Hello lovely,
It’s certainly no secret that I struggle to stay present - no matter how hard I try.
Whilst poetry does help to bring me into the present moment and to notice what’s around me, I still daydream about all the things I like to accomplish in life. All the places I’d like to visit and things I’d like to experience.
And then the fear of running out of time plagues my mind. Do you feel this too?
A dream is like a secret that you make with yourself, wrapped in beautiful ribbon, that you tuck away safely until the right time comes to open it.
Dreams are funny things aren’t they? They can be constant companions within our minds for what feels like forever, and then sometimes they can even be shapeshifters, making small incremental changes over the years to adjust alongside the person you naturally evolve into.
Occasionally though, (sadly) dreams do fade away into the ether, never materialising into what you thought they once would. But that’s where the magic happens… If one dream fades away, it only leaves room for something bigger than you could’ve never imagined.
That’s when staying present becomes really important. Dreaming is a part of being human, yet we mustn’t allow ourselves to become so obsessed with achieving these dreams (and by specific deadlines), that we lose sense of what’s right in front of us. The everyday magic.
One of my biggest dreams is to travel as much as is feasibly possible. I don’t mean backpacking, although if the opportunity ever presented itself I wouldn’t shoo it away. No, I mean, just seeing as much of the world as I can, when I can. I have a bucket list of places I’ve dreamed of visiting for years now and I guess you could say I’m slowly ticking those off. However, if I’m being truly honest I do occasionally feel a pang of envy when I see others visiting places on that list.
When that emotion arises, I know that I’ve become detached once again from the present. Because in my heart I’m happy to witness others getting to explore and live out their dreams. And just because I’m not sat in Italy sipping wine overlooking the bay, or I’m not tirelessly climbing Machu Picchu in Peru… It doesn’t mean those things won’t happen one day.
It’s as though in those moments that I’m being nudged towards the present, and to be grateful of all the small, daily things that make up my life. To be content with the mundane. To remind myself that life will unfold as it’s meant to, that my dreams will come true.
It can often feel uncomfortable when we aren’t achieving our dreams as quickly as we’d like to. Feelings of being stuck, impatient and unmotivated can linger when our dreams feel so out of reach. And it’s natural. When those feelings make themselves known however, remind yourself that the journey to reaching them can be just as beautiful as actually making them happen. You want to travel? Feel grateful for the money you manage to put aside to do so and for the daily adventures you get to experience. Working towards your dream career? Think of all the skills you’ve learnt and are learning whilst on the that path. Longing for that home you’ve pictured of since forever? Remind yourself of the current roof over your head and allow it to fill you with gratitude.
Whatever it is you’re working towards will happen - don’t lose sight of your dreams. Just don’t be so hyper-focused on them that you neglect your wellbeing, the present and all the joy that surrounds you in this moment.
Let’s meet in the comments… Tell me one of your dreams, and something that you’re grateful for this week.
If you would like to support me further, then why not upgrade to paid for £3.50 a month? Your kindness and generosity at the price of a coffee would be the fuel for my creativity and writing.
This was written as part of the Essay Club over at Sparkle on Substack by the lovely Claire Venus.
Such good thoughts! staying present and being grateful and dreaming big and staying hopeful is so important 💖 one doesn’t need to replace the other, I do think they’re equally important