Everything I Wish I Knew Earlier About Chasing Your Dreams

I hate the word dreams. And I hate the phrase “chasing your dreams”. Dreams come with the connotation that it’s hard to reach, that it’s something you think up in your mind, that it’s intangible. It makes you think that your dream should stay a dream, because that’s what dreams are, isn’t it? Something you lie awake thinking about, dreaming about.

When I was 5, I dreamt about being an actress, it wasn’t intangible for me, I was already acting but I wanted to be a Hollywood star, and to me, that was tangible. I had one foot in, and if I worked hard, I could have both feet on red carpets. But then I turned 7, and I realized a dream is a dream for a reason. But And now, I’m 21 and I’m telling you, a dream isn’t just a dream.

A dream is the spark to the match, the match that lights your fire that burns your passion. It’s the instigator, it’s the shove over the edge, it’s the light bulb moment, the eureka.

I’ve had conversations with friends, where we talk about what our “dream job” would be and then right after that, they go, “but really, what do you think you’ll end up doing?” The real question is why can’t my dream job be what I end up doing? Maybe it’ll be an uphill climb, but nothing worth it in life ever comes easy. What’s like without a few bumps and roller coasters?

I’ve had a dream for the longest time, and I faced many backlashes chasing it. I’ve had people tell me I’m a fool, I’ve had people look at me like I’m a fool, I’ve had people make me feel like a fool. But now I’m 21 and I’m closer than I’ve ever been to this dream, sometimes the journey to it feels like a dream in itself. Whether people believe in you or not, whether they say your dreams are impossible or not, it’s your dream, it’s what you want to chase after. And I stand before you to tell you that dreams are not intangible. No matter how bleak the situation looks, no matter how many people laugh at you, hold on to that dream, and don’t you dare let it go.

Don’t you dare let anyone tell you that your dreams are just fantasies. Your dreams are your reality. So I guess, the next time anyone asks, you can tell them, you’re just chasing your reality.