When we’re kids, we are fearless. We have massive dreams that are only limited by the size of our overactive imaginations. We wanted to be astronauts and superheroes, explorers and magicians when we would grow up. No one had told us yet about who we “should” be or what was impossible – we just dreamed and dreamed BIG.
And somewhere along the way, the outside world started to tame us. We learned words like “can’t” and “impossible,” “limited” and “not good enough.” And little by little, our unique edges were sanded down and our shine was dimmed until we fit neatly into boxes that society said we should live in.
Some of us started to sing only when no one else was around or dance in our bedrooms when everyone else was asleep. We started drawing only in secret notebooks or lip-synced our favorite songs in private bathroom mirror performances. All because in one way or another, we were taught that our dreams, the things that brought us the most joy, were not for us or were wrong for some reason.
We carry this into adulthood and bury our passions deeper and deeper, until we look up one day and don’t recognize anything about the lives we’ve built.
If this is you, you’re not alone. So many people are haunted by the ghosts of what could have been. Every time you see that singing show on tv or watch that dance competition, you feel that all too familiar sting of seeing someone else live YOUR dream.
I invite you to think back to that kid, that wild dreamer who was full of passion. He might be buried under years of other people’s expectations, disappointments and hard knocks, but I assure you that he’s there.
Remember who you are, fierce dreamer! The world is waiting for you…