The pull of the chores around me was intense. Daydreams of being a writer, fluent in another language, and investing in my health and fitness couldn’t be further from my current reality if they tried.
My eyes tracked from the markers on the floor to the huge pile of laundry yelling at me on the foot of the bed. I could smell the diaper pail needing changing with the taste of the morning’s first cup of unintentionally cold coffee still bitter on the tongue. In a power move of great restraint, I started typing instead.
My house might sound like a trash heap or shipwreck, but this accrual of to-dos was the aftermath of a sick weekend together with my toddler boy. With life’s to-dos needing constant attention, it’s an act of defiance to pursue our dreams and ensure they are burnout-proof.
Keep Your Dreams Alive
Keep the dream in your subconscious. While life comes in seasons meant to pass, each will come with time consumers from which we need to protect our dreams. As a mom, I’ve seen a million heart-tugging memes reminding me my son won’t be little forever. I don’t need these toxic mommy blogs to guilt me when I realize my son is always going to be a central focus of my heart and time.
That said, there are so many other facets to my personality requiring pruning and care like any garden. Protecting my dreams from the passage of time can mean talking to accountability partners, seeking community, or continuing to consume information about them even if I’m not pursuing them at the time.
As an author, I can follow fellow writers on social media, talk to my friend at the baby gym who is passionate about writing too, or watch documentaries and read books about famous writers. The project may not be at the forefront of the brain, but it’s never forgotten. What steps can you take to stay connected to your dream?
Determine the ‘Why’
Ask yourself if this is a dream hanging on from your youth that doesn’t serve you anymore. Or is this a new dream from something more recent? Is this a dream someone else gave to you or have you concocted it yourself? Know thyself, as Aristotle says, and know thy dream. It’s a lot easier to fight for something when you know why you’re doing it.
Tweak the Work
If I’m dreaming of writing a novel but find myself in an exhausting season, I can work on character sketches or take a free grammar correspondence course to sharpen my skills. If my dream is to lose weight or get in shape for our upcoming family vacation, I may not be able to fit in two-hour workouts, but I can start wearing my watch to count my steps and restart my food journal in my fitness app. We can start by doing something, even if we want to do everything. What are the bite-sized pieces of your dream you can start today?
Set Aside Some Time
We schedule date nights to keep our marriage alive or gym time to keep in shape, so what’s wrong with scheduling the time to pursue our dreams? It doesn’t have to be a lot—even 30 minutes a day dedicated to your passion or hobby will give you a sense of accomplishment and will show some progress.
Doctors recommend 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercises for my current age, which I could bust out in one session or spread over several days. I have a toddler, so you can guess which one I’m going to do. Look at your planner or calendar. Where are the chunks of time you can schedule for your future self right now?
Progress isn’t linear, but knowing ourselves and our dreams, what we need, and why they exist, will go to lengths to make sure they stay alive.
Do Something Drastic to Make Your Dream a Reality
For me, today’s drastic move was making the hour roundtrip drive to grandma’s so my little man could have some grandparent time while Mama sat down at the computer. It could be considered a drastic waste of gas and tolls, or it can be framed as an investment in the pursuit of my writing dream. The chores piled around me can wait while I set a timer and pound at the keys.
Are there career moves, hobby plans, house projects, or travel plans that you can make a move toward today? What is something that feels drastic but would be a serious nudge toward your progress? Do that thing today. If you’re looking for a sign, this article is it.
Be at Peace with the Pace of Your Progress
Depending on your personality type, it’s challenging to do things a little bit at a time. I must talk myself down from the anxiety flooding when I have a limited window to pursue my goals. I pray for God to help me accomplish only what I am meant to, for my precious time not to be wasted. Trusting the process and my progress to the Divine gives me peace as I progress toward a goal.
Some days I know I’ll be most productive if I lay down with my son and take a nap, so I do. Progress isn’t linear, but knowing ourselves and our dreams, what we need, and why they exist, will go to lengths to make sure they stay alive. Wherever you are today, be honest with yourself and your progress today. Be at peace with that.
—
Maybe you already know someone living your dream. Here’s how to glean some insight into their experience: If You Wish You Had a Mentor – 265