Quit Saying You’ll Chase Your Dreams “One Day,” And Make Today “Day One”
The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer, Katharina Buczek.
Whether you admit it to yourself or not, you have at least one big dream. We all do. The problem is, as life gets “real,” we push our hopes off or try to forget about them entirely.
With bills to pay, careers to tend to, and relationships to nourish, it’s not rare to feel stretched thin.
You may have graduated from high school or college with massive plans for your adult life. But, as your twenties or thirties droned on, these dreams became stifled by other needs.
Maybe you push pursuing your dream off because of time. You feel like your schedule is packed full, and you have no idea how you could squeeze anything else onto your calendar. Or, perhaps your goal requires a financial investment– something that you just don’t have right now in this economy.
Other people ward off their aspirations due to fear of others’ judgment, worrying about what friends or family members might think.
Finally, some internalize this potential criticism and beat their own hopes down inside their heads– thinking, “What’s the point in having dreams if I will never achieve them anyway?”
The truth is, though, that dreams keep us going. They give us a destination to fuel us with inspiration, motivation, and determination to continue on.
We can also take incremental steps toward achieving our goals every single day. And this progress, no matter how small, will lead us to feel a renewed sense of purpose, fulfillment, and gratitude for the journey.
alonesdj – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
So, stop being your own biggest critic and make today “day one.”
Say “Day One,” Not “One Day”
One of my favorite ways to change my own mindset is flipping the idea of “one day.” We have all been guilty of this before: pushing a goal or responsibility off until Monday because, for whatever reason, it feels like the most sensical place to start.
Come Monday, though, life will probably get in the way again. Maybe you had a hectic weekend, or the office is slammed. Perhaps your kids are sick, or you have any number of other responsibilities to tend to.
So, the inevitable happens– Monday becomes Tuesday, and Tuesday becomes Wednesday. Then, once you reach Thursday, it feels unlikely that you will actually get started over the weekend. In turn, you say to yourself, “Okay, this Monday, I will make it happen.” And the cycle continues.
The sole way to break this trend is by cutting out arbitrary days and dates from your game plan. The only time we can control is present, so quit saying to yourself, “one day.”
Instead, draw a line in the sand and decide that today is “day one.”
Taking Incremental Steps
Now that you have swapped your mindset, you are probably still left with one big problem– how to actually start working toward your goals on “day one” and all of the days that follow.
Well, unfortunately, there is no hard and fast answer. The only thing that will be true for everyone’s journey, though, is that small and sustainable steps are key.
If your goal is financially tied, but you can’t make the full investment right now, maybe the first step for pursuing your dream is setting up a savings game plan. No, it doesn’t sound like a step that is filled with sunshine and rainbows. But this will get you one step closer to your goal– and you can have fun along the way.
Get a savings journal that you can decorate, annotate, and use to track your progress. Or, participate in saving games like the 52 Week Savings Challenge to end up with an extra $1,378 by the end of the year.
Similarly, if the main roadblock preventing you from pursuing your goal is time, your first step is to take a long, hard look at your schedule. What parts of your daily routine are not necessary for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being?
Some people might be able to cut out an episode of their favorite Netflix show after dinner. Others might rather turn off their phones and cut down on social media screen time every morning.
The point is that somewhere, there is definitely an extra 20 minutes you can squeeze out of your day to work toward your goal.
If you are a caregiver or in a high-caliber career, it may feel daunting to lose even that small amount of time. But, you are worth the investment in yourself.
Then, in these tiny moments every single day– whether you are stuffing cash away in envelopes for a savings challenge or using your 20 minutes to focus on fitness, launching a business, or trying out a new hobby– you will be taking tiny steps toward your goal. And over time, these small efforts will add up to drastic results.
Do This For You
At the end of the day, you have to prioritize yourself. So many people– especially women– struggle with this idea since they are constantly expected to “do it all.”
Included in this all, though, is you. And by neglecting yourself, you will severely damage your mental health over time.
Identify what makes you happy and what doesn’t. Move past any insecurities or excuses that have held you back in the past. Decide how you want to live your life and what steps will get you there. Finally, commit to making it happen.
You would probably never scoff at a friend’s dream or discourage them from pursuing something that brings them joy. So, why would you ever do the same to yourself?
Remember this anytime your inner voice feels the need to criticize your efforts or stifle your hopes. And never let anyone else be the decider of your fate.
Put your foot down now, and make today your “day one.” Start chasing your dreams in spite of fears of rejection or the unknown. You will thank yourself in time, and throughout the journey, you will start to fall in love with your drive, determination, and childlike ability to dream again.
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