is beautiful the town is small but big enough to have it all. oh so happy for you and look forward to seeing what you create in your new home. now the hard part the wait and packing. congrats again an excellent choice in life

Amanda said...

It's nice when you finally realize your dreams and realize that they are possible. What a great view too!

Will you be moving there officially or will you still be living in your current home? I guess I got a little confused when you said "oasis in the desert to escape to when the snows fly".

Anonymous said...

How exciting! We drove through St. George two years ago on our way to Zion, and I said to my husband, now here's a place I could live! It is so beautiful there, and I would love the climate!

Cindy said...

the new house sounds very exciting! you are so inspiring when it comes to experiencing new places. i admire your wanderlust. can't wait to see what you do with your new view.

ELK said...

i am so happy that you found what you were looking for ..it sounds as if it was meant to be for you J!! I am going to look up the area as I do not know it BUT wow that view in the first photo looks amazing ~~

Carrie @ Hazardous Design said...

What an amazing, exciting, and liberating adventure!
How lucky I am to have such an inspiring blog buddy :) I'm so proud of you for taking the steps to realizing your dream. Congratulations!

Lisa Gordon said...

Oh Jamie, I am so very happy for you! What a truly exciting and wonderful time.
Congratulations my friend!!

Anonymous said...

Good on you for following your dreams. Congratulations!

It is so interesting how the same exercise can bring different revelations for different people. For me, the tree exercise made me realise how much my mistakes and failures from the past define who I am now. It's like I've cruised through all the happy times, but really learned from the tough times. All of a sudden I saw them as lessons, not as failures and actions to be ashamed of. Now if I could only have the courage to share those lessons, maybe someone else could learn from them as well.

Justine said...

wow how brilliant! and well done for following your dreams, how exciting! looks a wonderful place to live.

Laloofah said...

That's very exciting news, I hope it all goes smoothly for you! Can't wait to see photos of your new desert retreat. :-) Beautiful views!

Shannon said...

Wow, that sounds amazing! So cool that you pulled the trigger on it, I would have hemmed and hawed and probably lost out on it. Congrats!

R Montalban said...

Oh, WOW, I am so excited for you, this is fantastic news and I do believe that the world has plans for us all, we just don't know what they are going to be but that you sometimes just have to take leaps of faith and let bigger powers guide you along! Well done you :-)

blue elephant photography said...

i am super happy for you!!! can i visit?

knitalatte said...

Jamie,

Wow oh wow, that is amazing news. I can see you now sitting in a comfy chair with a cuppa and staring out at that amazing view. Cheers!

HeRoosSheRoos said...

I am so excited for you! Be careful what you dream for because they come true. :) When you get settled and it cools down there, let's have a girl's reunion and party it up at your new place.

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