At the end of August, I decided to switch up my usual morning routine and try something a little different for the entirety of September: starting the day with a dream.
Normally, my mornings are pretty solid—structured and nurturing. My usual routine looks like this:
Wake up
Stretch in bed
Hug and play with my dogs
Make my bed
Freshen up + gratitude or mirror work (which usually involves a little flirting with myself, not gonna lie)
Say good morning to my flowers and everyone in the house
It’s a good system! It helps me feel grounded, joyful, and ready for the day. But recently, as I’ve been working on some big, confidence-driven goals, I noticed that some old mindset beliefs were creeping up, creating stress and telling me to slow down and play small. You know those thoughts that hold you back just when you're about to level up? Yeah, those.
So, I decided to shake things up and add something new: imagining myself living my dream life in full detail before starting my day.
Here’s how it went:
The Dream Experiment
For 30 days, I began my mornings by picturing my dream life as vividly as possible. This went beyond just thinking about it; I actively felt what it would be like to wake up in that life. The vision became richer and more detailed each day. I found myself watching videos that aligned with my vision, like Dear Alice, and some cozy, slow-living cottagecore clips and vlogs. I was feeding my mind and senses with a dream that felt tangible, real, and within reach.
But something interesting happened. I didn’t just imagine the dream—I started living it in small, meaningful ways.
Incorporating My Dream Life into the Present
After a while, I started noticing subtle shifts in how I spent my time. I wasn’t just daydreaming about living slowly or waking up in my dream house—I started slowing down during breakfast, savoring moments with my pets, and bringing hobbies like reading and writing into my day.
This wasn’t a huge lifestyle change, but it was intentional. Each small step made me feel closer to the dream life I wanted to create.
What I Learned After a Month
By the end of the month, I realized this experiment wasn’t just a mental exercise. It had become a powerful tool that made my days more aligned, joyful, and, unexpectedly, less stressful. Here are the key takeaways:
Intentional Focus
Imagining my dream life before starting my day created a strong focus for everything I did. I found myself asking, Does this align with the dream life I want to live? It helped me stay on track with my goals and brought clarity to my actions.
Starting the Day with Joy
This practice made my mornings more joyful. Instead of starting the day with a to-do list or a rush of thoughts, I began with a sense of excitement and wonder. It shifted my energy from "I have to" to "I get to."
Less Stress, More Calm
The most surprising benefit was how much it reduced my stress levels. When challenges or overwhelm popped up, I reminded myself that I was on a journey toward that dream life. It became easier to trust the process, knowing that the current stress was temporary and part of the growth.
Quick Grounding
Imagining my dream life didn’t just help me in the mornings. Whenever I felt overwhelmed during the day, I could tap into that vision and ground myself quickly. It was like an instant reset button that helped me find calm in the chaos.
Continuous Motivation
This experiment was a huge source of motivation. Knowing that I was living in alignment with my dream—even in small ways—made me more excited to keep going. It fueled me with inspiration and a sense of purpose.
Final Thoughts
Starting the day with a dream isn’t just about visualizing an ideal future. It’s about bringing elements of that future into the present and using it as a tool for joy, focus, and resilience. By imagining the life you want, you can start living it today, in ways big and small.
This simple addition to my morning routine transformed the way I approach my day, my work, and even my stress. I now wake up not just with tasks on my mind, but with a vision of the life I’m creating. And that, love, makes all the difference.
If you feel like you’re ready to level up or need a fresh way to inspire yourself, I highly recommend trying this out. Who knows? Maybe your dream life is closer than you think.
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