Remember when you were younger and people would ask you what you wanted to be when you got older? I remember when I was really little wanting to be a veterinarian, then it was a marine biologist, then a professional soccer player, and I think super model was in there at some point too. Obviously, at least half of those were completely unrealistic, but I didn’t care when I was little. The point is that there were no limits to what we thought we could be. We based it off of desire and a dream that wasn’t limited by what others told us we were capable of or not capable of. We dared to dream big for the best.

As we get older, we start limiting ourselves. We stop dreaming and start settling for anything. Suddenly it’s as if life has nothing to do with enjoying it but rather surviving it, which is not a way to live. Life is not a mere sprint to a dead end; it’s an adventure with memories, laughter, achievements, and joy peppered in along the way. Why is it that as we get older we stop dreaming? We stop dreaming for ourselves and stop dreaming for our marriage. We don’t need to stop dreaming, and in fact, we need to start dreaming again to put a little fun and adventure back into our life.

I remember hearing the quote by Les Brown ”Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you will land among the stars.” Dreaming is a way to strive for something and put a little adventure as well as planning into your life. Marriage is no exception. Taking time to dream together is one of the joys of marriage. Dream big for your marriage and life together. What do you hope will happen? Where do you want to go? What are your goals? How do you see your life in 5, 10, 15, 20 years? I know for me, I dream of being madly in love for our entire lives and making people wonder how we look at each other like it’s the first time we were in love every time. We dream of a nice, comfortable home that’s cozy and filled with memories and laughter. We dream of traveling to fun places and exploring together. It’s so fun to dream. You laugh at them, talk about previous dreams that fell apart, and you get excited at the prospect of your future together. Dreaming for your marriage is like adding a little spice to the recipe of life. I would highly recommend trying it

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Author : Ashley McIlwain

Ashley McIlwain, M.A., is a Marriage and Family Therapist, speaker, and writer. She is the founder and C.E.O. of the non-profit organization, Foundation Restoration, and blog LittleWifey.com, which are comprehensive resources committed to restoring the very foundation of society – marriage. She is committed to and passionate about helping relationships thrive. In the past Ashley worked with Moody Publishers and Dr. Gary Chapman as Managing Editor to launch and develop a website focused on premarital preparation. Ashley holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Palm Beach Atlantic University and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from Azusa Pacific University. Currently she and her husband, Steve, reside in Southern California.