How I Reclaimed a Dream I Put on Hold for 8 Years

I buried a dream for eight years—and almost convinced myself it didn’t matter.

A few months ago, I was scrolling through my phone—probably looking for a recipe or an old screenshot—when I stumbled on something that stopped me in my tracks..

Tucked away in the depths of my Google Photos were a few .png files I’d forgotten all about.

What I Found Buried in Google Photos

They were mockups from 2017—branding graphics, launch announcements, even a set launch date for a blog I never actually shared.

I stared at those images, smiled, and felt my chest tighten a little.

Not because they were bad—but because they were beautiful. Full of vision. Full of me.

I had the fonts, the mission, the colors. I’d built the website, made the business cards, and created the framework.

But somewhere between excitement and execution, I let it sit.
Fear whispered that it wasn’t ready.
Perfectionism told me to wait and keep refining –  had to be just right.

Life got full.
And my dream got quiet.

It’s been almost eight years since then.

Eight years of becoming someone new and yet deeply familiar.

Eight years of rising in my career, burning out, and rebuilding.

Of learning that safety isn’t always safe, and clarity sometimes only comes after collapse.

Of discovering that I’m not here to impress—I’m here to encourage.

This blog is the soft landing I once needed.

It’s the home I couldn’t find when I was smiling on the outside and aching on the inside.
It’s the place where I get to tell the truth about what healing, purpose, and real wellness actually look like—

and maybe, just maybe, remind someone else that their dream isn’t dead either.

It’s just been waiting.

One of the original graphics I created back in 2017…

1. The Dream Was Still Alive—But I Didn’t Know How to Listen

When I look back at the version of me who almost launched that first blog, I see a woman who was full of

ideas, full of passion, and quietly unsure if she was really capable of producing and in this new arena of

nonetheless.

I mean… I was an engineer!

Yet the draw I felt was nothing like spreadsheets and blueprints. It was personal.

I wasn’t unhappy. In fact, I was thriving at work—doing meaningful problem-solving in my role while also pouring into students through career fairs and outreach.

I loved that duality: the structure and strategy of my day job, and the joy of connection when I could be a voice of encouragement for someone else.

But beneath that productive rhythm was a quiet pull toward something deeper.

I had the vision, the brand kit, the mission statement.
I had everything—except the confidence to press publish.

It wasn’t the wrong time. It was the wrong belief.

I believed I had to have it all together before I could begin.
That if I didn’t get the blog perfectly designed or say everything just right, I shouldn’t say anything at all.

And so I didn’t. I buried it.

I told myself I’d come back to it later.

And then eight years passed.

Eight years of half-starts and quiet postponements.
Of convincing myself that the timing wasn’t right or that I needed just one more course, just one more credential.

But here’s what I know now: some dreams don’t die—they just go dormant.
And if you’re willing to listen, they’ll find a way to call you back.

For me, it was a photo in my Google Drive.
For you, it might be a whisper you can’t ignore, an idea you can’t stop thinking about, or a moment in the

mirror where you finally admit:

“I can’t keep pretending I don’t want this.”

This blog isn’t just a revival.
It’s a return.
It’s a reclaiming.

The Moment I Almost Quit on Myself Again

And yet, standing on the edge of starting again—even now—I felt that old hesitation creeping in.

2. Perfection Was My Prison—Honesty Set Me Free

My actual desk from 2017. All the plans. None of the confidence to share them yet

Perfectionism was my compass for a long time.

It’s what got me through college.
It’s what helped me land my first engineering role.
It’s what made me dependable, high-achieving, and deeply exhausted.

Perfectionism helped me produce,
but it also kept me from pressing publish on the things that mattered most—like this blog.

Back then, I believed I had to get it all right: the logo, the website, the content calendar, the font pairings.

I bought courses, made the business cards, sketched out the plan—but I never shared a single post.

Instead, I got overwhelmed by the details and quietly told myself:
“I’ll come back to this later.”

And later became years.

I’ve learned that there’s a cost to waiting until it’s perfect.
Sometimes the cost is your peace.
Sometimes it’s your purpose.

The shift for me came slowly—through therapy, through burnout, through grief, through gardening, through starting before I was ready.

That’s how Life More began.
That’s how The Sweet Reset series was born.

I didn’t wait until I had a polished message.
I just spoke from where I was.

And that honesty—that raw, real, middle-of-the-mess honesty—is what brought the healing.

Not just for me, but for the women who told me:
“This is what I needed. This is exactly where I am.”

Now I know: done is better than perfect. Honest is better than impressive. Starting scared is still starting.

So I’m writing this post.
Not because everything is figured out,
But because I finally realized I don’t need it to be.

I just need it to be true.

3. Why I’m Not Just Coaching—I’m Building a Table

I didn’t come into this work to teach at people.
I came to walk with them.

When I sat down to reflect on what I truly want this blog to be—and what I want it to offer—it became clear that it had to be rooted in my actual strengths.

Not just my certifications or training,
but the gifts I carry every day into conversations, content, and community.

This blog is not a performance.
It’s a place where I get to be an advocate, a problem solver, and a relator.

As an advocate, I care deeply about people being seen—not just for who they’ve become to survive, but for who they were always meant to be.

As a problem solver, I ask:
“What’s really going on here—and how can we move forward?”
Not to have all the answers,
But to help you see the next right step.

As a relator, I go deep.
I don’t do small talk. I don’t do surface-level support.

I care about your story—not just the highlight reel, but the in-between.

I want this blog to feel like sitting across from someone who gets it.

Someone who understands how hard it is to dream again when life has been a blur of burnout, responsibility, and survival.

Someone who can say:
“Me too. But let’s not stay stuck here.”

Through these strengths—and through everything I’ve walked through—
I’m building this blog to be more than a journal.

It’s a table.
A space to gather, reflect, be nourished, and return to yourself.

But this isn’t just about me.

It’s about you—
The woman who has spent years being everything for everyone else while quietly carrying a dream that won’t let you go.

The one who knows she’s meant for more,
But keeps waiting for the perfect moment, the right time, the polished version of herself to arrive.

I want this blog to remind you:

You don’t need to be perfect to begin.
You don’t need to have it all mapped out.
You are already equipped—with wisdom, with resilience, with gifts the world desperately needs.

And even if you’ve paused your purpose—
Even if you've walked away from the thing that once lit you up—
You can start again.

You are still called. Still worthy. Still able.

So pull up a chair.

Let’s figure it out together.

From Burnout to Blogging Again

This isn’t just about publishing words.

It’s about honoring the part of me that still believes in building something meaningful.

Me in 2017—full of fire, still figuring it out. I didn’t know it yet, but the dream would find its way back.

✨ Before You Go…

If something in this post spoke to you—
If it cracked something open or reminded you of a part of yourself you’ve been missing—
I want to invite you to stay connected.

💌 Join my email list to get gentle encouragement, soul-deep reflections, and tools to help you reconnect with your purpose—right in your inbox.

📥 You’ll also receive access to my free guide, created just for women who are ready to release the pressure and return to themselves.

Your next chapter doesn’t have to start with a dramatic leap.

It can begin with a whisper,

A moment of honesty,

A quiet “yes.”

This space was made for you.

And I’m so glad you’re here.

🎥 Bonus Reflection: Why You Still Feel On Edge (Even When Life’s Fine)

If this post stirred something in you—if you're realizing that maybe it’s not just about the dream you

buried, but the nervous system you’ve been pushing past to survive…

Then I want to invite you to pause here and watch Episode 012 of The Sweet Reset.

It’s called:
“Why You Still Feel On Edge (Even When Life’s Fine)”

And it’s a short, powerful reflection on how stress, burnout, and old pressure patterns live in the body—

long after the chaos is over.

Sometimes the breakthrough doesn’t start with action.

It starts with awareness.

➡️ You can watch the episode below or click here to view it on my YouTube channel.

🌿 If this post resonated with you and you’re craving personalized support, I’d love to connect. Book a free discovery call today and let’s talk about what thriving could look like for you.
👉 Schedule Your Call Here