Emma Robinson

“I can’t wait to follow my dreams! But I’ll do that once I get out of school.”

“Well, life is busy now. I’ll do it once I have a job.”

“This job takes up so much of my time. I’ll chase that dream after I have a family.”

“My family is at home, so I can’t do it now. But I will when my kids move out of the house.”

“My kids are out and retirement is around the corner! That’s when I’ll start chasing my dream.”

“But, now I have grandkids… maybe after they get older….”

This cycle of excuses will continue until it doesn’t have time to anymore. What was once a dream waiting to come true as a teenager can quickly turn into a distant memory. 

Sometimes, in the hustle of life, we find ourselves caught up in the pursuit of dreams that, in hindsight, might not even be our own. We chase after goals set by the expectations others have for us and lose sight of what truly brings us joy and fulfillment. 

It’s only in these moments of stillness and reflection that we can find the courage to redirect ourselves back to our own path, embracing the passions and aspirations that we have seemed to hide deep within our hearts.

Each and every one of us has different dreams. Each and every one of us also has an excuse to go along with it. 

So, take a moment and think of your dream. What is stopping you from chasing it? Do you want to look back on your life wishing you would have taken the next step when you had the time? 

Life is never going to slow down, so it’s your job to embrace the time you have now. 

No dream is too big unless your courage is too small. Whether you want to start a business, pick up a new hobby or live in a van and travel across the country, take the next step. Don’t let an excuse keep you from achieving the desires of your heart. 

So, fill in the blank with your dream. Speak it out loud. 

“My dream is ______________, and I am courageous enough to take the next step to accomplish it.”

Tomorrow is not promised, and life is too short to regret what could have been. Take the chance. Be courageous. 

No dream is too big unless your courage is too small. 

If you know me, you know I have a long bucket list of things to do and places to see. One thing that has been on my list for years has been to see the northern lights. Also known as the Aurora Borealis, the lights showcase bright greens, pinks and purples throughout the sky. While they are most commonly seen in northern countries like Canada and Russia, the light show sometimes reaches into parts of the United States. When I found out I was going to have an opportunity to see them, I knew I had to take it. However, instead of packing up my winter clothes and traveling up north, the lights came to me. 

Around mid-May, many of us in Missouri were told the northern lights would be visible in our backyard. So, just like everyone else, I waited for the sun to set and focused my eyes on the sky. But, after about an hour of waiting, I started questioning if the lights were actually visible in our area. The night sky was just as black as usual with no sign of the Aurora. Feeling dissatisfied, I started to head inside. As I got to the door, I turned around to take a picture as proof that it was just a normal night. However, the picture that followed was anything but ordinary. Amid the bright stars, pink and purple painted the sky. While I couldn’t see it with my eyes, my phone was able to capture scenery like no other. 

So often I find myself going into places with expectations, only to be disappointed when things don’t go as I had hoped. From contests to interviews, I remember leaving discontent with my performance countless times. In those situations, I was looking at life through a narrow lens. But, looking back, I realize that a low placing at a contest helped me see the places where I needed to work harder to prepare next time. An interview that didn’t go the way I had hoped allowed me to learn from my mistakes to prepare for the future. When I sat outside waiting to see the Aurora, I was upset that I didn’t see the lights as I had hoped. But, all I needed was a different perspective. All we need to do is look through a different lens.