No dream is too big or small; mind over matter is what determines whether we achieve them. Here are some tips on how to get started experiencing what you desire.
Dear readers,
Congratulations on surviving yet another year.
Living 365 days is no small feat, even though we often treat it as routine. Each year asks something different from us. One year may demand resilience, another patience, and others may require us to dig deeper than we ever knew we could.
Yet, when the moment finally comes and December 31st exits stage left, we are baptized at the stroke of midnight. Greeted by January 1st, we are familiar with the promise of renewal & what the new year has to offer. With this comes a sense of comfort: there are still goals waiting to be reached, still versions of ourselves not yet realized.
To amplify that reminder, words like dream, goals, and aspirations suddenly appear everywhere. However, these words, constantly repeated, do not come with instructions. This can leave many staring at the gap between where they are and where they want to be.
Unsure of how to bridge this divide, where does one even start when it comes to turning dreams into reality?
1. Realizing what you want
In keeping with the theme of always talking about myself, let’s take a closer look at a goal of mine: moving to London.
This is the first step in closing the gap between dreaming and experiencing. You must first realize what you want out of life. For me, this came from leaving my comfort zone and throwing myself into a foreign territory. For you, dear readers, it doesn’t have to be this extreme. Simply taking the time to ponder what you want for yourself and writing it down starts the ball rolling.
A tool that I recommend many people to do is vision boarding.
Vision boarding can be a great way to help oneself visualize what they want and set goals towards an achievement. By using a myriad of images, words, and affirmations, this collage can help clarify your intentions. It keeps them at the forefront of your decision-making process throughout the year.
In 2019, researchers Phillip L. Waalkes, Laura M. Gonzalez & Crystal N. Brunson conducted a study, which suggested that vision boards encourage self-expression and help identify future goals, inner strengths, core values, and interests. The same research has also found that these boards strengthen an individual’s confidence. They enhance the ability to execute actions necessary to attain desired outcomes.
2. Doing the work
Once goals are realized, you now have a starting point.
The next step in your evolution is putting energy behind what you want.
As soon as I realized what I wanted, I jumped into action. I called my dream university daily. Emails to my program instructor were sent. I even made sure to keep my current school’s administration and advisors in the loop in case I needed advice or just help with this audacious transition.
I researched and talked to as many people as I possibly could.
When ready, I applied for the master’s degree course, and I got in!
This is what I mean by putting energy behind your goals. A dream means nothing if you never do anything to actually achieve it. It took months to put together an adequate portfolio and gather references that I could use to ensure I was accepted.
Often, you won’t see immediate results in what you want to achieve. The key is to have consistency in your effort. Don’t give up. With every new year, a fresh start is provided to you. Use that fresh start to begin on the right foot. Go out into the world, ask for what you want. The universe has no limitations on what it provides.
3. Use every moment to grow
Looking back on 2025, something I have come to understand and appreciate is that for our fantasies to turn into reality, we must grow to reach them.
Each year brings trials and tribulations. When you’re on the track towards your dreams, blockades can and will arise to test your conviction.
As of writing this piece, I have not yet moved to London. I’m still in America, finishing my bachelor’s degree and working full-time.
Bills and responsibilities of the present don’t go on hold once you’ve identified what you want to do. If anything, everything around you becomes harder. Now, having to save all the money that I can, find a place for when I move, and keep up with whatever else life may throw my way feels impossible at times.
These my trials. However, something that keeps me steady in my conviction is that I know I will be on the other side of all of this one day. Nothing worth having comes easy. The obstacles in front of me are opportunities for growth as an individual. Looking at myself now, I am way more worldly, responsible, and tougher. All things I can wholeheartedly attribute to this one goal.
In the face of adversity, overcoming is just another way of bridging the gap between your dreams and reality. This is you acknowledging that you can succeed and make space for your aspirations, not fold underneath them.
4. Utilize your community
Sometimes, it does take a village.
One of the many things people don’t mention is relying on others to help you when it comes to achieving your goals.
Most of the time, the advice is actually the opposite. In this day and age, we as a society are hounded by the “hustler mindset.” It is instilled early on to rely on yourself and rarely on others.
With this sort of thinking, it’s no wonder that everyone struggles to make their dreams come true. Remember that you do not live in a vacuum. We are all humans, and we all can stand for a little help now and then.
Having a community around you, like friends and family, is crucial to bridging the gap. The people in your environment play a much bigger role than you might realize. From your friends joining you on walks if you want to become healthier, to your old teacher sending you emails about networking opportunities, if you want to level up in your career, these are just examples of benefits that can come from keeping up with people and relationships around you.
Even outside of real-world help, just knowing you have a group of people who want you to succeed as much as you do can provide a sense of ease and confirmation that your dreams aren’t impractical. At times, this can mean everything when you feel unsure about your journey.
5. Celebrate the small wins
Along the path toward success, you will encounter moments that may seem small but are deeply significant. Celebrate them.
Acknowledging how much you have learned, the skills you’ve gained, and the distance you have traveled will reinforce the belief that your sacrifices matter. Acceptance letters, completed applications, and personal breakthroughs all serve as confirmations that you are moving forward, even when the destination feels far away.
Progress is rarely, if ever, linear. It is built through small, consistent victories that compound over time. Recognize and honor them.
They serve as proof that your dreams are not just imagined, they are in motion.
As another year begins, remember that survival itself is an achievement. From there, everything else is possible.
6. Keep going
As I end this article, something I want all of you to leave with is the reminder to keep going.
While researching for this article, something I’ve seen repeated in different ways and perspectives is just the simple fact of keeping everything in motion.
Think of your dreams/goals like earning a degree. It might take four years (or more), you will have exams, essays, and assignments. You will do great one semester and not so great the next. You might become valedictorian by the end of it or just a graduate whose happy they passed. Whatever the case may be, you passed and succeeded in what you sought after.
There is no right way or time limit when it comes to what you want to do in life. Don’t hold yourself to impossible standards. Give yourself grace always and take each day one step at a time.
That is the key to bridging your dreams to reality and how to start experiencing rather than wishing.
