My Dream Life

Someone asked me this weekend what I imagined my life being like 10 or 20 years ago. And she continued, saying “Your life today is probably nothing like you thought it would be like, right?” Without really thinking about it too much, I agreed.

Teenager Me

Although I tried being quite the rebellious teenager, I failed at that pretty bad. I was a good girl. Even my bad/rebellious times, were met by a “Oh cute. But no, don’t do that again.”

I never once snuck out of my house. (My friend and I tried, but I got as close as climbing over our wall when my conscious overwhelmed me.) I never skipped school. Too scared someone will notice. I did however, go against my parents’ wishes when I was grounded from going to choir practices for a month in high school because I lied about a boy I was dating (also in the choir), and I went anyway. Oooooo, look at this rebel!

My teenage years were filled with ideas about my future, and in my life I craved creativity and newness. I despised the idea of my life becoming a boring adult with a desk job, and inside, I was rebelling that notion constantly. But in the same breath, I was always a little nervous that my teenage years might come bite me in the ass.

Career Choices

My friends were all very ambitious, and they would give each other side-looks when I answered their “what do you want to be/do after school?” with a “I absolutely want to be a mom and a wife!”

Awkward silence.

“Yeah, but what do you want to DO?”

“I really just want to be a wife, and a mommy to a few kids…”

I knew I wanted to help people when I grew up. So many times in my life, there has been prophesies about me travelling to help and to teach girls and women. Teaching and inspiring girls to be the best they can be, assist with problem areas while being real about my own, is a great passion of mine. I love and believe in healthy marriages.

So I decided to get my degree in psychology. I focused on child-psychology. And my final year at uni killed me with the practicals I had to do. To see and experience the utter devastation so many little kids are really dealing with on a daily basis in their lives. It almost broke me. So I tried to change the direction – I went into Behaviour Therapy.

It was exactly what I wanted and needed.

Married with Kids

I got married, we had children, and after many years, different jobs, and many sacrifices later, I was able to become a full time SAHM. (My husband always jokes that Im not, because we’re never home!) I love being a mom of four. Because of all our 100s of kids, my blogging journey started and also the natural progression of our business: I am the proud owner/co-founder of a stunning local brand, MonaLisa Mamas, which my children were the inspiration behind. And in this life we’ve created, my kids are the perfect addition.

The Dream Life

Looking back, I had never had very specific set plans for my life. (No 5 year plan, no 10 year plan laid out.) But I knew what I wanted my life to look like one day. My dream life showed me as a wife and a mother to beautifully creative and colourful children. No boring 9-5 desk job. Being able to inspire and connect women. And change. Constant change and new things/people/experiences!

And somehow, I missed the fact that I’ve been living my dream for more than a couple of years. I am happily married to an incredible husband. We have four of the most amazing children together that are both creative AND colourful. I am privileged to be a SAHM, owner of my own business, and a blogging career that has enabled me to teach and inspire fellow moms, girls, and women, and connect them in ways they wouldn’t have previously.

So yeah, perhaps the person who asked me that question this weekend was correct. Maybe I didn’t think my life would actually turn out the way it has, 20 years ago. Perhaps I never truly allowed myself to believe I can have the perfect life.

And maybe, just maybe…I have been so caught up in every day life, that I never even realized;

I am already living my dream life.