Note to Self Vol. 2

Living, creating, and striving for the 'dream life'

There’s an interesting paradox that exists during transitional periods of life. We have a present moment to enjoy while building the foundation of what we hope could be a more fruitful future. We do this while also appreciating that every event in our past has led us to where we are now.

But what if everything still feels messy and uncertain? If you’re like me, there’s part of you that will always feel this way. But the trick, I’ve found, is to still incorporate elements of your dream life into your day as much as possible.

You might find that you’re a lot closer to crafting your dream future than you realized.

Piecemeal Dream Life

I have an ever-growing moodboard on Pinterest titled "Dream Life." I like to use it to find patterns in the way I'd like my life to look and to remind myself that what I want IS possible.

The marketer in me knows that this is just an algorithm at work: pretty photos that you save will help populate other pretty images within the same realm. This systematic program of pattern recognition builds your little echo chamber of possibility. It's a win-win that you continue to see what you want while feeding the robots that be.

But this is only a small part of building a life you dream of. The other part isn't as simple as scrolling—it's action and appreciation.

As I scroll through my saved images, quotes, and other inspirations, then look around my current world, I notice that there are pieces of this "dream world" that I already have. I'm sure if you stopped for a moment to take stock of your current surroundings, you might notice there are elements in your life that are already part of your "dream life."

Bite-Sized Bliss

There are always ways to find bite-sized pieces of bliss.

In every part of your life, there are elements that (I hope) you love. Whether it's enjoying morning coffee in peaceful silence with your favorite mug, having access to nature, or living close to a supportive group of friends and family, I hope you have things in your life that bring you joy.

This reminds us that building a life is like assembling a puzzle. We put pieces together gradually, though some fit more easily than others. Patience, focus, and concentration help us complete the picture.

As I look out of my makeshift office window at the surrounding trees, I realize this is already a piece of the nature-filled dream life I want.

Pockets of hope exist everywhere. It's up to us to find them, hold them tight, and work to expand those dreams into something even bigger.

That's what I'm focusing on now. I apply this same outlook to my life as I do to training. As the Tanzanian proverb goes, little by little, a little becomes a lot.

Each week, pushing myself in the weight room leads to incremental increases in strength. Each week, logging miles builds endurance. These efforts are recorded, tracked, and appreciated for the role they play in helping me achieve whatever fitness goal I want.

So just as I lace up daily or get to the gym, I show up to my computer and type these words. Piecing together small efforts helps produce clarity, build confidence, and edge closer to a desired outcome. At this point, the goal is to write. I’ll find my crew of readers eventually.

Little by little, a little becomes a lot.

No matter how imperfect my current reality may feel, pockets of hope and inspiration exist everywhere. My job is to recognize them and use these little bits to plant seeds for bigger things to grow.

Find the things that bring you joy, list them out so you can appreciate them further, and keep going.

The dream life is always under construction, but it’s always within reach.