Dream Bigger: What does that mean to you? Does it mean travel, money, cars, and a career? What is it that makes you Dream Bigger?
Some people might call this your WHY. So how big are your dreams? Do you ever dream bigger?
What if you had millions of dollars in your bank account, all bills are paid, college funds are set up for children and grandchildren, you could travel the world, buy your dream home or homes… wouldn’t you call that a big dream? Is that how you dream bigger?
What if you won a big lottery? What would you do with the money? I often think about this type of dream, bigger dream, and ask my friends, What is your bigger dream (or your why)?
My Personal Story
I grew up as an only child in a small town in Arkansas (Harrison) in the beautiful Ozarks. My parents were middle-class. They owned Lena Frances Flower and Gift Shop. They were quite well known in both the town and the surrounding areas, and the state for their award-winning floral designs.
Both were active in the city affairs. They enjoyed their time off as the floral business is 24/7, especially on major holidays. Mother loved her clubs, traveling with her family and girlfriends. She probably had big dreams, but never talked about them other than wanting to be an author. She wrote poetry, obituaries, wedding write-ups, etc.
Daddy loved fishing and the Lions Club. (Daddy didn’t like to fly). His big dream was probably to live at the lake. Again, he never talked about it.
Both were religious and active in their churches (yes, different churches !). Daddy was a deacon in the Presbyterian church where I attended, while my mother took my grandmother to her Church of Christ. But they never talked much about what their bigger dream would be for me. Maybe they never had time to really think about it. Oh, college is always a big dream for parents for their children. In that day and time, having a daughter get married and have kids and grandchildren was a big dream for most parents, especially in a small town in Arkansas.
I learned hard work from age 5 by sweeping the shop stairs for a nickel. Later, working at the shop desk, delivering, arranging, and displaying, I learned to drive, taking flowers to weddings, hospitals, and funeral homes. Maybe that’s why I have been called and call myself something of a “work-a-holic”. But it taught me values.
My Home
We lived in what would now be called “a loft” apartment in the middle of our small town. However,r it wasn’t a small loft! It had 3 bedrooms, a living room, a den, a laundry room, and another apartment, which I later used as my own from time to time. Especially after each child was born and I had come home to deliver. On occasion, if my husband was traveling for work, I would come and stay there for weeks at a time.
Growing Up
There weren’t many living downtown, but my best friend lived across the alley in pretty much the same type of “loft”. We walked to school from grade school through junior high, and later shared a car to high school. Always working, helping our parents. But we had lots of friends and fun times, too. In fact, there were 16 of us from Brownies to Girl Scouts with the same leaders. We were a very close group, and to this day, we still have reunions with those remaining. All of the parents were involved, too. Those are very happy memories. But did we ever talk about our big dreams for the future back then? I don’t recall us doing it other than which college we would be attending, or maybe someone’s crush they hoped to marry one day.
I don’t remember really “dreaming about the future”. I married in my second year of college and traveled the world with my husband. He was a VP of Sales for ITT, Strongberg Carlson, and other phone companies. At that time, the companies paid to move us, and paid for the family to travel with their husbands. (They packed and unpacked us, purchased homes or sold them for us. It was a wonderful life.) We were living the dream. The internet and cell phones were just being developed back then, too. This was the ideal time for jobs in telecommunications.
We lived in the Virgin Islands several times (and I got pregnant twice on those trips). I think that’s when I learned to love the ocean. And maybe had my “first dream” of living at the beach someday. I still have the dream of owning a home near water, but these days, I think of hurricanes and disasters that happen in those areas more than I did when I was younger. I also said I’d like a cabin on a lake somewhere where my family could come on holiday to fish, picnic, and just have fun together. Those were bigger dreams, although I never really thought of it that way. I gave up on that dream because now that the children are grown and have their own lives, they aren’t interested in those gatherings like in the past. Our world has become too fast-paced for that type of lifestyle for them. Sadly, those days have come and gone for the most part.
My Career
As we traveled around the USA and other countries, I often found work as a bank teller, florist, retail sales associate, and office manager. Marketing, and even worked in accounting in a hospital in Tennessee for a time.
I stopped traveling with my husband regularly when the children became school age. And my “dreaming” disappeared. I became mom and dad to the children, even while still working. I became the soccer coach, the dance instructor, the Brownie and Boy Scout leaders, since my husband was always away for work. All the time, never dreaming of what life might be like if we had more money to do bigger things. I was living the dream my parents had for me: college, marriage, family, and career.
Travel
Up until that time, we had traveled and moved around everywhere from Mexico, the USA, the Virgin Islands, Canada, and Europe. My children learned to love travel and adventures early in life. Both love to travel even now, and both have the ability to travel today, either through work or with a working spouse. They have been fortunate to see so much of the states and the world. But I wonder what their bigger dream is really. Is it traveling to some new and exciting locations? Is it having their own children and grandchildren? Is it a big home and fancy cars?
My New Career Starts
In 1997, I had my first breast cancer and back surgery; 12 years later, the cancer returned on the other breast. I also divorced in 1997. My life changed in 1997. My children were grown and off on their own. But I pulled out of the downside.
Over the years, there have been a few loves, but I never remarried. I guess I had decided that being single wasn’t so bad, but you need a lover in your life, either as a spouse or a very close relationship, just without the paper. Divorce is awful and expensive, and I never wanted to go through that again. It was painful to experience and start over in my life. Alternatives are never spoken of when you are first expected or ready to marry. I think a part of me blamed my marriage failure on myself, although that wasn’t the full story. But I did learn the importance of open communication between couples.
My Belief
I just know God never meant for us to be totally alone, and he wants us to have abundance in order to help others. So I began slowly rethinking my bigger dreams. What did I truly want to do with my life?
Senior Housing Services
I joined a friend, and we went into Senior Housing. We managed both Memory Care Homes and a senior consulting business for many years. And we both did inside and outside sales for senior communities. We had met in the dental profession as office managers for two different dentists who shared the same office. We had one big check-in counter with two different check-in windows.
We went to school on weekends in San Marcus ( South Texas) to get certifications. Our big dream was to help as many seniors and their families as possible.
In 2013, I joined A Place for Mom and worked there until 2020. (You know when Covid turned the world upside down. ) Then, after a year of non-compete, I joined a friend in her senior living consulting firm, Lori Williams Senior Service. Lori and I had worked together both when I had my consulting business and at A Place for Mom. My big dream was still to help as many seniors and their families as possible. Lori’s team had the same dream.
How I Found RRR247
Two years prior (2019), A friend and past coworker from A Place for Mom called me out of the blue, and when I asked what she was now doing, she explained that she had joined RRR247 to learn how to write and blog. She had her own business and website. Part of their program was a wine club she was promoting. I knew little about a wine club, knowing nothing about wine or what blogging really was. But I thought blogging about senior housing and placement issues would be great to help senior families. And learning about wine would be even better. I dreamed of making residual income in order to help not only myself but others. I have always enjoyed the process of continuing to learn new things.
She convinced me to go to a convention with her and her instructor in Dallas to learn more. And that was the beginning for me.
Why she called me that day had to be a “God wink”! I was ready for a change. I wanted to learn new things and earn more money. Again, at that time, I did not have a solid big dream for the future in terms of owning that lake or beach home. I wasn’t thinking about more travel or retirement. My dream hadn’t really taken off at that point. My why wasn’t fully developed in terms of what and where I wanted to be or do.
Today, what does Dream Bigger Mean to me?
So here I am still with RRR247, still learning about lots of new products and things. Not just to make more income, really, but to learn something new every day. I have always said ‘I got here from ‘A God Wink”. And I believe it. Have I made a ton of money doing the RRR247 system?
That is a great question. No, I haven’t made a ton of money to be “secure” to date, but I have learned and expanded my years of education in marketing and writing. Marketing has and always will be an up-and-down income. The system works if you work it. It isn’t a get-rich-quick system. Affiliate marketing products change, and you add new ones.
And yes, there is the ability to make unlimited income here if you stick with it and don’t quit. As Rory tells us. Follow the system. Work hard, stay on track…that extra $500-$1000 will grow to hundreds of thousands if you believe and stay true to the system of Performance Blogging. I have seen many rise to six-figure incomes.
New Directions
At the end of 2021, I sold my home of 21 years. Buying that house was a big dream fulfilled. (the one I bought with my own earned money after my divorce). It was hard to leave that dream behind. But the market was too good, and the upkeep was becoming harder.
I moved to a new town, had my only daughter and son-in-law move away to Colorado, and I moved into a 62+ under-construction community as the #4 resident to move into the building of #215 units. My life was upside down again, and so was my business.!!
I had no routine to live by. I had to get settled in all areas of my life; I had to get restored. I was alone for the first time in my life with no family within 100s of miles. My friends were all in other towns, married for the most part, and who wants to be a 3rd wheel? Depressed and struggling to get myself back on track. I had no significant love in my life at that time, no one person I could turn to. But I was making new friends (mostly women). We bonded together to form lifelong friendships.
I rejoined my friend’s Senior Housing Referral Service, working on commission to make “spending money,” but wasn’t ready to jump back into that field or anything full-time time really. I had little savings, wasn’t really retired, but did not want or have the mental ability to work full-time. Nor was I doing what I needed to do to promote my online RRR247 business to make more money. It had been bringing in good commissions, but with some company product changes had dwindled to basically nothing, just covering the expenses of having my online business.
My family didn’t and don’t believe in it as a business, so no support there either.
Although I have never stopped working on my website in some small way daily, not missing trainings, not giving up! But for the first time in my life, I had fallen into a dark place mentally. I was determined to pull myself out of it. (a big, determined dream) I was making new friends, yet I was very lonely and questioning my abilities. Finding a job at an older age, no matter how qualified you are, isn’t easy. And almost all my friends were now retired. So, what was my dream life to be now?
Had I even started to dream of things I used to want, like vacations, ocean or lake homes, lovers, or better income? What was my dream to be?
My Re-Start to Life
I talked to my doctors about my depression. Having worked with seniors for many years, I recognized all the signs. I started taking a supplement that has really helped clear my brain fog. ( my thinking) A product from one of my affiliates on my website. I showed it to my doctors, who were impressed with how effective it was. If you would like to know more about that, then you need to go here.
Feeling better about life, I signed up to attend the RRR247 convention in Orlando in 2021 and again in Dallas in 2022, 2023, and McKinney, Texas in 2024 and 2025, where one of our manufacturers of the product I had been using was located.
I knew from the past that live conventions could help to energize me. My RRR24 community of friends would help to get my business back on track….live events are the very best. Being with those you know who will push you further and support you in all ways. They helped push me to let go of negativity and think positively again. They encouraged me step by step.
I started meeting and doing things more and more with my new friends from The Vista at Rayzor Ranch, where I had moved after selling my home.
I even took a 5-day vacation with 4 of them to North Carolina in October. I was pushing myself forward one day at a time. We took other trips together in 2022 and 2023 as time went on.
I helped get a weekly Bible Study going at the community since there was no church service there. Many residents could no longer drive to nearby churches. There were only five of us and Jason, our pastor in the beginning, and today there are over 25 still attending weekly bible study meetings. And it continues to grow.
I have always believed that God brought me to this community of totally positive people. To help me take the negativity out of my life. Showing me a better way. A way to start to dream again. I learned about manifestation.
Dreaming Bigger Today
So when you say “dream bigger,” I have to admit I don’t have many “big” dreams even now. But they are growing, and I have gratitude for Rory and Tanya’s belief in me. And my team ( community “family”), I have grown to love. I began to think of putting myself out there again, finding my old vivacious personality. (lost for those few years) I wanted to find a new love to just enjoy the company of having them in my life again. That’s how my dreaming started to return.
I joined an entrepreneurial book club to help me read more. But driving back to the town I used to live in became too much. So we started a book club on Zoom with our RRR247 team. I do read more and listen to podcasts and audiobooks than I used to. If you want a great marketing book, then you should check out this one, Marketing is Freedom. Our group started our focus on Nepolion Hill’s books. We then advanced into reading the two books our leaders had written to be sure everyone had read them.
My Dream Bigger Plan of Action
- I will be getting back on track, hoping to make a better income again. Pushing myself further each day. Maybe just adding another $300 to $500 more income per month to start again.
- How would I do that? By recruiting more members, writing more articles (after all, I have to get my mindset back on track). To prove to all those doubters that it can be done at any age! Stop the negative thoughts of running out of money and put the time and effort into making the system work for me. I have negative beliefs about money that I need to learn to let go of and use manifestation to bring income to me. I have read and learned about manifestation now to put it to work for me.
- My new dream.
- I dream of feeling confident and successful again. I believe in myself.
- Having the freedom of not answering to anyone for my decisions again. ( After all, I am now 75 years of age.)….I should already have that option, yet somehow I have given that control over to others.
- Traveling with friends/family (I prefer not to travel alone). And I doubt that at this age, my children will always want to take me along, so better plan on doing it on my own or with friends.
- I still question whether I might meet and fall in love again, although you can fall in love at any age. And I have certainly seen it happen to seniors over and over again. So. I don’t rule that out as possible. After all, I never dreamed I would be single this long after my divorce. I have always liked having a companion in my life. Yet, after living alone for so many years, I am pretty independent, and at this age, a man might not find that attractive. And we all worry about looks as we age(especially women), but anything is possible. I don’t see marriage in my future, but that doesn’t mean love isn’t.
- My big dream is to be happy and prosperous with an abundance to help others. The more money I can make, the more good I can do and give, and help others.
My Dream Bigger Today
- My dreams are returning, and my dream page will be changing as they do.
- One of my last year’s dreams was to reach the next level as a GSI in 2026. I want to clear another money level per month in earning income consistently. And if I don’t make that goal, reset it and restart for the following year. I don’t require a ton of money to be happy, but I do not want to have to worry about paying my bills or relying on someone else to do it for me. (Yes, winning the lottery would be fantastic.) And that’s a Very Big Dream.
- I want to dream again and feel love in my life again. I have such wonderful friends from my childhood and other friends I have met over the years. I want to reconnect with them. Spend time with my pets as they are aging. I love my family, although it is now only a handful of us. I dream of grandbabies coming to bring joy to all of us in the coming years. Should they live far away to have the finances to visit them?
- I want to complete more of my bucket list, Alaska, Australia, and Arizona (to see the hot air balloons), and take trips around the USA. Although I have been to most states, there is so much more to see. To take short weekend trips to visit friends.
- Maybe there is still time to have that place at the ocean or lake house for the family to come and visit…(might have to win the lottery for this one). Now that the children are off doing their own things, they aren’t as interested in this dream, nor am I as I once was.
And Most of All
I want to be grateful for what I have had, have today, and what the future might bring.
Dream Bigger, what does that mean to you? Does it mean travel, money, cars, and career? What is it that makes you Dream Bigger?
“Sometimes the best ideas begin on the porch”
If you would like more information about RRR247 and our online performance blogging community, contact me