Today I found myself doing something I hadn’t done in a long time. I laid on the bed, as flat as I could in order to zip up my jeans. Then, when I was able to, stiff-legged, roll off the side of the bed and into a standing position, I managed to get myself into a lunge position.

For any woman reading this blog. You know what I’m talking about. I’m stretching out my jeans that “shrunk in the wash.” I lunge. With a slight bounce, so as not to rip the pants. I walk around a bit. I sit in a chair. I take them off and put them back on. I literally do whatever it takes to stretch those buggers out. Because GOSH DARNIT!! They’re my FAVORITE jeans. And they’re the only ones I want to wear. I don’t care that they cut off circulation in my groin. I don’t care that they cause bruises on my hip-bones. I’m going to wear those freaking jeans if it’s the last thing I do! (raises fists to the air…”You hear me God??”)

And this reminded me of my new cowboy boots that are WAY too small. The first time I tried, I couldn’t even get my foot into them. The second time I tried, I got my foot in, but then it went numb. The third time I tried, I got smart…I oiled them up, stuck things inside that would stretch the leather. I even PAID to have a cobbler make them bigger. But yet…they are still too small.

But does that stop me from wearing them? No way. Why? Because I love them. I’m determined to make them fit me. I don’t care what I have to do, I don’t care that my foot is slightly deformed when I take them off. I’m going to do whatever it takes to have those boots in my life because they are the perfect boot, and I honestly believe they will fit me one day.

And this got me thinking about dreams. When it comes to dreams, it’s SO easy to just give up. To be all like “nevermind…this is too hard, I can’t do it, I don’t have what it takes.” And that is CRAZY coming from me, the girl who literally believes that shoes that do not fit in any way whatsoever, will all of a sudden fit one day. (and they will…you just wait).

Why is it that we can be so determined in one area of our lives (that has no real significance on our happiness), but so wishy-washy in another (that is the basis for all that we are here for in the world)? It just doesn’t make sense.

I know something about people. When we have a clear-cut goal (stretch out boots), and we want it bad enough (these boots WILL fit me) we will do everything we can to reach it. And when we find ourselves wishy-washy, it’s usually because our target of desire isn’t clear enough (meh…I don’t like those boots THAT much). We have an overall dream, but it’s not solid or specific. Or we sort of want something, but not enough to be uncomfortable about it.

The trick for dreaming is to make sure your dream is worth the stretch.

And so the question becomes…should we just keep jamming our feet into a boots that don’t fit, in hopes that they’ll stretch out to be perfect, or should we find some other boots? Is it better to have stretched and lost then to not have stretched at all? Are there other boots in the sea? How long do we keep trying?

What do you guys think?

And what I’ve come up with is that it’s always better to stretch. Always better to be uncomfortable. Always better BELIEVE that you can have what you want, no matter how impossible it might seem.

Be clear on your goals. Don’t give up. And do what it takes to get there. You will be uncomfortable for awhile. But that makes the perfect outfit (with the perfect boot) that much sweeter.

And with all this being said, I’m happy to report that my impossible boots fit. With every wear, I am one step closer to my dream boots. Magic?? No way. Determination Nation. All the way.

I’m taking my boots dancing tonight. See you on the floor.

Have you ever had this experience? Feeling like you want to give up on your dreams? What do you do to get past it? Leave a comment below and share your story.