Photo by Jess Bailey Designs
Recently I wrote about Dream Jobs. Today I’m going to write about your dream life. It’s a favorite topic of mine because I think everyone deserves to be able to live a dream life. Please note, NO ONE has a perfect life. Life is full of challenges and pivots and that’s okay because learning to respond to those is what makes us stronger.
I was looking back through some of my old posts and found this gem from 2017 where I had set some goals for my life in 5 years. Most of those goals have come to fruition. My boys have both graduated college and working full-time and my car is paid off. Michael is living about 2 hours away but I’m able to visit him several times a year. I just took a vacation with Michael to D.C. and in a short few weeks I’ll be taking by dream vacation of a cruise. I’m living in a condo and technically now I have a room that can be dedicated as an office even though it’s not set up great yet. I also ended up changing jobs and although I really miss my old co-workers, this has been great for me career-wise and financially.
More Goals-5 years out
Guess it’s time to set some more goals and I think 5 years out is a good time frame to continue with. I think I’m going to dream bigger this time around. Ready?
- I want to pay my student loans off-this is easily on track
- Help my kids with their student loans
- Earn consistent income with my writing ($1K monthly)
- Buy a newer condo with 2BR, a dedicated laundry room, and a bonus office space. More kitchen space and updated bathrooms
- Get published in my favorite magazine, Bella Grace
Again, having a dream life doesn’t mean that you’ll never again have challenges. I want to be very clear about this. I also don’t want you to scoff at this post and think you can’t have a dream life because you have family obligations, or financial limitations, or even health limitations. I’ve had all of those issues and I’m still happy with my life and always looking forward to making it even better.
I’m not sure when we became so jaded as a society. I’ll hear about someone going on a nice vacation or upgrading their home and I think to myself, “that’s great, good for them,” or maybe “must be nice”. Here’s the thing, when I say that must be nice, I mean it. It’s not meant to be a snide remark because jealousy isn’t going to get me any further along in creating the life I want. I hear so many people wasting time begrudging others though.
Want to go on a vacation? Start planning. Pick a location, set a budget (and then add 20% to it), set up a special savings account dedicated to your trip fund.
Want a new home or car? (I’m raising my hand here. Both hands in fact.) Again, make a plan. Start a savings account dedicated to this goal. Work on making your current home ready to be sold. Check your credit. Talk with a lender to make sure you’re in a good position to get that loan.
Stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and focus on what you’re doing. Find an accountability partner/friend. Maybe you can take that trip together. Maybe you have separate goals but can check in with each other and keep each other on track. I know my son is in the process of buying his first home and it’s given me the incentive to start thinking seriously about what I need to do to get into my dream place.
What about you? Are there tweaks you need to make to be living your dream life? What are they? And if you’re already living your dream life then good for you!
And one last thought before I go….
Sometimes your dream life might seem really far away and that’s okay. Believe me when I tell you that I have had some tough years. The kind that can take you to your knees and you think life will never be better but it will be. Might take awhile and if you can’t change your current circumstances (which is hardly ever the case, by the way) then embrace what is good in your life now and then start taking the steps, even if they’re baby steps, to living the life you want!
