Political Warfare Bureau,M.N.D.PostDate: 2017/05/01

Dreams Budding in Hearts; Pursuit of Self-Realization

 (Zhuang, Yu-Ling, Psychological Counselor, Central Mental Health Center, Ministry of National Defense)

Deep down, human beings have the tendency to self-realization.  As long as barriers are removed, everyone is capable of evolving into a mature and fully self-realized adult, like a small acorn that would eventually grow into a big oak tree. (Karen Horney, extraction from Neurosis and Human Growth)

I have been in psychological counseling for many years.  When someone talks happily like blooming flowers and has a smile as sweet as chocolate, he/she is usually talking about his/her “dreams”.  Do you still remember the very first dream you had as a kid? Try to recall the situation then: how did you come to this dream? Did you do anything interesting to try to achieve it? How did you feel….etc? Do you have any sweet memories?

Actually, dreams are more powerful than we think.  For example, a man losing both hands could still paint mesmerizing paintings because of his dreams; a man losing both feet may cross the deep blue, tranquil sea because of his dreams.  Dreams are like seeds of hopes sown in our hearts and that bud in our “hearts”. Without them, it’s as if we lose hope and the meaning of our existence.  Sometimes, I would ask my patient: what is the reason you still hang on tough in a difficult situation? What he/she would say was it was his/her expectations for life that kept him/her alive. 

The truth is, dreams come in various forms, big or small, in the far distance or within reach, unique or common, satisfying or disappointing; however, the most important thing about them is human beings are great because of dreams.  So why not step back for a moment from your hectic work, and look back on the dreams you had while growing up? Maybe you will find something new after giving some thorough thought to it.  How do we possess our own dreams?  Here are some tips for you:

Start from your heart: only feelings coming within your heart and needs from the bottom of your heart can ensure the pursuit of your dreams is successful.  If all you do is follow other people’s footsteps or compete with others, you will still feel empty deep down!  Thus, it is of the utmost importance for you to listen to the voice of your heart.

Ordinariness is feasible: often, we find great ambitions are very far away or we are easily frustrated by them; therefore, to start from something small, then build our confidence as we go, is truly the beginning of achieving our dreams.

Sharing is rewarding: to list the rewards that will come after one achieves his / her goals will sustain one’s dreams.  In addition, by sharing your own life stories with others, you not only get the attention and support of others, but also a chance to re-examine your ideas for future dreams.

Life is composed of a series of narrative fragments that are broken, happy and complete, moving, sad, worrying and humorous.  The most important thing in the process is to experience, feel, and enjoy each and every touching moment you come across. Actually, everything in life has its biased and unique side, mixed with personal interpretations, but that is also the charm of these life stories.  I always remember the happy and satisfied expressions on my patients’ faces when they talk about their dreams.  The magic of our ”hearts” is far more powerful than any medicine because the sense of being happy is one of the most important conditions for mental health.  To build the castle of dreams, let us start with our “hearts”.