Ever feel like you’re not doing what you were meant to do? That you’d be much happier doing something you love?
If you’re reading this, you may have reached a point in your life where you’re struggling to find the courage to break free and pursue your dreams.
Maybe you dislike your current job and wish you could do something you’re more passionate about, or maybe even move to your dream city.
Whatever the reason, it’s a good thing you’re feeling this way.
Being frustrated or uncomfortable in a situation for too long, can force you to finally seek out what could be making you happier. The problem is, this feeling is often fleeting.
Insecurities and fear of change creep in, throwing us back into our regular routines. What happens next? We end up with regrets….one of life’s biggest stressors.
The fear of failing and ultimately not reaching our dreams, is enough to stop us from pursuing them. But working towards your dreams is just as important as reaching them.
Pursuing your dreams and simply experiencing the journey, is an accomplishment in itself.
Why Should You Pursue Your Dreams?
Overcome Insecurities
When we’re afraid of change, the questions we tend to ask ourselves are, what if I fail? Or what if I’m not good enough?
Instead try asking yourself, What if I succeed? How could it change my life? Or, what if I don’t try? How will that make me feel in the long run?
By flipping things around, you can start to let go of these insecurities and focus on pursuing your dreams.
Build Confidence
Making such a bold move and believing in yourself will lead to a confidence you never knew you had. You’ll find that you’re now more focused and driven, working toward something you really want.
Learn more about that which you are pursuing, become an expert at it. This will give you the motivation to move forward, replacing fear with confidence.
Purposeful Life
Before I decided to start this blog, I felt a bit lost and that I could be contributing so much more. I tried to quiet this voice in my head, but just couldn’t.
With a family history of mental illness and the pandemic bringing to light just how many people are affected by it, I decided to write about ways to preserve mental wellness.
The topic was always one I had wanted to address but felt I couldn’t. Instead, I was left with this feeling of guilt for not confronting it, or looking for ways to make it better. So I pursued this blogging thing and I’m so glad I did!
But how scary would it be to put my thoughts and ideas out on the web? I was extremely insecure about starting a blog, then found the courage when I realized I could be helping someone else.
It now brings me so much joy to write a new post and share my wellness knowledge and experiences with the world.
My blog keeps me accountable for maintaining my own mental wellness and practicing self care to achieve it.
Here Are 5 Steps To Finally Pursuing Your Dreams
1. Make a Decision
Often the hardest part in pursuing your dreams is deciding to do it. I played with the idea of starting a blog in my head for a while before I actually made the decision and got the ball rolling.
Remember that things can’t move forward without action. Choosing to pursue your dreams can make you more mentally confident, which is important for reaching your goal and sticking to it.
Decide to be happy and have confidence in your decision. Everything else will fall into place, you just have to trust the process.
2. Write It Down
In college, I was an English major with a minor in education. However, my dream at the time was to become a hairstylist.
I’d read about having a visual plan; something you could look at daily that would give you the motivation and clarity needed to reach your goal, and I decided to try it.
To this day, I can’t believe it actually worked. On a sheet of paper, I made a list of the steps I would take to pursue my dream of becoming a hairstylist. It looked something like this:
- Teach 4th grade for 2 years (the amount of time it would take me to finish beauty school)
- Attend beauty school in the evenings
- Complete beauty school and begin my job search in Manhattan
- Become a stylist – goal reached!
I completed every step I had written on that sheet of paper, in the time frame I had set, I was shocked!
On my final step, in a black dress and green sandals, I stepped into a beautiful salon near Gramercy Park where I was hired the next day.
Create an action plan and write it down. Be clear on what your dreams are and break them down into steps, this will make them easier to execute.
3. Consider The Obstacles
Know that there will be obstacles you’ll face when pursuing your dreams. Will you be ready to overcome them? Think to yourself, what’s the worst that can happen? The odds may be against you, and you’ll have to be ready to face them.
If it’s going on a vacation and you’re afraid you won’t be able to afford it, start planning for it now and save as much as you can. When changing careers, practice the new skills needed to get yourself into that dream role.
4. Conquer Your Doubts And Fears
Oftentimes, we’re not the only ones doubting ourselves. Other people in your life may be adding to your doubts. They’ll tell you not to take risks and to stay on the safe side, but know that it’s because they themselves are afraid.
Taking risks is important for success and makes life more interesting. Once you’ve let go of your doubts and fears, your dreams will be at your reach. As for the other doubters? They’ll admire and respect you for it in the end.
Knowing that each day, you get to do something you love, will make life so much more enjoyable. After all, nothing else matters in life but how you live it. So why not start enjoying it to the fullest?
5. Follow Your Heart
Above anything else, follow your instincts and your heart. These feelings tend to be strong (they were for me), and hard to escape. They won’t leave you alone until you take action, so stick to your gut feeling and be proud of your choice.
Start with small dreams that are within your reach and build from there. As long as you’re actively working towards your dreams, you’ve already succeeded!
Imagine your new life; happier, more positive, with less stress and a great feeling of accomplishment. Think about it, you only have one life to live…. wouldn’t you rather live it happily?
How Will You Pursue Your Dreams?
I hope this post has given you the inspiration to conquer your fears and pursue your dreams, no matter what they may be. Remember that choosing to be happy can only change your life for the better, so go ahead and make it happen!
