Not Every Dream is Meant to Come True
Some are a doorway to better ones.
I'll admit. I get nervous going all in on my dreams.
I did that as a screenwriter and it didn't pan out. I came VERY close. I had an agent and a manager in Hollywood. I even had a deal on the table.
If I'd been listening to my intuition at that time, I would have heard the warning bells. For a year. It took coming right up to giving my power away to see what I was doing.
That's when I made the leap to writing novels. And never looked back.
It was 100% the right decision. I am grateful every day that I did it. And still, something about that dream not happening broke my heart.
You get to have many dreams in your lifetime.
This may be an unpopular opinion… but I believe that some dreams aren't meant to work out. They are meant to show you a different path. And to teach you what really matters.
When I stared down that choice - sign the deal or walk away - I discovered how much my stories matter to me. How much I care about my heroines. That taking a stand for them, was taking a stand for me (and all women).
It was a key moment that I will never forget.
I took a stand for my true dream.
I remembered the bigger mission. What really mattered. And held true to my integrity.
In rejecting a deal that I knew would have gutted my script, I got clear about the kind of stories I wanted in the world. How I believed in them to empower women. The characters that made a difference to me.
Leaving the film biz closed one door and swung another open.
A year later, I launched my first fantasy novel into the world.
The better you know yourself, the clearer your dreams get.
Today, we're basking in the light of a big full moon in Leo.
This kind of moon shines a spotlight on your creativity. The creative beat of your heart. And commands you to believe in yourself.
I get nervous about my BIG dreams because I don't want to get my heart broken (again). Except…
It could be the storyteller in me talking, but isn't that what I signed up for?
To dare? To risk? To go all in on the dreams that matter?
The Leo full moon gives you an extra boost of charisma to remember who you are. That daring for your dreams makes you proud.
Whether they turn out how you imagine or not.
Listen close under this bold, full moon.
Grab your journal and ask:
✨ What holds you back?
✨ What do I dream of creating?
✨ How can I take one step toward that dream?
The clearer you get on what really matters, the more you attract the people who care about it, too.
One of the beauties of Substack is that you’ll find dreamers who are being real. Dreamers claiming their vision out loud. Dreamers risking vulnerability in order to discover and surround themselves with the other dreamers who care.
You don’t ever have to dream alone. You get to have beautiful people with you. And if I have found any place where others cheer you on every day, it’s Substack.
Gather your dreamers as you play
One of my words for 2025 is “dream.” I felt hella nervous choosing it, too.
Like I was tempting fate. My Irish ancestors whispered furiously in protest as I spoke the word. Out loud. They insisted that you never tell fate your plans.
Then barely a week into the year, I joined Substack. Having absolutely no idea that it was crammed to the rafters with dreamers.
Magic is a funny mistress. She loves to have her way with me.
I was suddenly surrounded by amazing, talented people sharing their wishes and dreams out loud. On a public platform. With other adults.
I could hardly believe it. Could this be real?
Yes. So very real. As you’ve also discovered.
And in that spirit, I love to share the dreamers that I find.
Here are a few of that I’ve discovered this week:
- - The Aspiring Writer - Sharing as she writes her first fantasy novel;
- - Permission to Practice - Inviting us to live a life less hurried;
- - Fiction & Fables - Taking the scenic route for writers and readers.
Give them a wave, a follow, a comment. You’ll be delightfully surprised.
Life is so much better surrounded by dreamers.
When you surround yourself with other bold and encouraging dreamers?
They encourage you. Keep you hopeful on the hard days. They remind you why you have a dream in your heart.
And best of all, they ensure a fun and delightful time on your path.
xo Kate
P.S. You've got this. I'm cheering you on.
Thanks for the shout-out!
I also started my Substack in the beginning of January and was pleasantly surprised to find the divergence from traditional social media—both the longer-form content and the genuine stories (as opposed to the picture-perfect images of life curated on other platforms).
My dream was to be a published author, and while I'm now a published author of two (hopefully soon-to-be three) books, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Marketing is hard; getting noticed is harder.
I've found an understanding and empathetic group of indie authors along the way, and writing books has given me the courage to strike it out online. If I had never published, I probably never would have started my Substack.
Now I help other aspiring authors with writing, editing, and publishing tips.
The better you know yourself, the clearer your dreams get."
Yes. This line hit home. I’ve been learning that so much of dream reclamation is actually self-reclamation. The more I peel away who I was told to be, the more vivid and alive my real dreams become.
I write a Substack focused on helping women do exactly that—untangle themselves from expectations and finally listen to the life that’s been whispering underneath.
Thank you for putting such powerful truth into words. This was beautiful.