“Sometimes she stuck out into the future, imagining her life different from what it was.”

― Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God

 

 

Let me tell you a story about daydreaming. But first, a question for you. 

Do you ever find yourself lost in daydreams about where or who you want to be or where you want to go? I’d be surprised if your answer were “no,” but I must ask.

Depending on who you listen to, you can be discouraged from dreaming. If you’re fortunate, you are ENCOURAGED to dream. I’ve always thought that daydreams are a precious space where you are not limited to what is. You are free to imagine what could be. 

In my case, my daydreams led to where I am now, which is the story I want to share. It began many years ago in California. I was working in an office job that left me feeling uninspired. I was dispassionately putting my hours in at my 9-5, knowing that there was something better out there.

The tension of daydreaming

That’s not to say I was ungrateful for my job. Stability and a regular paycheck are nothing to scoff at. But as my mind began to wander, the possibilities started rolling around. Self-employment, sustainability, fashion and sewing were all things I was passionate about. For quite a while, I wasn’t quite sure how it all fit together.

Then, one day, I was carrying around a purse I had made, and I got a compliment on it. That was the first lightbulb. I decided to make a few more and go to a tradeshow. The results and feedback I got from that experience was the second, big lightbulb.

 

Daring to daydream

At this point in my story–maybe yours, too (?) – where a collision of daydreams are met with a real possibility – that is where things get interesting. Or scary.

I say “daring to daydream” because it feels like a risk. The skeptic in my head assured me this emerging dream was a waste of time. It would never work. But I’m just courageous enough to sass back to that skeptic and question the validity of its claims. (I hope you will be, too!)

Long story short, in the ensuing figurative wrestling match between the daydreamer and the skeptic, the former won. The pieces of my passions that had begun to coalesce into a vision were far too powerful to suppress any longer.

I just knew that I could build a sustainable (pun intended) business making purses and handbags out of eco-friendly materials and use it as a means to contributing financially to support my family while living life on my terms. 

Let’s move our daydreams into reality

This is where it got real. As you’re reading this, I hope you're following my journey while thinking about your dream. I knew I had to do it. There was no putting it off any longer.

In the midst of that process, my family and I moved to Oregon, and the dream I couldn’t put down became Carry Courage. 

Fast forward a handful of years, and my dream is alive and well. 

I even get to support other women entrepreneurs in many ways: through retail and wholesale partnerships, and my favorite: supporting Norboo, which provides jobs to single mothers in Tibet. In fact, last month I launched yet another one of their products, the Lolo Sling Bag, named after Lolo, a delightful young girl whose mother works with Norboo. 

The fact that I get to help this worthy company with its profitability (selling in the US yields a greater return for them than selling locally) just adds to the joy and satisfaction of doing what I love.

Has it been easy? No. There have been seasons of extreme difficulty on the journey. You bet I’ve questioned whether I should continue on more than one occasion. 

Has it been worth it? A resounding YES!

 

Let’s talk about your dreams

I share this story because I believe in the power of dreaming. I hope that I can inspire others to feel free to daydream and see where it leads.

What’s a dream you’ve been dwelling on? Is it feasible? What’s stopping you from going all in on it?

If you want to share your thoughts in a comment, I’d love it!

Thank you for reading!

To your daydreams,

Marisa