When people talk about dreams, it’s easy to picture the big, flashy kind: winning awards, traveling the world, building a million-dollar company. Dreams don’t have to be grandiose. They can be deeply personal, quiet, and small by comparison, yet still life changing.
Your dream might be to recover your health, write a book, have more quality time with family, or simply feel joy again after a hard season. Dreams are anything you think about and hope for. They matter because you matter.
Whatever your dream looks like, you can get there the same way: one step at a time.
The Night 10 Feet Felt Like a Marathon
There was a time in my life when even the simplest tasks felt impossible. I had been sick for nearly a year with no answers from doctors. Once, after pushing myself too far during the day, I came home utterly exhausted and collapsed onto the couch. I was so weak that the idea of walking ten feet to the bathroom felt overwhelming.
Less than a year earlier, I’d hiked a mountain and run a half marathon.
Now, I was negotiating with myself about whether I could even stand up.
Still, I refused to ask my husband to carry me. I told myself, Your body can do more than it thinks it can. You’ve got this.
I made a plan: push up from the couch, pause to steady myself, walk to the end of the couch, then grab the half wall, then the counter, and finally the bathroom doorframe. Step by step.
I stood up. Step one: complete. I reached the end of the couch. Step two: complete. Then… I collapsed.
When the Plan Doesn’t Go as Planned
Lying there, frustrated and furious, I screamed in agony. At 26 years old, I couldn’t believe this was my reality. My husband rushed over, but I refused his help. In that moment, accepting help felt like giving in to whatever illness was holding me back.
Fueled by anger and adrenaline, I pulled myself up, braced on the wall, and tried again, even slower this time. Eventually, I made it to the bathroom. Sitting there, I thought, I did it!
Then I thought, Oh! Crap! and laughed at the irony of thinking that while on the toilet. I was only halfway done. I still had to get back to the couch.
Lessons from This Moment
That night taught me something I carry into every goal I set:
- Know your real goal. Sometimes what feels like the goal is only part of the journey. My “goal” wasn’t just to get to the bathroom. It was to get there and back.
- Break it into smaller steps. Even the smallest victories matter. Pause to recognize them.
- Choose your self-talk wisely. I didn’t berate myself. I encouraged myself: You can do this. Keep going.
- Allow your emotions to fuel you. Anger, frustration, disappointment: these feelings don’t have to hold you back. They can be channeled into action.
- Adjust along the way. Progress might take longer than you planned. That doesn’t mean it’s not progress.
- Find the humor. Even in hard moments, laughter can lighten the load.
Life Happens in Small Steps
We see polished snapshots on social media and start to believe life is supposed to be quick wins and perfect moments. But that’s not real. Life, especially when you’re chasing a dream, takes time.
Whether you’re in a hard season or a thriving one, the way forward is the same:
Know your goal. Make a plan. Encourage yourself. Keep stepping.
Your dreams don’t have to be big to be beautiful. Whatever they look like for you, you can live them: one step at a time.