Dreamer Stays Persistent Towards Goals
My best friend, Helen, has to be one of the biggest dreamers I know. She does exquisite, black and white modelling work and despite work opportunities being few and far between (and the necessity of being selective to preserve the integrity of her work) and not living in the right market (to help and care for her grandma) she has still managed to make some unbelievable assignments happen.
She doesn't believe in pursuing an opportunity, path or course of action unless it feels right. She further learned to trust her intuition after suffering with some pretty serious health consequences while on a path that she knew previously wasn't very fulfilling. As a result of taking a risk and pulling herself off this wrong path, she discovered at least one of her many callings and she also learned how to take care of her body and mind the right way.
While mostly happy on her path it hasn't been easy. I say 'mostly' because she has other ambitions that either require other people to meet her halfway on (she has done her half) or that require greater financial resources - and her low salary currently does not afford her many luxuries (such as another of her big dreams: a life-changing trek through the regions of Tibet, Myanmar, India, Shri Lanka and Nepal which she finds herself drawn to..After that, it's the rest of the world!
But these 'setbacks' haven't stopped her from continuing with her planning and striving. After many years of struggling both creatively and financially, instead of giving up, her path has been reinforced. She just recently told me she decided to continue to trust her angels because she knows she's doing the right thing. She sticks around for those 1 or 2 amazing assignments that present themselves and that she knows she is alive for to fulfill and that will hopefully make a difference to others.
Many of her dreams center around helping others, working hard and creating meaningful and fulfilling art that will inspire others into action. One of her dreams is to model for Oprah magazine (or have her work appear in its pages). [One of her dreams in particular is to participate in a photoshoot that will go alongside an article or editorial that delivers an important or timely message. The idea is for people to be drawn in by the photographs to see this message]. She has written to Oprah on several occasions and is planning to mail a professional package.
She is one of the most persistent people I knew and she just will not give up. She knows what her goals are while still leaving room for the possibilities, the miraculous and the unexpected.
And another thing is Helen wants to share her good fortune with other people. She has been willing to carry the financial burden of her decisions and pay for travel out of her own pocket to assignments. She has accepted many (if not most) assignments without pay because she believes in her abilities and the work she is doing.
She is the only person I know who, at 26, will still chase after some seemingly impossible dreams. Who doesn't believe they are so impossible. Who still believes she could pursue a medical degree (if that felt like the right course of action to take), work with her favorite designer Alexander McQueen or one of her favorite photographers Joyce Tenneson or join a band and be a recording artist. She hasn't closed the door on anything and that's what makes her so special. And she is taking realistic steps to make everything happen.
She has another big dream too - she wants to be truly financially independent so she can use her wealth to not only to fulfill some of her personal dreams but to support other people, good causes and the environment. She has often told me if she had alot of money, she would love to give it away and lavish other people with good things. Because that's what she feels life is all about - to inspire each other - to learn from each other what we do and don't want to do in life and to make the effort to find and use our callings and passions to help and uplift others.
She inspires me everyday and has helped me tremendously. I feel she deserves this chance. Thank you.
By: Sam Gillis