Written by: Kizzy Kittrell Dogan

Webster’s Dictionary defines a Dream as 1. A series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person’s mind during sleep. 2. A cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal.

According to psychologists, there are several types of dreams that we will not touch on in this article. This article is about dreaming big and having big dreams. You’re probably questioning if there is a difference between the two. In my opinion, there is absolutely a difference. To dream big is to freely give thought to your desired ideals and allow yourself to focus on all the reasons why you can have what you want instead of why you cannot. If your dreams don’t scare you, You aren’t dreaming big enough!

My upbringing taught me that dreams that occur during sleep are messages from God. Often God will deposit dreams into our souls that excite, frighten, or stifle us. Nonetheless, these dreams are worth exploring with intention and purpose. Rest assured that if God gave it to you, you could trust that the assignment was designed specifically for you and is attainable. However, it would help if you did the work. For instance, I never dreamt of becoming an author until God told me one day. I had the choice to either “walk it like I talk it” or ignore God’s plan for me. Doubtful but trusting, I decided to concede to God’s tailor-made vision. Doing so was one of the best dreams I ever fulfilled.

Often dreams are derived from our experiences, belief systems, the things we’ve seen, and the people around us. Regardless of the root of the Dream, these ideals are our golden treasure. Everyone has significant treasures within themselves. We should be bold and audacious enough to submit to our treasures and dream ridiculously big dreams.

The thing about dreams is that they will always belong to us even after we are courageous enough to share them with the world. The irony is we are connected to our dreams, whether they manifest or not. Therefore, we must transform our biggest wishes into achievable goals and not let self-doubt sabotage our plans. We must work towards our dreams despite fear, without the comfort of a roadmap, and while constantly drowning out the voices of the naysayers. NEWSFLASH, there will be NAYSAYERS. Sometimes our dreams will seem so farfetched, unrealistic, or self-deluding to people who dare not dream big. Don’t let that prevent you from having big dreams.

I romanticize when I tell people I am a dreamer. My dreams give me hope, pull me forward, and are a constant reminder that I am carrying precious cargo inside of me destined to come to shore to share with the world, for I deserve to see my dreams come to fruition. You, too, are worthy of your biggest, wildest, scariest, outside-the-norm dreams to come to pass.

Always dream big, work hard, stay focused, and surround yourself with exceptional people ( i.e., the “dream diggers” instead of the “dream killers.”) To dream big or to have Big Dreams, either way, you owe it to yourself to fulfill your dreams. Occasionally your dreams will change, and you must pivot. Changing your plans is acceptable; however, it is never good to abandon your dreams. Doing so will cause you to live in a constant state of unfulfillment and regret.

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Kizzy Kittrell Dogan, is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of T&G Commercial Cleaning, LLC, Founder of Love Circle Inc, Author of Thirteen: Lessons for Every Teen Girl’s Journey to Womanhood, Contributor to IamTeenStrong.com, Workshop Facilitator, and Keynote Speaker. As The Teen Girl Mentor, Kizzy transforms and empowers teen girls to discover their purpose, passion, and superpowers.