How You Can Honor Your Childhood Dreams as an Adult

Being a child meant having the room to dream as big as we wanted to without any fear, stress, or doubt holding us back. We all likely remember the big plans for adulthood we had as kids, plans and dreams that we clung onto for all our youth, no matter how often we changed them (and we did change them…all the time).  

As we go through the beginnings of our adult lives, we tend to get so caught up in figuring out how to navigate adulthood that we often forget to look back at our childhood selves. We forget all the joy we found in the different things we wanted to be during a time when nothing else mattered. When I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a fashion designer, baker, NASA engineer, princess, farmer, family wizard, and so much more that I’ve probably forgotten.

While I try to avoid spiraling into a fig tree analogy more than I already am, I don’t think any of these dreams should ever be forgotten. In fact, it’s possible for any childhood dreams to still have a place in your life. If we take the time to honor the child we were and the insane amount of careers we wished for so fiercely, we may discover a new perspective on what adulthood could really be. 

Incorporate Your Dreams Into Your Life

I don’t believe that we ever lose love for the things we wanted to be as kids. Even when we move on to something different, little remnants of that love still exist within us. If you wanted to be an astronaut as a kid, chances are, you still try to make out constellations in the sky. When my mama was younger, she wanted to be a veterinarian more than anything but became an airline agent instead. Though she’s not a vet, she has since adopted every stray dog she has found or was brought to her because that love for animals never died. 

Those dreams can even develop into real hobbies. If you want to be a musician, buy an instrument and make some music. If you wanted to be an athlete, you could still play a sport. If you want to be an actor or a writer, act in local theatres and keep writing for fun. I still have a love for fashion despite not being a fashion designer, and I bake all the time as a hobby despite not being a baker. It’s very achievable to still find the fun in the dreams we had as kids, and it could honestly go on to add something new to your adult life. (P.S. If you wanted to be a doctor…you probably already have a Grey’s Anatomy addiction, so you’re good there.) 

Whatever You Decide To Do, Be the Best You can be

As little girls growing up, Barbie was one of the most influential figures when deciding what you want to be as an adult. The Barbie “I Can Be…” campaign introduced a multitude of different career paths we could take, many of which we may not have considered if they were regarded as more masculine at the time. Barbie taught us to dream big and that we really could do anything we set our minds to, whether that was being a racecar driver, veterinarian, doctor, or even a rock star. From a young age, we were taught that anything is possible. 

Maybe what you end up doing in the future isn’t what you thought of as a child, and it may not be what you’re thinking of now. Regardless of what career path life puts you in, I believe the best way to honor the child you once were is to be the absolute best you could be in your chosen field. We, as children, didn’t let limitations stop us from dreaming big, so why should we, as adults? We should aim as high as possible and refuse to let any obstacles get in the way.  

If Childhood You had the confidence to ask for something at the store after your mama already told you not to ask for anything or look at anything at the store, then what’s stopping you from asking for that promotion? 

Don’t Forget “Childhood You”

I believe that who we are as children never truly leaves us as we get older. Life may get in the way sometimes, and the challenges that follow adulthood put everything else on the back burner. Still, there are those small moments when the slightest reminder brings about waves of nostalgia. The smell of your favorite lip balm, the opening theme to your favorite childhood show, a commercial jingle you didn’t even know you remembered. In every memory in your mind, no matter how different you are today, it was still you every step of the way. As often as life changes and evolves, sometimes it’s good to look back at a time when you were just a child running around in a tiara or a cowboy hat, dreaming bigger than the universe could handle. 

Adulthood may take us anywhere and everywhere. Making tough choices like the career you want, especially in college, can prove to be its own challenge. Still, if we remember to honor the child within us, with all the confidence and none of the worries, we could gain a newer, maybe even better perspective, on the possibilities of adulthood. 

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