A cynical, snarky part of myself has always thought that “believing in your dreams” is a bit childish, especially when life has driven a billion-pound tractor-trailer over one of your hopes.

But what if continuing to believe in possibilities isn’t childish? What if it’s innocent? What if it’s pure positivity, the place of undiluted vitality that is an answer to all the atrocities of war, shame, violation, pollution and angry hip pain. Because another pass at optimism creates more action, possibilities, and outcomes– than giving up and shrinking.

Achievement freaks and soul warriors choose to believe in resilience and a generous life force. Not because we’re morons. But because we refuse to close our hearts. We refuse to choose fear as the end of the game. We see fear as the beginning. It is the instigation to strengthen in new ways and tap deeper capacities. We refuse to wither.

This is the work that life asks of us if we want to be free, especially in these times. If we want to live a life we’re born for.

The world is changing. And it’s time to up our game. We are called to be conscious now and choose the story and identity we focus on. Please do not identify with barrenness. Do not conclude that disappointment is anything more than just the first layer. It’s what you do with disappointment that matters. That’s where the journey of tapping your flame begins.

I’ll share this life-changing realization I had and wrote about in my latest book Learning to Trust Yourself: Breaking Through the Blocks that Hold You Back:

I was terrified of being disappointed. I was afraid to believe in a “positive energy” or “Universe” or any idea that made me feel warm inside. I didn’t want to break my own heart. Because I could point to times in my life where I “believed something would work” and it didn’t. I didn’t want to open myself up to ever being disappointed again.

But here’s what I know now…and it feels like a meteor shower or like a key to a door that had always been locked:

It wasn’t disappointment that caused me to stop believing.

It’s when I stopped believing that I felt disappointed.

Yes, things happened that didn’t go the way I expected or desired. But then I chose to stop believing. I chose to stop trusting. I closed my heart. Gave up on everything. This self-abandonment thwarted my fire, perspective, and actions. I became unavailable to anything progressing and maturing into better outcomes. This was the problem. The cause of my black hole.

Because every time I have stayed present and moved forward…continuing to believe in my path…I have discovered something that made me believe in my path.

So, this is my invitation to you. Do not abandon your belief in what is still possible for you. Let your problems guide you to your truth instead of deciding that your problems are your truth.