- Nov 26, 2024
Childhood Dreams Revisited: How Early Aspirations Shape Our Journey
Dreams.
They were everything when we were kids, weren’t they? I had plenty of them. Big ones, bold ones, and fun ones, too. I wanted to paint masterpieces, write stories that would fill libraries, and dance like I belonged on the world’s brightest stage. Back then, I really felt the possibilities were endless.
But then, life happened. Slowly but surely, those dreams faded into the background, overshadowed by bills, responsibilities, and the grind of “real life.” And the worst part? I believed those dreams didn’t matter anymore.
But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Those dreams were quiet clues, waiting to guide me back to what truly mattered. And when I finally followed them, everything began to change.
The Evolution of Childhood Dreams
Looking back, it’s the simple acts of play and imagination from my childhood that held the biggest clues.
I remember turning the piano bench in our living room into an office desk, neatly arranging papers and pretending I had an important job. Other times, I would twirl across the room, imagining myself as a dancer on a grand stage. And in second grade, I discovered the joy of writing, pouring my thoughts onto the page and feeling a spark of possibility in every word.
There was no limit to what I could dream. Everything I did felt playful and free, but beneath it all was a deeper sense of joy. My creativity became a compass, quietly pointing me toward the path I was meant to follow. I was lucky, too, because I had parents who encouraged my creativity, even when it wasn’t practical. My mom always believed I’d be a good writer, and my dad showed me the power of hard work, entrepreneurship, and creating something from scratch. Though I didn’t know it then, their nurturing would be key to everything that came next.
And that path led me to design school, where I fully immersed myself in exploring the things I loved. Design felt like the perfect way to channel my creativity into something tangible and meaningful. After graduating, I found my way into marketing, a field where I could merge artistry with practicality. For a while, it felt like everything was coming together. I was creating, building, and working in a space that allowed me to express who I truly was.
Losing Touch with Childhood Dreams
But life rarely stays on course, does it? Like so many others, I traded the creative work I loved for what seemed like the “smart” thing to do. And at first, I told myself it was just a temporary detour. I would come back to my passions someday. But “someday” stretched into decades, and I found myself farther away from the person I once was.
Here’s why:
I became too “practical”: Stability, job security, and financial responsibility began to outweigh everything else. I ended up in software sales, not because I loved it, but because it felt safe. The paycheck was steady, the benefits were good, and the industry was growing. It was the kind of job you “should” be grateful for, and for a while, I convinced myself I was.
I was good at it. I was really good at it. In fact, I was so successful that I was constantly praised. Everyone loves a sales rep who hits their numbers, right? Sales came naturally to me, and I took pride in the fact that I could sell ice to an eskimo (or something like that). But here's the thing: sales comes in many shapes and sizes. Over time, the intensity of high-tech software sales to massive corporations became more than I bargained for. The constant pressure, high-stakes deadlines, weekly travel, and long hours left little room for anything else. And while I truly loved the people I worked with, I realized I was working so hard to make other people's dreams come true that I was ignoring my own.
I had the unique benefit of watching my dad build multiple successful businesses as I worked for him through the years. People often say sales is in my DNA, but I really think it’s entrepreneurship, thanks to him. Growing up, I saw firsthand the dedication and grit it took to build something from the ground up. My dad nurtured my skills, my drive, and my desire to succeed, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that influence.
Still, as much as I believed in the work I was doing, something felt off. I kept telling myself this was normal, that everyone felt this way. I repeated the same lies over and over, “This is just life. It’s what adults do.” But deep down, I knew something was missing. I was surviving, yes. But thriving? No way.
The Turning Point
Eventually, the cracks began to show. It wasn’t a dramatic moment or a single epiphany where everything suddenly made sense. Instead, it was a slow, growing realization that I couldn’t keep living this way.
The burnout I had ignored for years became impossible to hide. I started waking up every morning with a sense of dread, feeling stuck in a life that no longer felt like mine. The weight of it all was too much to carry anymore, and I knew something had to change.
So one day, I sat down and asked myself a question I had been avoiding: Why am I so unhappy? The answer came quietly but firmly. I had lost touch with the parts of myself that made life feel meaningful. Creativity, freedom, and something to stand for. All the things I once loved had slipped away, leaving me in a routine that felt hollow.
Then, last year, the opportunity slapped me in the face. The details are unimportant, but walking away from software sales? Was I really going to do that? After all, I had spent twenty-five years in the industry. The thought of leaving felt like stepping into a void, an uncertain future with no clear direction.
Yet despite my fears, staying felt even harder. Something had to change, and deep down, I knew the first step was letting go.
Rediscovering the Power of Childhood Dreams
So, I took the leap. Leaving my sales career wasn’t easy, and I didn’t have a perfect plan. But I knew one thing: I needed to find my way back to the person I used to be.
I started small. I opened my laptop and began writing again. Not for work, but for fun. I started designing, imagining the beautiful books I would create, and letting my imagination roam freely, the way it used to when I was a child. And at first, it felt awkward, like speaking a language I hadn’t practiced in years. But with each word, each design, something shifted.
Every small act of creativity brought me closer to the joy I thought I had lost. It wasn’t about being perfect or producing something extraordinary. It was about rediscovering the simple pleasure of creating something that felt like me.
And here’s the thing I want to share with you. I wouldn’t be doing any of this without my parents. My dad nurtured my entrepreneurial spirit and gave me a front-row seat to the world of business. My mom, on the other hand, always believed in me, always encouraged my dreams, and always told me I would be a good writer. If my dad nurtured my skills and experience, my mom nurtured the validity of my dreams and passions. I wouldn't be doing this today without both of them.
And what started as small steps turned into something much, much bigger. I launched Laguna Happy (this very website!), a project that combined my love of writing, design, and passion for happiness into something meaningful. But to me, it wasn’t just a business. It was a reflection of everything I’d learned, everything I’d dreamed of, and everything I wanted to create. It took a year of learning, failures, and a lot of uncertain moments where I was discouraged. But the tiniest wins kept me going and my determination has been more powerful than any obstacle. My daily mantra has been, "keep going", and it has worked. Today, I believe in Laguna Happy's future success without condition because I know my past experiences have given me the skills and mindset to succeed.
Looking back now, I can see how everything led me here. Those childhood dreams I thought I’d left behind had been quietly waiting all along, ready to reawaken when the time was right. And now, they’re not just memories. They’re the foundation for everything I do and everything I create.
Lessons Learned Along the Way
Throughout this journey, I uncovered some truths about dreams, happiness, and finding fulfillment. But these lessons did not come all at once. They revealed themselves slowly as I began reconnecting with the passions I thought were long gone.
And these were the biggest lessons I’ve learned:
Childhood dreams are not just fantasies. They are pieces of who we are at our core. Even if life pulls us away from them, their essence stays with us, quietly reminding us of what truly brings us joy, fuels personal growth, and reignites career motivation.
It is never too late to start over. Walking away from something stable can feel terrifying, but it often opens the door to a midlife career change that feels more meaningful. No matter how far down a path you have gone, change is always possible.
Small steps can lead to big changes. Rediscovering your creativity doesn’t happen overnight. It begins with tiny actions, like writing a sentence, sketching an idea, or giving yourself permission to try. Over time, those small steps can reignite passions and lead to transformations you never thought possible.
These lessons shaped everything I have built. They reminded me of who I truly am and how even the smallest spark can light the way forward. Now, they guide me as I continue building a life that feels authentic and full of purpose.
(And if you’ve been reading between the lines, you might just have caught a glimpse of why I think a little creativity and play is exactly what we need more of in our lives. No matter how serious things get, I’ll never stop creating...even if it’s just for me.)
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