EMPOWERMENT :: 5 Things I Learned Pursuing My Dreams

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I have learned a lot by pursuing my dreams.

While many people don’t pursue their dreams, all of us dream and have desires for our lives.

Dreams should be fun and freeing, yet somehow, sometimes, dreams get the best of us.

Dreams bring out different fears in everyone. From fear of failure or rejection, to fear of scrutiny or judgement, these fears then create unnecessary insecurities.

I know these feelings well. Since I was a child the only dream I’ve ever known was to be a singer and record an album. I’d lock myself away in my bedroom in my teens writing song after song and I’d pick up a guitar or sit at a piano, rocking out like I was at the Grammy’s.

My dream never faltered and over the last two years I was fortunate enough to record my first album, Live For It.

Here are five things I learned pursuing my dreams:

#1: Dreams Don’t Have Expiry Dates

The thing about getting older (I’m 26) is the realization that time is precious. A tipping point gets reached for all of us: that digit you were once excited to increase each birthday becomes a daily reminder that your dreams are still stewing in the slow cooker.

It’s never too late to follow your dreams. Whatever the reason may be that prevented you from following them before, if you have the desire, drive and determination, then time is just a number merely used to schedule your next big move.

Living in a world where it feels importance is solely placed on beauty and youth, can leave you feeling insecure and “not good enough”, too. However, talent and true passion are still a force to be reckoned with. When you believe in yourself whole-heartedly and give forth everything you have, that energy can become contagious and lead to amazing things.

#2: Keep Calm, Work Strong & Carry On:

I wasn’t necessarily afraid of the hard work involved in pursuing my dreams, I was however afraid of losing creative control. The thought of releasing a record I wasn’t madly in love with scared me to death – I mean, I’ve been dreaming of doing this since I was just a little boy singing into my mom’s empty mascara containers, so… this album really can’t suck.

Slowly, over the course of two and a half years Live for It came to life, but along the way I learnt the key to success was setting small goals.

Things were inevitably going to change along the way. It’s hard juggling work, recording a record, having a social life, networking, managing a failing relationship and then finding the time to write about it all. At times, I felt very overwhelmed and not so sure that this album would ever see the light of day. However, celebrating small successes along the way really does make the ride feel a lot less daunting. Each time I reach a new milestone, I try and take a moment to actually enjoy and appreciate the progress I’ve made and remind myself that hard work really does pay off.

#3: Feel the Love:

Following your dreams can sometimes feel like a lonely road, (especially when you’re a control freak like me), yet the amount of support that I have felt and continue to feel each day astonishes me. From my producer (shout out to Neo Tempus), to my friends and my family (especially my parents), I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by such amazing people who genuinely want good things for me. One of the biggest things I’ve learned over the last few years is not to be afraid to ask for help. The people in your life want to see you succeed and if they don’t, then you’re hanging out with the wrong crowd. Relationships are give and take, so I’ve also learned the importance of being there for all the special people in my life as well. Sometimes it’s hard and you can think of a million reasons why you would rather do anything else, but at the end of the day, what good is following your dreams if you can’t share them with the people you love!

#4: Tough Crowd, Eh?:

When did everyone suddenly become a critic? Nowadays it’s so easy to leave a nasty remark in the comment section of any blog, video post or social media page, so it can be super intimidating to throw yourself to the hungry pack of social strangers who are ready to attack at any given moment.

This cannot be avoided. Whether its complete strangers online or your own friends, family, colleagues or peers, people are going to pass judgement and hell – I’m no saint either (it’s human nature). What you can do though, is learn to block out the hate and live life for yourself. Do what makes you happy, not Facebook friend “Joe what’s his name,” that I`m pretty sure I met in 1st year, or wait, was it at that giant circuit party I went to 3 years ago? The point is, who knows and who cares. It`s easier said than done, but focus on what makes you happy. Allowing myself to be completely vulnerable through music and opening myself up to the fickle audiences of today is something I still struggle with on a regular basis. When I do feel scared, I try and remind myself: This is it, I only have one life to live and being fearful of failure or of being true to myself is no way to live it.

#5: Dream BIG:

What’s the point of dreaming if it can’t be fun?

At some of my lowest, self-loathing, “I can’t carry on because I’m oh, so dramatic” moments, I imagine myself hitting the stage with some of my favourite artists like Lady GaGa or Lana Del Rey or you know, just casually dancing alongside Britney on one of our “many co-headlining tours” while performing an award winning duet of “Work Bitch” that changes the future of the human race forever. (What?… A boy can dream!)

This sometimes seems to be the ticket I need to keep me propelling onwards. It’s like they say, “Life is the journey, not the destination.”

And even though it’s sometimes tempting to roll our eyes at a sentiment like that, it really is true.

Allow yourself to get carried away with your wildest fantasies, enjoy the ride – it’s what makes life fun. Even at your low points, these visions will be a reason to keep on pushing towards your dreams. Have fun, dream big and never let anybody tell you you can’t.