Dream BIG IU
Participants' Accomplished Dreams
No matter how 'big' or 'small', we celebrate them all. Categorized by the 12 areas of life, find out what dreams current and past participants have achieved.
Growth
Personal and professional development gives us an opportunity to grow and flourish as well as a sense of accomplishment. Creativity, rest, and play influences our ability to grow and contributes to good mental and physical health. Learn how our Dream Catchers enhanced their personal and professional growth through the program.
Education/Learning
- Admitted into graduate programs
- Completed masters degree programs
- Progressing towards defending dissertations
- Earned certifications as a master gardeners
- Earned clinical mental health state licensure
- Achieved a 4.0 for the semester and attained bachelors in OLS and a certificate in HR management
- Aced business courses and passed Calculus and Financial Accounting in bachelors degree program
- Graduated with MBA
- Earned certification in life coaching
- Certified Data Analyst Professional
- Completed Community Health Worker certification
- Studying Italian
Vocational
- Dream Jobs Achieved
- Recruiter, IUPUI McKinney School of Law
- Director, Human Resources (HR)
- Career Development Program Coordinator for 300 politics interns each year
- Associate Director
- Small Business Advisor
- Wellness Coaching on full-time basis
- Recruited for and accepted HR Director role
- Accepted a position where they are invested in my growth and almost doubling my current salary
- Developed marketing firm to help small businesses, immediately landed two clients
- Expanded a non-profit organization
- Numerous job promotions
- Avoided losing family business during pandemic. Streamlined processes and now expanding the business by hiring more drivers
- Fulfilled my dream of opening a book store by starting an Instagram for books and created LLC for a future brick and mortar store
- Created an LLC and an Etsy site for greeting cards and other products based on pictures of my corgi. A local bookstore is now selling the greeting card line of products.
- Created a company and program to help people live healthier lives by teaching them how to grow their own vegetables, learn how to cook plant-based foods and live a more sustainable life.
- Dream Jobs Achieved
Rest, Play & Creativity
- Learned to play the guitar, started local chapter of Guitars for Vets to help veterans recover from trauma and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through the process of learning to play guitar
- Reached out to famous guitar player Kelby Ray from the Cadillac Three (favorite group) resulting in forming a relationship with him
- Places Traveled
- Alaskan cruise
- Belize
- Poland
- Costa Rica
- Israel
- Spain
- Vancouver
- Ireland
- Held a solo art show and sold one piece
- Writing a romantic murder mystery
- Overcame fears and submitted a movie pitch, resulting in attaining finalist status in a movie pitch competition
- Overcame fears and created a YouTube channel to educate individuals on the how-to in urban gardening
- Developed weekly blog, bridging life in “backwater” places in Costa Rica and the US
- Completed T-shirt quilt for niece
- Doubled vegetable garden
- Conducted a DIY acrylic paint poured, ceramic tile coasters workshop
- Reconnected to their love of singing, resulting in singing lead for a popular local band
- Took a graphic design class and using what was learned to create and sell Corgi greeting cards and novelty items online
- Started taking cooking classes, sister-in-law who is a great chef called and asked for one of my recipes
- Horse showing and winning big in dressage and stadium jumping
- Training in dressage, jumping, and cross country riding in Ireland 2022
- Summer 2022, visiting 49th state
Health
Attending to our mind, body, and spirit is key to thriving and reaching a great level of life satisfaction. Attaining dreams in this area contributes to increasing the quality of ones life within the areas of physical, emotional, spiritual, and/or financial health.
Physical & Mental
- Trained and completed a 5K
- Completed half marathon
- Rode a bike for the first time in over 25 years
- Biking to work for more physical activity
- Working towards healthier living with spouse
- Walking more
- Joined WW and lost 15 lbs in 3 months
- Choosing healthier food options
- Transitioned to a vegetarian diet, no more digestive issues
- Stopped drinking soda
- Signed up for swimming class, swims 3-4 times a week for lunch
- To get more exercise, began walking to campus more
- Improved sleep patterns
- Maintaining motivation to eat healthier and exercising
- Completed 5k (ran the entire race at my best pace) and running a 10K in July 2022
Emotional & Spiritual
- Acceptance of personal limitations and took a break for the holidays
- Certified to be a yoga instructor
- Developed workshop that teaches attendees how to develop a 6-word memoir that enhances their emotional wellness
- Completed 6-week gratitude journal support group program
- Looking for a new church
- Maintaining morning bible study
Financial
- Attained debt free status and retired in 2020
- Attained debt free status and retired in 2021
- Paid off all credit card debt and car, later purchased a home
- Caught up on all credit cards and paid off two
- Decreased debt by 13%
- Minimized excessive spending on novelty item purchases
People
Healthy relationships are vital to our health and well-being. Research has shown that strong supportive relationships contributes to individuals living longer, healthier and happier lives. Learn how our Dream Catchers strengthened their relationships at home and work.
Friends, Family & Romantic Relationships
- Increased time with family and friends by hosting regular movie nights
- Hiking and other outdoor activities with son
- Completed healthcare planning and arrangements for older sibling
- It's a boy!
- Planning for pregnancy
- Planned 25th anniversary road trip
- Supporting and encouraging family and friends to dream
- Working towards healthier living with spouse
Colleagues
- Developed a mentoring program for others in the same role
- Implemented dream coaching program for work division
- Developing and presenting workshops to promote the importance of self-care to friends and colleagues
- Serving as examples to fellow Dream BIG! co-hort members to overcome personal fears
- Colleague connections with same interest:
- Owns horses and participates in horse shows
- Horseback riding
- Urban gardening community collaboration
- Shared online cooking demonstration (eg. green salsa and guacamole, churros, and chocolate truffles)
- Shared online craft DIY (acrylic poured ceramic tile coasters)
- Writing aspirations
- Support and encouragement for parents who have children with addictions
Wider Community
- Admitted into Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., expanding reach for community volunteerism
- Attained Dean's approval to develop a Civil Rights Heritage Center to bridge what divides
- Teaching people about gardening and promoting community gardens in neighborhoods with a high percentage of marginalized individuals
- Coordinated a community plant giveaway providing over 400 free plants to community residents
- Supporting a garden in Costa Rica with a new greenhouse, which houses seedlings for community gardens, and a garden in Gary, Indiana
- Developing and presenting workshops to promote the importance of self-care to friends and colleagues
- Volunteering once a month with my kids
Environment
Our environment significantly influences our ability to thrive and live well. It is important that we are attentive to where we work, rest, and play to assure our environment is adding to our quality of life and not diminish it. Learn what our Dream Catchers accomplished to enhance the quality of their environment.
Adventures
- Hiking in Gatlinburg with son
- Explored the Mayan ruins
- Alaskan cruise
- Touring the Holy Land of Israel
- Cross country and trail riding in Easter Ireland
Work Environment
- Development of the Dream BIG! program to increase employees' potential to thrive and reach a high level of life satisfaction
- Implemented a dream coaching program for their department
- Became a Dream Coach in the Dream BIG! program
- Attained Dean's approval to promote and coordinate wellness activities for faculty and staff
Home Environment
- Completed renovating and building out bathroom
- Renovated a recently purchased cabin for retirement
- Began a landscaping project that turned backyard into an oasis getaway amid the pandemic
- Cleaned out and re-organized rooms, closets, and garages
- Developed a pot garden on the back patio, eating fresh veggies everyday
- Expanded vegetable garden
- Cooking more meals at home
- Preparing home for a new addition to the family
- Purchased a new home
- Moved into a new apartment
- Painted home office
- Purchased a vacation home
- Delegating more chores to the kids to help myself out