Follow your heart...

This post was inspired by Caitlin @ The Healthy Tipping Point.  She asked in her post this morning "What dreams do you want to achieve?  What things have you ticked off your bucket list?"

In regards to "what dreams do you want to achieve?"... I am currently working on the dream of getting my PhD, so that is nothing new.  One day I want to will write and illustrate a children's book.  That has been one of my dreams for as long as I can remember, and I look forward to making it happen. 

The very first thoughts that came to mind for the bucket list question were skydiving, grape stomping like in I Love Lucy, and following my heart. 

I'd like to elaborate on the last.  I always told myself that I wanted to follow my heart for the important decisions; however, I am one of those people who is very much always "in my head".  When I was nearing the end of my Master's degree, I was trying to find a job.  That same year I started dating Chris.  We had only officially been dating for about 3 months when I went on a job interview in Georgia; however, my heart wanted to see where things would go with Chris.  I had never felt so happy with someone.  While it was an awkward conversation for me to bring up, I told him that I loved him and wanted to continue to see how things progressed with us.  It was awkward to start that conversation, but the actual conversation was not awkward.  He agreed.  After that conversation, everything seemed to fall into place.  My adviser suggested I go for my doctorate, and that he would have funding for me.  That was another life-long dream, so I was very excited!  A few weeks later I got a call telling me I was one of the top finalist for the job, and they were going to begin the background check.  I told them not to bother, because I had decided to pursue my doctorate degree (and what I didn't tell them but was thinking... I decided to pursue my heart.) By deciding to follow my heart I not only ended up pursuing my dream to get a PhD, but I am now engaged to the most amazing man in the world.  I think that life has a funny way of working out, don't you?
 

I have what seems to be endless dreams and bucket-list items, which I will continue to share.  What about you?