Remember back in kindergarten when people would ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The answers were always honest and day-dreamy and determined. A doctor. A zookeeper. A mermaid. Spider-Man. And we believed with our whole hearts that we could do anything, and everything?
“When I grow up…“
It’s got me thinking. What do I want to be when I grow up? I mean, sure I’m 29-years-old and an adult by that definition. But I still have a whole lot of years to go (Lord willing.) And who says we have to be done “growing”, dreaming or exploring just because we blew out our birthday cake candles for the 18th year in a row?
Speaking of candles, I’m thinking about putting 30 actual candles on my cake this year. Why not? On second thought, maybe that’s a fire hazard…
There were dreams and desires exploding in our tiny 5-year old hearts before the world came along and convinced us to “play it safe” and “come back to reality.” We we’re confident and brave and naive but boy we’re we proud of our future selves! “I can’t wait to wear the scrubs and shoot webs out of my hands! Just you wait and see!” Somewhere along our childhood journey we heard a voice (or many) telling us that we need to grow up and be serious. Creating art won’t pay your bills and being a librarian is not lofty enough.
The meanest thing that people can ever do to you is make you believe that you are not enough and that settling is the best you’re ever gonna get.
I hope you have voices in your life speaking truth and encouragement over you. People who lift you up, believe in you, pray over you, walk through failure beside you and celebrate your wins with confetti poppers and queso.
And if you don’t, please reach out and let me be that voice from afar…believing, encouraging, praying, reminding and celebrating you.
Here’s where it gets good, friend. You ready?
Life is a never-ending opportunity of growing up. It may look different in every season but growth is not completed because you reached someone else’s made-up age limits. There is still time to chase the dream, switch the job, raise the babies, learn the hobby, travel the world, speak the language, perfect the baking, write the novel…. And on and on and on.
Today, will you dream with me? Close your eyes and envision anything and everything you want to do. No matter how wild and grandiose or even tiny and simple it may seem to you. Let yourself day-dream. What would you be? What would you do? I’ll share with you and I’d love to hear your dreams too, friend!
My Day-Dreamy Jobs
- I would love to host my own podcast and interview people from all walks of life. I love hearing others’ stories, about the goodness of God in their lives, trials they are facing or have overcome, encourage their dreams and celebrate their accomplishments.
- Recipes Tester- especially dessert or bread recipes!
- Own a children’s bookstore full of picture books and chapter books, a train table and fun, curated toys, lots of little treats and full of magic!
- Work at the Australia Zoo as a zookeeper. My only goal in life as a child was to grow up and work for Steve Irwin. I sobbed the day he died like he was actual family to me.
- Work in a garden store and pot plants all day. Bliss.
- Literally any job at Magnolia. Bakery, Silos, Ferny’s, bagging people’s home decor…doesn’t matter. I will take it!
- Home interior designer. Give me a blank room and a budget and watch me go.
- Create and sell my own art. I dream of a studio with an easel set up in the corner next to the open window, a rainbow of paints along the shelves, plants everywhere and feeling my brush glide across the canvas.
- Travel blogger. I mean, what a job right? Travel, take photos, eat amazing food, experience the world and give reviews for the places I visit? Yes please.
- A volunteer in the NICU to snuggle all the sweet babies that need held when their nurses are busy.
- Write a book and be a published author. Always been a dream of mine.
- Sell my own produce and flowers at the farmers market.
Okay, so some of these things may not every actually happen, but there is a thread of passions running through and connecting each dream listed above. I know my passions include helping others, letting my creativity shine and having fun. How can I now take this knowledge and apply it to my everyday life right this moment to bring on some joy and fun? Maybe it’s creating time to intentionally create or serve someone who needs a little light in their life today. Regardless, taking a moment to dream and let our minds wander is always a good idea. Who knows, maybe you will rediscover passions you forgot about our find new passions you never thought you’d love!
What kind of job would you do if you had free time on a random Tuesday afternoon, just for fun? Let me know, I would love to hear!
Raising This Home 