When you look back across time, one finds a trail of people who have broke loose from the shackles that were on their body, mind, and soul. They broke loose from society’s expectations of them and societal norms. They had a vision of what they were to do, took a leap of faith, and have contributed to the change they wanted to see in the world. They did as Ghandi had suggested and became the change they wanted to see in the world.

Sometimes we think we can only be what we see others in like circumstances becoming. For example, a woman I knew when I was doing my doctoral studies thought all she could ever be was a teacher’s aide to special education teachers. Nobody in her family or her circle of friends had ever been to college. The school she was working at was sending her all over the district to help the new special education teachers. She saw this as them trying to find a way to get rid of her. Over time, she developed a new perception on the situation. She took a leap of faith, went to college, and received her bachelor’s degree and teacher’s certification. She then did something she never thought she could do, she went on to get her master’s and doctorate and is now teaching people how to be special education teachers. She broke free of the precedents, which seemed to be set for her by her race, class, ethnicity, and sex.

When we change the way we see the world, our future, our own possibilities, then we begin to break free from the constrained vision we have been taught to have for our lives. As we enlarge our vision for our life, we begin to live and have a vibrating experience on our life and the world in which we live.

How do we begin? Don Miguel Ruiz suggests that one use their imagination and envision eyes that can see beyond what is. Using your imagination, “see yourself living a new life, a new dream, a life where you don't need to justify your existence and you are free to be who you really are. “

What does this life look like? What is your dream? Use your imagination and start envisioning it. We each have our dreams. Some of us have forgotten how to dream. It is time to dust off our imagination and remember we already have everything we need within us to transform our dreams into our realities. It is your season to do as Mary Mary said and take the shackles off your feet, (mind, and soul), so you can dance. Break free! Imagine the life without precedent and then begin living it.