The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success, but significance – and then even the small steps and little victories on your path will take on greater meaning. ~Oprah

As the scent of sage drifts through the open window and the buttery sunlight arcs around each leaf on the towering tree outside, I pack my bag for what feels like the millionth time in the last two years. Two years of homelessness. Two years of audacious dreaming. Two years of being thankful for the generosity of the people who have housed and fed me. And, two years of meeting people all over the world who share the same need to feel like they can have an impact in a small or large way on their kids, their clients, their communities, or the world.

A Fresh Chapter is a community built on possibility. On the belief that by doing things that light us up, we can positively impact the world at the same time. On the idea that no matter what horrible muck we find ourselves in – sickness, loss, addiction, heartbreak – each of us can choose to believe in a new dream.

Choosing to believe in fresh possibilities is not easy. There are days when it feels like you are pushing a 2 tonne truck up a mountain and at any moment you could slip and be crushed under its wheels. Many days you feel more like a failure than a success. But, this is why I love Oprah’s quote. It’s not about focusing on success. It’s about significance. It’s about waking up each morning and asking yourself. Does what I’m doing today matter?

FCAF GAME CHANGERS: CHASING DREAMS & CHANGING LIVES

Do you remember Nisha and how she used her dream of climbing to Everest Base Camp to make a difference in the lives of cancer survivors? By now, she’s trekking back through the hills of Nepal and I hope she’s proud of all she accomplished. Simply by sharing her dream and asking friends and family for support, she raised $2140 for the Fresh Chapter Alliance Foundation so we can help more cancer survivors start fresh in their lives.

Now, it’s time to take this to the next level, so more people can chase their dreams and change the lives of survivors at the same time. To learn more, check out this link: Be A Game Changer.

Almost like Choose Your Own Adventure, but better – you get to build a campaign around your dream (big or small), your timeline, and your fundraising goal. Not sure where to begin? I bet you have something niggling at the back of your mind that you’ve been putting off – maybe it’s skydiving, singing at your first open mic, or traveling to Costa Rica to learn how to surf. Now, you’ll have an extra incentive to make your dream come true while fundraising to support cancer survivors at the same time. Check out Denise and Manisha’s stories below and you’ll see that the  sky is the limit when it comes to choosing your game changing activity.

Becoming a FCAF Game Changer is about Chasing A Dream, Challenging Yourself, and Changing The World. Click here to JOIN THE MOVEMENT or help us spread the word to the people in your life who might be looking for a creative way to start fresh in their lives. 

WORDS FROM OUR NEWEST GAME CHANGERS

Manisha Braithwaite – Hiking For Hope In The Hollywood Hills – “Every year, I make a personal commitment to volunteer, fundraise or do both for an important cause. This year, I’ve decided to do all of that and make it a Californ-i-EH experience!! In November, this Canadian girl has decided to do a Hollywood Hills Hike for Hope, in support of the Fresh Chapter Alliance Foundation (FCAF). I have had the privilege of knowing so many beautiful people that have battled cancer, but have unfortunately lost that war. I’ve had many “great inspirations” in my life, so I hope that I can inspire others and make a difference in the lives of cancer survivors, who deserve the opportunity to live their dreams.”

Denise Holland – India Spiritual Trek To Support Cancer Survivors – “With breast cancer surgery, chemotherapy and radiation behind me, I am eager to turn the page on sickness and celebrate wellness instead. I am travelling to a retreat in India to lovingly restore  my body with yoga, ayurveda, meditation and organic food. I am excited and scared at the same time! I have always been intrigued by the extremes of what I imagine India to be – the spirituality, the colours, the chaos, the poverty, the beauty. I will visit Delhi, Jaipur and the Taj Mahal followed by two weeks in southern India at an Aryuvedic retreat. I will be travelling solo which is new for me!  To make this dream even more meaningful, I am fundraising to help other cancer survivors experience volunteering and bucket list adventures of their own.”

CALLING ALL CANCER PATIENTS & SURVIVORS

The mission of the Fresh Chapter Alliance Foundation is to ignite a spark of possibility, purpose, and connection in cancer survivors around the world. If you are a cancer survivor and want to be part of the dream, come back here Tuesday, October 15th to apply to be part of our FCAF International Program in India. Or stay tuned to learn about our first North American program which we plan to run in Los Angeles November 14-17, 2013. The time for dreaming big and changing the world is NOW.