The Insanely Beautiful Moment When You Realize Your Dream Came True

I had this vision, of a place where you could have an amazing cup of coffee, something super delicious to eat, and read a book for hours on end with no one disrupting you. This place where you could meet your friends for tea in the afternoon and catch up on all of your life’s details; somewhere that you could go on a Saturday night to listen to some live music or even a poetry reading.

A place like this didn’t exist where I grew up but in my mind it was magical. I used to dream of it’s colors and the food they would serve. I’d imagine what it would be like to leaf through the pages of the books on their bookshelf wondering which new adventure I would dive into next. I could almost smell the sweetness of the baked goods they would serve and the aroma of strong coffee. I would spend hours thinking about the amazing conversations I would overhear friends having, the kind that only happen when people are truly comfortable in their surroundings. Oh how I would dream of this place.

Never knowing, that one day this magical place would one day become real. That I in fact would be the one to make it so. That I would be the one in the kitchen baking those sweets that everyone would enjoy eating. I never imagined that I would be the one selecting which books went into that bookshelf and that I would have customers bring their friends into my business saying, “I love this place!”

So of course, I never imagined the moment where I would be standing by the door of this magical place, listening to someone sing their songs while people all around enjoyed the food I made and the drinks I served. I never imagined the overwhelming sense of pride I would feel in myself, in my accomplishments, and in my dreams, that I was able to bring it all to life. I never imagined it because it’s easy to believe that you can do anything you set your mind to, but it’s another emotion entirely when you see it come to fruition.

I’ve had a hard time admitting that I am proud of my accomplishments, something in me naturally pushes against that type of praise. I sometimes wonder where that comes from, but for now I am working on pushing myself in the other direction that I am normally accustomed to. I work hard, and I am proud of that. I accomplished goals I had set out for myself, and I am proud of that. I love deeply and whole heartedly the people I have in my life, and I am proud of that. I am the person I hoped I would one day become, and I am proud of that.

So tell me, what are you most proud of? And the next time you hesitate to let yourself be proud of YOU, remember, no one can live your life, think your thoughts, and love the way you do, so why wouldn’t you be proud of your beautifully unique self?