What do you want to be when you grow up?

That’s a question we often got asked when we were children but ironically we stop asking it of ourselves when we actually have the ability to act on the response. And though they say that most people already know what they want to do as early as 2 years of age, unfortunately, as we grow, formal education, societal conditioning, and life’s circumstances often steer us in a different direction, a detour that for many a person, leads to dissatisfaction and the feeling that you are not living the life you were meant to live.

It Takes Courage to Grow Up and Become Who You Really Are

One of my favorite quotes by E.E. Cummings: “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are” hits the nail right on the head when it comes to the subject of realizing your dreams. Well, the growing up part happens by default. But the becoming who we truly are part—that’s where the real challenge lies. And the reason it takes courage is because realizing a dream, especially one that you have ignored and neglected for years, often means letting go of the life you’ve carefully built, one that might feel comfortable but isn’t entirely fulfilling. It’s scary to step out of that comfort zone and start over, especially when it involves letting go of stability or facing down fear and self-doubt. A task that is not for the fainthearted but one which I wholeheartedly believe is well worth the effort.

Reinventing Yourself after You’re All Grown Up

Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be a dancer. In fact, my fondest childhood memory is of dressing up as a famous dancer, putting on my mother’s make up and any piece of jewelry I could get my hands on and dancing in front of the mirror to amuse myself. Little did I know that almost two decades later, I would discover the beautiful art of Bellydance and find myself wearing similar costumes and dancing just like I did when I was a child. It seemed a dream come true…

Then, life happened! And as befalls many adults, I ended up making choices based on what I thought I should do or what was expected of me, not what I really wanted to do. 25 years later, I realize that my choices did not lead to bad life but all throughout I have always felt like there was something missing, a nagging feeling that there was something else I needed to be doing and no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, it would just not go away.

Then, the pandemic hit which in a way felt like a universal pause that forced many of us to re-evaluate our priorities and reconsider what we wanted out of life. For me, it was a wake-up call that sparked much reflection, and I came to the conclusion that if everything you have worked so hard to attain can be taken away at the drop of a hat then you might as well make it count and go for yours. And so I decided to quit my 25 year career as a school counselor and find a way to make my dream come true, whatever the cost.

I have to admit that letting go of my old life was not easy. Not only did I miss the children I worked with tremendously, but giving up my stable income and suddenly needing to reinvent myself and learn a whole new set of skills when what I should be doing is planning for my retirement, has been quite challenging. There were many moments when self-doubt would overcome me and I would ask myself, “Who the hell quits their stable job to chase after a childhood dream in their 50’s?” Then coincidentally one day, as I was de-cluttering one of my closets, I came across this old picture of my 8th birthday celebration (on top). And what I realized is that reinventing yourself is not so much about changing who you are but rather about becoming who you always have been. I also realized that dreams don’t have an expiration date, and even though it took me nearly half a century to give myself permission to pursue my dream, I know now, beyond shadow of a doubt that the journey was well worth the effort.

It’s Never Too Late to make your Dreams come true

And soooo, after many years of wishing, hoping, and putting it off, I am happy to announce that I am finally ready to launch “The Diva Dancer Total Women’s Wellness Project”, a comprehensive women’s wellness program that combines Bellydance, Somatic Embodiment Work and Self- Care to help empower my fellow sisters to take a more proactive approach toward improving our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

And I’m not sharing this to say, “Hey, look at me, I’m special.” Quite the opposite. I’m just an ordinary person who had a dream, faced obstacles, and eventually, found the courage to make my dream come true. So if you have an unfulfilled dream, whether it’s something that you discovered in your childhood or a passion that you developed later in life I hope you feel inspired by my example to go for it, because if I can do it, so can you.

Getting Back in Touch With Your True Self

Our unfulfilled dreams often hold the key to who we really are. But, if your life path lead you astray, how do you get back in touch with those dreams? Here are a few things that worked for me:

1. Embrace Your Inner Child: What did you love to do as a kid? Don’t dismiss those dreams as “childish.” Sometimes, they hold the purest form of your desires.

2. Spend Time in Silence: It’s hard to hear your inner voice with all the noise of daily life. Take time to sit in silence, meditate, or journal to get clear on what’s tugging at your soul.

3. Be Honest with Yourself: If your current path isn’t fulfilling, admit it. You don’t have to have all the answers yet, but just acknowledging your dissatisfaction is the first step toward change.

4. Take Baby Steps: You don’t have to quit your job or move to another country to get started. You can start with little baby steps. Want to be a dancer? Sign up for a class. Always wanted to write? Start a blog- Hint Hint, you are actually reading one of my baby steps right now!

5. And last but not least, Don’t forget about your Self-Care! Stepping out of your comfort zone and letting go of habits that may be hindering your dreams may initially cause anxiety and trigger fears that could stop you dead in your tracks before you even take your first step. Establishing a regular self-care routine to help you calm your nerves and stay focused on your goal is the best way to set yourself up for success.

My Wish for You

So if you are ready to embark on your journey of rediscovering who you really are, my wish for you is that you find the courage you need; the courage to face your fears and to let go of whatever may be holding you back, and the courage to choose who you want to be, what you want to do, and how you want to live. Because no matter what challenges or setbacks you’ve faced, it’s never too late to accomplish your dreams.

And as you begin to take your first steps I would love to support your journey by gifting you a free copy my Somatic Self-Care Guide, DOWNLOAD HERE which offers simple & practical self-care techniques that you can incorporate into your daily routine as you embark on your journey toward the life that truly reflects who you really are.

And until next time we meet, take good care of yourself and may your Divine Feminine Within smile upon you and Grace you with her Presence.

Love,

Atabuxi

P.S. If you like what you saw here, and you want more information about how you can benefit from the Diva Dancer Project, click HERE to sign up for my email list and get notified about upcoming Diva Dancer workshops.