A girl with an afro wearing a sweater and high-waist denim

Read this article in Spanish here.

Have you ever had that moment when you recall the words of a parent or adult in your life years later and you realize he or she was right? I’ve had these “ah-ha” moments numerous times.

Keep your hands away from the stove. Don’t date that guy. Be mindful of the company you keep.

One moment stands out particularly. It was my senior year of college, and I was home in Michigan for winter break. My uncle worked in Ann Arbor so I drove with him into town to visit friends at the University of Michigan’s campus.

On our ride home that night, we were talking about my college career and my plans to pursue a career in journalism and writing post-graduation. We talked about how the average salary for a journalist compared to that of other, more lucrative careers, and I told him how that didn’t matter to me. Writing was it for me. I just knew that it was what I was supposed to do.

Then, my uncle said the most profound words. (Drum roll, please. The “ah-ha” moment is coming!)

He said, “You are one of the lucky ones. You know what it is you are passionate about, and now, you get to spend the rest of your life doing that.”

21-year-old me didn’t quite understand what he meant, but his words stuck. They were there when I moved to Minneapolis, a city where I barely knew anyone, at 22 years old to work at a travel magazine. They’d come back three years later when I moved to California without a job lined up. His words would ring in my head when I got laid off from my editorial assistant position a year after that. His words would echo in my head whenever a new person would ask, “So what do you do?”

Writing is something I have always just done, and I absolutely love it. I wouldn’t want to live a life or pursue a career without passion. Money will come and go. (Literally, this happens. Just ask my bank account.) Yet, at the end of the day, I know I am truly blessed to get to do what I love.

Living a life of passion propels me forward during uncertainty, struggles and loss. It helps me put one foot in front of the other even when I cannot see the full staircase. Knowing that I have a passion and using that gift for a purpose fuels me every day I wake up.

Living a life of passion propels me forward during uncertainty, struggles and loss.

I’ve learned the hard way that, no, I am in fact not what I do. I am not just a writer or a journalist. Writing is what I do. Yet, it is not who I am. It is not my identity. Having this realization allows me to freely and passionately pursue a life of purpose using my gifts—writing being one of them—to make an impact on others.

My uncle gave me a new perspective on the importance of dreaming and living a life of passion. He has worked at a job he hates for years. He explained how draining it was but that it paid well.  He shared that when he was in his 20s, his focus was making an income and how if he could, he’d go back and discover his passion. He pursued the good old, practical “American dream”—making a dollar.

I’ve always been of the mindset that if I persistently pursue the things I am passionate about and that I am good at, the money will come. It may not be easy, but dollar signs can’t be my motivation. I think a successful life is just as much about having your head in the clouds as it is about keeping your feet on the ground. You can be a realist and an optimist. You can be a dreamer while being practical.

You can be a realist and an optimist. You can be a dreamer while being practical.

We shouldn’t allow practicality to overtake our dreams. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was a little girl. I think my younger self would be pleased to see the adult version of me walking that dream out. I recently found an old journal of mine from high school. I wrote down a list of life goals and dreams. A handful of them made me laugh, but a lot of them I was proud to say I had accomplished or I was working to accomplish.

One dream I had completely forgotten about, and there it was in my own handwriting from almost 10 years ago—travel to Italy. In 2018, I had the chance to live in northern Italy and work as a teacher’s assistant. Apparently, going to Italy was something I have been dreaming about for  a really long time. It was exhilarating to see myself accomplishing something I dreamed about a long time ago.

In adulthood, we often get caught up in trying to make a living or just being practical that we forget to dare to dream. We forget to live a life of passion. I never want to live like that. Even if they call me crazy, I want to be a dreamer. I want to be surrounded by other dreamers who are actively pursuing their passions despite the odds and the naysayers.

I hope your dreams keep you up at night. I hope they give your life color. Never stop passionately pursuing your purpose. After all, you’re never too old to dream again.

What is one dream you would pursue if nothing was hindering you? What has kept you from pursuing the dream?

Image via Prakash Shroff, Darling Issue No. 17

1 comment

  1. I’ve accomplished and lived my American Dream. Reached the peak of it by age 30 when I then had my “a-ha” moment. My “what’s next?” moment. Excited about my new dreams that I am slowly witnessing coming into fruition for me. Thank you for sharing such a personal and inspirational story.

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