When you were younger, what did you wish you could do? How did your dream self look and behave?

It is impossible to fail if you’re doing what you love. If your heart is in it and you find happiness in it, you can’t fail.

When I was younger, I always dreamed of living in a van. Life on the road.

Heck, before I ever got my first car I would daydream about keeping snacks in my car.

My younger self was quite wise – I once stated that I would need a room separate to the one I shared with my future husband “so I can put posters on the walls”.

I dreamed of opening a small eatery supplying my customers with vegan/allergy free treats. A cosy space to gather, relax, and read.

I dreamed of having dreadlocks in my hair. Being a hippy, beach goddess.

But I let everyone else’s expectations of conformity wash away my dreams and I became sterile, trying to fit into the box my family and surroundings created for me.

This year, I have come to realize that this is my life. My one and only, precious life.

After procuring my Jimny last year and turning it into the ultimate camper.

I gained this understanding that I can do whatever the hell I want. As long as I am not hurting anyone, the only option is to Try and See.

A few months ago, I made a raw vegan caramel slice that I used to make 10 years ago. My ex proclaimed he didn’t like the food I created and so I stopped creating.

When I tried the slice, I was in disbelief. I asked my housemate and her friend to try it and they sang praises. Feeling really excited about this, I decided to experiment with a Hazelnut Nutella style slice. It was awesome.

I knew I had to expose this to the vegan community in my town. There is a huge gap in the offerings here.

I registered the business name and got myself a business number, ordered some stickers and business cards and went on my way experimenting with different flavors.

I have wanted to do something like this since I first moved away from home back in 2016, but I didn’t have the faith and the Domestic Kitchen Permit requirements scared me off.

Looking at it now, I was skeptical I’d be able to obtain a permit, but I knew I had to try. I am surrounded by so many people who believe in me and build me up and I believe in my product so much, the proof is in the product.

While I was preparing the application, I took my slice into work. My (non vegan) colleagues sang praises. I know I am onto something here.

It has been my dream for 8 years, to have a market stall. Once this permit is approved, there will be no stopping me. I’ll be selling my product at the markets and from there – who knows where it will take me. I just need the exposure in the market first.

It may seem like I went about this in an unconventional way – wouldn’t you get the permit first and then register the business and arrange everything else? Yes. You would.

I have Aries Rising and tend to get excited about starting lots of projects and let them fade away.

So I am holding myself accountable by having the business registered. If this doesn’t work out, I could use it for something else.

Last weekend, I got 2 rows of dreadlocks at the base of my scalp.

I love my hair, but I have been craving a mix up for the last 18 months. I don’t want to cut my hair because I love the length and I am not ready to commit to a full head of dreads, but I am so happy with my hair now. I feel so ME.

I was a little worried I wouldn’t like them, but I have found there is usually something amazing waiting on the other side of that fear/risk.

There is comfort in knowing if you take the leap and you don’t like it, you can always return to what you know. But I have found you grow internally when you step out into the unknown and the new version of you doesn’t want to return to the familiar because it no longer fits.

The last thing I wanted to share: I have finally given up dating – I have been fully detached and not sought romantic validation/distraction for 5 weeks.

I am really proud of myself because it’s not easy – every now and again, I find myself feeling bored and the urge to download on a dating app creeps in.

I am leaving myself open to meet someone IRL (I don’t have any regular haunts though, so it’s unlikely) and for now I am focusing on enjoying being single and doing all of the things I want to do, WHEN I want to.

It is guaranteed I will meet someone one day and we will click.

I have no idea when that will happen, so instead of wishing my life away now and yearning for my single days again when I am coupled up, I will enjoy every minute of this life now.

It is such a liberating feeling. A small shift in perspective with big results.

So here I am, living out my wildest dreams.

One step at a time, I am removing the walls of the box I was placed into. Because if you are living in a box someone else put you in, how are the people you want to be around meant to find you?

Keep growing, keep loving, keep living.

xx