6.Teach yourself to juggle. It’s good for your hand-eye co-ordination as well as your mind. All you need are three tennis balls or beanbags and a lot of concentration. And understanding neighbours in apartment below yours…

7.Spend time with positive, creative people – they can be family, friends, co-workers or acquaintances, it doesn’t matter which. Spend less time with narrow-minded, negative people, as they will not create right atmosphere for getting ideas.

8.Exercise. It makes you feel good (if you don’t over-do it) and it gets blood pumping. Your brain needs a good supply of blood and oxygen to operate at its best. Your little grey cells will thank you for it.

9.Look around you. Try and see things in your surroundings that you have never noticed before. You might be surprised by what you find. Your wallpaper looks like it dates from 1970’s – how could you have missed that until now?

10.Seize any chance you get to travel. After all, they say travel broadens mind and anything that does that can only be good for you.

Finally, remember that you can have ideas - don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t. You’ve got a brain so don’t be afraid to use it.

The U-turn to Happiness

In Kathy's own words, "Deep down inside, I knew we HAD to return to Chicago. The decision seemed crazy at time. I didn't know what we'd do when we arrived back in city. We didn't have any place to live. And I didn't have a clue what I'd do for a job. All I knew was that we were going back—even if it meant we'd be sleeping in car."

Throughout drive back to city, Kathy found herself remembering a church she attended many years before. "I felt so embarrassed and vulnerable about asking them for assistance," she candidly reveals, "because I hadn't been a member of this congregation for such a long time. But I really needed help." As it turned out, minister knew someone who was looking for a caretaker for a "country estate" in Chicago area. The position involved taking care of trees, shrubs, gardens and lawns on expansive property. A spacious home on grounds came with deal. Kathy laughingly shares, "I always wanted to do landscaping. I'm thrilled being outdoors and really enjoy getting my hands dirty in fresh soil." And, as fate would have it, mother of two discovered that estate is located in her kids' old school district. Her daughters can attend same school they left a month earlier and be with their cherished friends!

Getting Message

As my friend tells her story, hairs on back of my neck stand at attention. I see how universe is supplying core essence of Kathy's dream, if not exact form she envisioned. The cosmos is not limited by narrow way Kathy thought her dream needed to happen. When Kathy choose essential qualities of what she really wants in life—love and harmony—she got them. And safety she longed came through circumstances she never could have imagined. The Big Picture Show compassionately orchestrated Kathy's life to provide security and happiness she always desired.

"Let Go of Form!"

A potent message ripples through my body: "Sulana, let go of framework you think will make you safe and happy. Be open to universe giving you security and joy in a form or context you don't expect. Go after core essence of your dream, qualities you're really looking for." My spine tingles with power of my realization.

Kathy's story makes it clear to me that I've been blocking myself from my dream by believing it had to show up in a specific way. My friend's journey reminds me of many times that I surrendered my rigid picture of how my dream should look—then watched real essence of my dream manifest.

The message of her story finally sinks in: "The support will be there as long as you go for spirit—and not form—of what you really want. Relax your grip on way you think things have to show up and watch your dreams come true."