Has anyone ever told you that you couldn't do something? Chances are someone has. At times negative people can deliver esteem deflating comments that connect with the hearts and minds of others every single day. Take it from me, dream busters can burst your bubble only if you allow them to. Why?

We all have greatness on the inside of us. What do I mean by this statement? Each and everyone of us were born for greatness. Read about my journey and you'lll understand. While a young man I was constantly told I would never amount to anything. I heard that statement so much I thought it was my name.

I never asked why I would never amount to anything because the source of the constant digs came from a close family member. Even as a young boy, I knew the comments originated from a troubled soul. By the way, the troubled soul I'm writing about experienced the same thing when he was my age. What separated me from the troubled soul?

I knew who I was as a child. In other words, I knew deep down in the recesses of my spirit, I was born to win. Why was I so confident? I was born with the gift of dreaming.

I'm not a dreamer by words, rather it's a fact of life. When I lay down to sleep at night I have dreams that later in life come to fruition. My gift of dreams lead and direct my life path. Before you ask, no I can't explain it other than to say, I embrace my gift of dreaming.

What is your gift? Have you taken time out of your busy schedule to discover and embrace your gifts? Take it from me, the world as we know it clouds our vision with overwhelm, stuff, events, and often times we fail to recognize our valuable gifts.

By the way, those comments about me never amounting to anything resulted in me being the first child in a family of nine children to graduate from high school, college, and received two master degrees. I retired from the USAF after a remarkable 20-year military career in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

We all have greatness on the inside of us and once we discover our gifts, we should embrace them and share them with humanity. In parting, continue to embrace your essence, it represents your passion.

Paul Lawrence Vann
www.paullawrencevann.com