THINK ABOUT A COUPLE OF AREAS in your life that you have an incredible vision for. What would your ideal life look like in three years?

I laid on the floor with my eyes closed, halfway through The 6 Phase Meditation Guided by Vishen Lakhiani.

Questions about my future used to intimidate me. But when I heard these words, I felt like a different person than I used to be. I thought deeply about the question — what do I genuinely believe is possible in the next three years of my life?

“As humans, we tend to overestimate what we’re able to do in a year, yet underestimate what we’re able to do in three,” said Lakhiani in an encouraging tone over the speaker in my room.

The question dug into me because for the first time, I’m ready to step into my destiny with a full heart and an open mind. I’m ready to be honest with myself instead of shying away. I’m more excited about the future than ever before.

I imagined my future self, strong, healthy, and fulfilled able to take on challenges and every new opportunity with joy, grace, and openness.

I saw myself traveling, writing, connecting with people, and exploring the planet with confidence, sharing the stories of incredible people and places through books, photography, and other multi-media projects.

I saw my website as a trusted daily inspiration to people worldwide, a source that flows from the well of knowledge, culture, mindfulness, and well-being for people striving to live the life of their dreams.

I envision myself leaving a positive impact on this planet.

Before this past year, even just a few months ago, I was intimidated by this question. For the first time, I felt overwhelming joy instead of worry as I thought about my future.

What we dream of achieving in life won’t always come in the ways we imagine. The steps I’ve taken in the last year have been incremental, greenlights that have told me I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

I’ve felt a calling to write for the past three years. However, the Coronavirus was the catalyst that made me step into writing full-time. I couldn’t lie to myself — writing is all I wanted to do.

But I still didn’t know what changing careers meant, and there will always be moments where I question why I’m doing this in the first place.

But I remember that feeling when my heart was moving towards giving writing everything I have, and it made me sick not to follow it. I didn’t do it to become more successful in the traditional sense.

I dedicated myself to writing because I strive to connect with the world, grow personally, and inspire through my words and actions. I’m already successful if I can achieve these things — the rest will come if it’s meant to.

A lifestyle change feels drastic, but sometimes, it takes surrendering when our heart tells us to change. Change doesn’t have to happen all at once.

Anything worthwhile in life is a process, and the most important thing I’ve learned this past year is that it only takes one small step after another to create significant change over time.

When you commit even to the smallest decision to transform your life, a weight will be lifted, and stars will begin to align.

My first small step came when I started building my website a year ago. I wanted a place to showcase the writing and pictures that would come from my upcoming trip to Japan, and from there, it’s blossomed in ways I never could have dreamed of.

I remember sitting at a coffeeshop and scrolling through the limitless WordPress theme options; I had no idea what I wanted my site to look like, and I almost had a meltdown just trying to pick the right theme.

But I found one and committed to it. Every day after work, I took on a small project regarding my site. First the logo; the next, it was the home page, then the contact page.

With no background or general knowledge in website building, this alone was a challenge. But it’s a challenge that I care about, and each task became a difficult joy to execute.

Over time, I gained knowledge of controlling the overall aesthetic. There have been tons of frustrating moments. But I’ve realized that the little things that will inevitably be solved are not worth losing sleep over. The more heart I’ve put into it, the more I’ve gotten out.

After a year of learning and creating, this past month has felt like turning a page. I’ve begun to understand SEO and what makes an overall sound structure.

It’s starting to feel less like a passion project after a year and more like a reliable website that people can trust. It’s a personal reflection of who I am.

I know the small steps I’ve taken, even when it doesn’t look like they’re getting me closer to my dream, have all been for a reason.

Nudges, setbacks, breakthroughs; they’re all part of the journey. When we keep doing what we love for no other reason than to feel joy in our hearts, at a certain point, the floodgates will open at a moment we least expect.