Design Your Life

Living like a 5-year-old

10/29/2009

When I was five years old, if you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have stated, very specifically, that I was going to be a pony rider in the circus. Apparently, riding horseback in a tutu with a tent full of people watching was my greatest aspiration. Nowadays, you’ll find me working odd jobs waiting tables, organizing office files, and ringing up sale items to pay my rent, but in my heart, I’m still a performer. True, my dreams have moved beyond the circus saddle to in front of a movie camera, but actresses love their audience too. There are those who find my aspirations foolish, childish, and unrealistic; naysayers who feel it’s time for me to grow up and settle for something more sensible. So far, I’ve refused.

Why is it that we are expected, even encouraged, to have ridiculous ambitions in childhood, but realistic goals as adults? Let’s find ways to keep the magic within us alive even as we grow older. To find out how, I set out to discover what we can learn from the dream jobs of our five-year old selves. Through discussions with friends and family, I’ve compiled a few themes within common childhood dreams and ways to never let go of them.

Art/Entertainment

Creativity is important to us as children. We want to color. We want to create. We want to let our imaginations run wild. Perhaps that’s why the vast majority of the people I asked remembered wanting to do something artistic or entertaining when they grew up. If we’d all had our way, today’s world would be filled with ballerinas, writers, artists, movie stars, and even a few ‘In Living Color’ Fly Girls. Maybe it was the glamour that attracted some, but I think most of us just wanted to express ourselves. That instinct doesn’t have to die with age. Ballerinas and fly girls can take a dance class or volunteer to teach dance to children. Writers can still express themselves in blogs or webzines dedicated to their subject of choice. As for the movie stars, there’s actually a lot more local film opportunity than you might know, find your way in and you can ham it up on your weekends off.

Caring/Helping

As selfish as some children may seem, there are quite a few of us that still care about the rest of the world, even at a young age. A large majority of former five-year olds that I talked to wanted to be veterinarians. As children, we sense the importance of having furry friends in our lives and want nothing more than to help them. Oftentimes this dream falls to the wayside later in life when the reality of a long veterinary education sets in. But fret not; you can still have a taste of your Dr. Doolittle dreams by volunteering at local shelters or adopting your own menagerie of pets. After all, adults need furry friends too.

Inspirational

For every dream that’s set aside, there’s another dream fulfilled. While my research revealed that perhaps superheroes and cowboys are aspirations best left in childhood, there are still several inspirational stories of those who are making their dreams a reality: lawyers just graduating from law school, writers working nightly on their novels, and animal lovers plugging through pre-vet exams. Anything is possible, if it’s what your heart truly wants.

Quick Tips for Making your Dreams a Reality

Be realistic about why you want what you want. Do you want the reality of your dream or the fantasy?
Don’t let television dictate what you think is real. Find out what the job is really like before deciding it’s your ideal.
Start small. No one makes a career happen overnight. Find ways to participate in your dream field, even if they’re not bringing in the big bucks.
Surround yourself with people that understand. You need support to follow your dreams. Nothing picks you up after failure like the voices of those who believe in you completely.
Never stop dreaming. Make a list of new and exciting dreams annually and don’t be afraid if your goals change, just always be honest about what you truly want. Follow your heart and you can do no wrong.

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6 Comments

  • Reply amberrenee 10/29/2009 at 1:53 am

    I love this article and was so excited when you were doing research for it! Very inspirational and useful! At one time I actually wanted to be a drill sergeant when I was little.. haha.

  • Reply michelleshea 10/29/2009 at 1:58 am

    And I’m sure that something can be said for that aspiration! Perhaps it’s your lifelong goal to be sure your world has order. 🙂

  • Reply beccabookie 10/29/2009 at 7:35 pm

    I love this! I just happened to stumble across one of the facebook updates and I’m glad I did. 🙂
    I’ve been struggling with deciding what to do with my future, since I’m a senior in high school this year. I really just want to follow my dreams and do something in fashion like have my own boutique or something, but there’s always the fear of failure. I’m just not sure if my dreams are realistic, and if maybe I should just play it safe and go for a degree where I am guaranteed a job. I know everyone says just follow your heart but sometimes it’s just not that easy. Thank you for this though. I’ve been stressing about college and my future such so much, it’s nice to have a some inspiration from a person just going for it and making their dreams reality.

    -Becca

  • Reply michelleshea 10/30/2009 at 1:27 am

    Becca,

    I completely understand what you’re going thru. Senior year is a tough time and really, that’s just the beginning of your decisions.

    I have two things to say about your dilemma:

    1. Don’t let anyone tell you that your dream of being in fashion isn’t realistic, it’s a completely reachable reality…but it will take time and hard work to get there. I know that’s a phrase so many people say when giving advice like that, but I think sometimes [myself included] the listener doesn’t fully grasp the idea that it will not just fall in your lap simply because you decide to do it.

    2. if you choose to go to college [and if you can get the funding, everyone should], there is also nothing wrong with majoring in something ‘safe’ as long as you find that interesting too. I spent many years so focused on the idea of being an actress that I shut out all other potential passions. It’s only in recent years that I’ve come to the realization that a person can be a lot of different things with a lot of different passions. Reaching your dream doesn’t mean ignoring all other opportunities, so don’t close yourself off to other options that might come your way. Following the paths that open up for you can only make you a more complete person in every part of your life.

    Hope that helps. 🙂

    michelle

  • Reply athinalabella 10/30/2009 at 4:46 am

    Very nice article. I feel the same way. Alot of those dreams are lost to and wither and die within us, because of the day to day reality and responsibilities we have to take care of. While its true that we do have to unfortunately pay bills, the mortgage, car insurance, and all the other things we have to take care of. There is no reason why we can do both. On your free time you can indulge in your passion and be a more well rounded happy person, who is not just working the daily grind. For a long time I always felt lost, cause I always wanted to do something where I could create, and not be stuck behind a desk, and now I am living my dreams, and I couldn’t be happier. I work soo hard, but since its what I love, I don’t mind and I want to do it. I love getting lost in my work and creating, I forget about all of the pressures and boring responsibilties that comes with living in this world for a little while, and then in the end its not soo bad. I have found a balance that makes me happy.

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