I’m part of a pretty awesome online community, that is constantly challenging me to dream bigger and to chase those dreams down. (You can read more about what this group means to me here).

This week, another member of the community came up with a great challenge, and is encouraging us to spread the word.

Before I go into too much detail about what #Next5 means, let me fill you in on what I was doing right before I heard anything about #Next5. 

I had just sent off an essay and a written interview as the second stage of an application process for a Masters course. In Theology. This is something that I have really wanted to do for a long time but something always got in the way. Even as I was writing the essay, my mind kept asking me: “Are you sure you’re clever enough to do this? Do you even understand what you’re writing? Better to give up right now…”

I feel like, when I let other people tell me I can’t achieve my dreams (or I assume they will tell me I can’t achieve my dreams, so I smother the dreaming and try to be sensible) they are just agreeing with what I’ve been telling myself all along. I’m my biggest enemy. But no more.

Kevin Buchanan, of livingoutmyjourney.com, has challenged us this week to dream big, and imagine what we want our lives to be like in 5 years time. Now, with the way things have gone in the last few years of my life, I’ve given up on making any long term plans, but I was really encouraged by his video and blog post (available at the bottom of the page) and the subsequent photos my friends posted on Facebook, to come up with a few things I would like to have achieved by this time in 2019.

Actually, I took this photo on Tuesday, and I think I want to dream a bit bigger now. But anywho. The point is, I know with a bit of hard work and hustle, I can achieve these things (apart from the man of my dreams one, maybe…?). It won’t be easy. It may not happen. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make these things happen.

So my challenge to you, dear reader, is the same as Kevin’s: what do you want to have achieved over the next 5 years? Write it down, take a photo, share it with the hashtag #Next5 and then stick it up somewhere to inspire you. Mine would be above my desk, if I had one…

For Kevin’s original post, go here.

And you can watch the video below…