There are moments in life when our dreams feel close enough to touch. We can see where we’re going, we’re excited about getting there, and we’re certain that if we just keep moving forward, we’ll make it.
And then life happens.
Plans change. Bodies change. Relationships change. Finances change. Doors we were certain would open stay firmly shut.
Suddenly, the dream that once felt possible begins to feel very far away.
I’ve learned something about dreams, though: A detour doesn’t necessarily mean the journey is over.
When Dream Need To Change Shape
Sometimes the dream needs to change shape.
We tend to imagine dreams coming true in one particular way. We picture what success will look like, how long it should take, and even how we’ll feel when we finally arrive.
But life rarely follows the map we draw for it.
Sometimes we have to take the scenic route.
Sometimes we crawl.
Sometimes we stop beside the road for a while because we simply don’t have the strength to keep going.
And sometimes we look around and wonder, How in the world did I end up here?
But being somewhere you never expected to be doesn’t mean there’s nothing beautiful ahead.
Learning That You Still Have Value
Maybe you wanted to write a book, start a business, travel, go back to school, repair a relationship, learn something new, help others, or finally become the person you’ve always known was hiding somewhere inside you.
Maybe you’ve quietly told yourself, It’s too late.
I don’t believe that.
Your dream may look different at 30 than it does at 65. It may need adjusting because of health, circumstances, finances, or responsibilities. You may need help accomplishing things you once imagined doing independently.
That doesn’t make the dream smaller.
It makes the journey different.
And there is courage in continuing to dream when life has given you plenty of reasons to stop.
Difference Between Giving Up And Letting Go
I’m also learning that there’s a difference between giving up and letting go.
Sometimes we discover that an old dream no longer belongs to us. We’ve grown. Our priorities have changed. Letting go of that dream isn’t failure.
But if there is still a little spark inside you that whispers, I still want to try, pay attention to it.
For myself, based on my chronic illness I have decided to write a children’s book.
What Might You Want to Explore for Yourself?
It could mean writing one paragraph.
Or making that one phone call.
Research one possibility.
Take one tiny step.
Then tomorrow, take another.
And if today all you can do is rest?
Rest.
Resting is not quitting.
You are allowed to catch your breath without surrendering your future.
So dust off that dream you tucked away because life became complicated. Look at it again. Maybe it needs a few adjustments. Maybe the timeline has changed. Maybe the destination isn’t exactly where you thought it would be.
“If you do enough small things right, big things can happen.” John Wooden
What Might You Want to Explore Today?
Take out your journal and write your thoughts?
There are no bad ideas.
Learn to not be your worst critic.
Tomorrow May Just Be…
“I decided to try again.”
Julie Payne
Passage To Finding Me: My Journey Home. 
Leave a comment