Does achieving goals & dreams bring lasting joy?

As children we are encouraged to dream, to have goals, to want to strive for something.. and as adults we work away trying to achieve these dreams & goals.. but then what?  What do we figure will be waiting for us as the end of this journey?

What happens when we reach the point of achieving all the dreams and goals that we made for ourselves? Do you believe there will be deep joy and happiness waiting for you? Do you think everything will be fabulous once you get there?  Do you believe the stresses worries and concerns that usually fill your life day to day will simply melt away? Will you be transported to a realm of endless joy & contentment?

I come from a family who encourgaed me to dream, to achieve and to believe I could be anything I wanted to be and achieve anything I wanted to. It was, from  my adult eyes,  the greatest gift my parents gave me.

 I wasnt someone who wanted to be a millionaire, or be famous, or re-invent the wheel. My goals were simple and wholesome and I believed that by achieving these, contentment and joy would be my reality. 

I wanted to travel the world, feel completely free, own a home, have financial security & find the love of my life..yep simple and wholesome..and yep ALL done. there is a big V next to them all..

I achieved all the goals and dreams I had planned for myself. They have all come true! A pretty large statement some would say, but its the honest truth.

And I have realised an interesting phenomenom. Those blessed goals and dreams do not guarantee happiness. They do not guarantee endless joy and contentment.  In fact, after the initial elation subsides that you are where you have been striving to be, a deep sense of emptiness comes, a sense of being lost arises and its incredibly confusing! 

Somewhere along the way, I created the belief that achieving my dreams & goals would make me happy and content..but it simply hasnt. And here I am wondering what did I miss, what piece of the jigsaw puzzle did i lose and not realise?  

Now before you all start shouting at your screen that I am an ungrateful witch, that I need to look at what i have and be happy,  or tell me I need to connect with God.. know that whilst achieving my dreams & goals, I was and still am,  deeply committed to my  personal development and feel I live life with a genuine & sincere positve attitude.  

 I am not miserable. I am not completely depressed. I have a great life, a great husband and feel a great sense of freedom. And I am immensley grateful for the support I have recieved from existance to help me get where I am in life.. Im just saying there is an emptiness within that I just did not count on being there when I reached this point in my life.  

The  saying ‘enjoy the journey’ is exactly what I have done, so its not even as though I am disappointed that I sacraficed my life to achieve my dreams.  Life  has been one great big amazing blast!  I wouldnt change a thing,  its been brilliant..  I just didnt take into consideration along that fab journey of achieving the goals & dreams that an added sense of joy and bliss would not be waiting for me at the end.

Admttedly, I did think I would be striving towards these goals for many more years than I actually was. They were achieved much earlier in my life than I expected and I consider it a wonderful blessing, one that I am most grateful for.

Not just because the goals were achieved, but more importantly I feel blessed that I am here with this confused and empty feeling reality now… and not 10-15 years down the track, with 10-15 more years of living with this illusion of guaranteed joy at the completion of the goals list.  

So what is the solution, what can one do to eleviate this confusing reality? 

Is it to simply create a new set of goals and dreams?  Is it to understand that life is full with ups and downs and there is no such thing as pure bliss? Or is it the age old question that we all ask ourselves once or perhaps a million times on our life..What is the purpose of life? Why am I here?

I dont have the answers yet.  But .. with an open heart & with all the awareness I have developed so far, I am searching.  

Hopefully, through meditation, research, reading works by mysics, sages & anyone else who may be able to shed some light on this intriging reality, I might find some  answers.. 

Until next time.. much love and laughter

mystic miss

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