Why the three month hiatus?

Greetings - It's now the end of February, and I am gradually working my way back into workshop mode. You'll notice on the dreamprocess web site I've announced the next DREAMS for the REAL WORLD workshop will take place Tuesday, April 7th, 7-9pm at Arlington High School near Boston. Please see www.dreamprocess.com for details and registration information.

With that promotional plug out of the way, I wanted to share a bit about what happened during my break (which still officially continues for another 6 weeks or so). First of all, I did 8 workshops since deciding to first do this during the second-half of 2008. Venues included a coastal retreat center in Maine, a Sunday School classroom, a very cool arts center in Concord (see www.emersonumbrella.org for details), a corporate offsite at the Harvard Club in Boston, and even one my son Chris asked to do for him and his friends (which took place in my "man cave" - a.k.a. basement at home).

The participant ages ranged from about 6 years old up to early 90's, with just about every age and personality type represented. What surprised me more than anything was how the dreamprocess simply "worked". When I led a workshop for the combined Sunday School classes at my church, I simplified the template a bit but found everyone there (aged 6 to 17) was able to participate and share what they learned quite well. I also noticed kids who were about 9,10 and older were very keen on doing the "grown up" elements of the process, including prioritization of goals. I kept thinking how much better off I would have been if someone had shown me how to help prioritize dreams and goals this early in life!

The workshops, and thus the dreamprocess, provide a great way to engage and refine dreams and goals that may have remained latent for a long time. I recall vividly how one participant realized he had a deep love for painting, and did not see a need to engage in this for twenty years -- until now. Others found it provided a framework to address key life concerns such as career, estate planning or simply changing to a more healthy lifestyle.

So why stop for several months? Yes I can attribute this to workload at my "day job", as I continue to travel extensively. But there is something more. I find at this point many of the goals on my own dreamboard had been achieved (including a trip to Thailand, buying the fun/high MPG car I always wanted, getting my weight down, etc.), but I sense a need to just step completely back and start this again from the beginning.

So I began to scale back on several commitments (including workshops, volunteering, certain work projects, etc.), while in turn opening up mental and emotional space to allow new ideas and activities to emerge. At this point I'm working on an updated version of my own dreamboard, and am finding the process as well as the results to be more clear, focused and adaptable than before.

I look forward hearing your perspectives, and sharing some more of my insights at the next workshop.