A Dream Delayed is Not a Dream Denied

“A delay is not a denial. It is only a sign that you need to have peace, patience, and trust that in perfect timing what you want will come to you.” ~Anonymous

 
Does it ever seem like your dreams and goals are so far away or never reaching?
On the heels of having released our power yoga DVD, as I reflect back on the journey, this just about sums up how I felt throughout the journey – like this project was a dream that was never going to become a reality, because every time we seemed close, there was a delay of some kind.
It truly seemed never reaching and as though this dream was being denied.
The DVD footage was shot in May of 2014. Our plan was to have it completed and launched in December of 2014 – 7 months later.
Well, in November of 2014, my husband and I learned we were expecting our third child. It was also a week after the exciting news, that my husband was laid off from his job and unemployed for the next six months to follow.
Setback.
In August of 2015, our third child was born. This was a blessing beyond measure, and at the same time, quite naturally set us back in the project.

In 2016, our computer’s hard-drive decided to crash out of nowhere – yet another setback. And the setbacks just kept coming, be they technological or life happening. Between the setbacks and my husband essentially having a part-time job of editing the project, there were many days where I truly just wanted to give up and walk away from the project.
It felt never-ending and I missed having my husband on the weekends (which is when he would edit the project, outside of his full-time Monday- Friday job). But, through it all, I held steadfastly, because

• I truly believed that this project was worth it all.
• I truly believed that it would benefit others and help spread yoga further across the world.

The vision and big picture are what kept me in the work every time I wanted to throw in the towel. And as I look back on it now, the biggest lesson I’m taking away from the experience is that a dream delayed is not a dream denied.
Although a dream or a goal seems far away, or because something takes longer to happen, doesn’t mean it has been denied. In other words, it’s just a matter of time. Or, in the process of time, what you are seeking will become a reality.
We are a culture that doesn’t like waiting. Waiting can be hard. At times, we are patient in the process, but at other times we wonder in our hearts, “When?” or “How much longer must I wait?”
I want you to remember the power of a step.
Through the course of the three and a half years that it took to bring the DVD project to completion, there were a multitude of steps and each step got us closer.
A step forward is a step forward.
It’s extremely important to honor the steps and thus alleviate some of the self-inflicted pressure we all put on ourselves. Is the world going to end if this dream or goal of mine doesn’t happen in my self-imposed timeline? I hope not, the world seems to have bigger problems.
Not meeting a goal or needing to adapt your plan also does not equate to failure. Your dream may be delayed, but it is not denied. By focusing on the incremental steps over quantity and adaptation over abandonment, we can bend and flex when life throws the unexpected our way.
On the mat, we speak to surrendering to and trusting the process.

There is a process to the poses – the entire practice is a journey.
The same goes for life – it is all a journey…a process. And the journey is truly so much more valuable than the final destination itself, for it is in the journey that we learn the most precious and rewarding lessons.
So, the next time you want to beat yourself up over how long it’s taking you to “get” a certain pose…or, the next time you want to throw in the towel and turn your back on a long-awaited goal…remember, a dream delayed is not a dream denied!
Give up self-imposed expectations. Release control. Soften in. All is coming.
Keep your dhristi set on the big picture – keep your vision clear. And with this steadfastness and fortitude…in perfect timing, what you want – will come to you.