#161 Don’t let your dreams slip away

My niece sent me a link about a 46 years old man, who had dreams when he was in his 20s, then he got married and started working 9 to 7 and raising his family. He had a good position and made good living. Then he found out his wife was cheating on him and that was his wake up call. He noticed that he missed on many things in his life. He started to look back at the dreams he had when he was young; like writing a book or traveling the world, dreams that he had never fulfilled and now he regret his life.
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I started to think about my own life and the choices I’ve made, I realized have I not started this life transformation 3 or 4 years ago I would have probably been upset to read this story then because I could have imagined myself being in a similar situation like this guy and similar to what most of my friends feel or afraid to feel because they see themselves going in that same direction. I had similar dreams, I wanted to travel, help the poor, learn new languages and many other dreams and I am glad I have done many of these and still have other dreams.

I remember the first time when I visited Quebec in 2001, I went for a vacation but I said I wanted to go back and live in Quebec. I remember many friends and acquaintances tried to discourage me moving permanently to Quebec. Some told me I didn’t have a job, some told me I didn’t speak the language and others went as far to say that people in that province are not friendly. But I am glad I didn’t listen to any of that. I remember once I moved and lived in Quebec, it took me almost a week to realize I am not dreaming and I am actually living in Quebec. At the beginning, it wasn’t easy, it took me almost 2 years to find a job and learn the language. But in the long term, it was very rewarding at many levels; I met a lot of good people who taught me great things about life. Now that I look back I think I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for me choosing to follow that little dream and move and live in Quebec.

I remember the first time I went to Hong Kong and took a train to China. We passed by the country side, I had this liberating feeling, it was like as if I am watching a TV and on that TV screen me on inside the train, that’s passing through these green fields. Although I traveled a lot over the past 4 years, but I still get that same first feeling every now and then. I remember the first time when I landed in Taipei, taking the bus from the airport, everyone looked different, and spoke a language I didn’t understand. I remember when I first landed in Costa Rica and try to ask in Spanish the bus driver to go to downtown San Jose and not sure if I understood his response. These never forgotten beautiful memories are so vivid, I feel they continue and will always be alive in my memory. That’s probably what makes realizing a dream a beautiful thing, you feel alive by living these experiences that you waited so long to achieve, and you keep asking yourself am I still dreaming or is it reality.

Realizing a dream is not an easy thing, because of how our society structured especially these days. You have to work against all the negativity that we hear fueled by the insecurities of people around us. Probably this is the hardest thing to do, the media and society in general are built on fear and as a result family, friends, are scared of doing uncommon things and that fear if you allow it would channel through them to you.

I realize every day how lucky I am to be doing what I am doing now of traveling and not worrying about life and society’s never ending demands. Not everyone has to travel or have to have a dream about traveling, but whatever your dream is, don’t let it slip away, don’t let money, work, promotion or the insecurities of society wash away your dreams.

Some might like to live quietly with no dreams, some might find it easier to let his or her dreams slip by and just live in the comfort of his/her house and work like the majority of people, and that’s totally fine, especially if you’re content with your life. I personally couldn’t do that, I would rather do the things I am doing now and I am ready to face the consequences, and I know I won’t have any regrets.

I don’t want to wait till I am in my 60 or 70, when I realize that I am unable to do things physically or mentally. Nothing is impossible but it gets harder to go hiking to Machu Picchu at 60 years old. It’s harder to learn a language when you’re 60 years old, I am not saying these things cannot be done, but they’re obviously physically and mentally harder to do later in life than when you’re young. The only thing that probably stays the same regardless of age is sitting behind a desk. So why wait?