As a creator, chasing your dream of making a living from your art or craft can often feel like the only thing that matters. I guess this can be true for all passions. Maybe it’s a job you’ve always dreamed of, or a business you really want to make succeed. Sometimes it feels like we *need* to do these things to survive. And we invest all of our time and energy into that dream. I certainly have. 

This morning, I got some news that challenged this experience. I know of this amazing upbeat couple that has a plant-based bakery in our city. They’ve worked so hard for their dream to come true. They’re an inspiration to me in the way they run their business with integrity and sustainability. They are going against the odds, and are successful anyway. 

I always enjoy having a little chat whenever I pick up something at the bakery. Because even in COVID times, they’ve taken up the challenge with a smile. They expanded their online business and launched initiatives to supplement their income while still keeping things safe. In other words: they didn’t give up on their dream despite the odds getting even worse. 

But now, one of them is severely ill. It’s very sudden and very serious, and they need urgent treatment to give them a fighting chance. If too many people get admitted to the hospital because of COVID in the coming weeks, they won’t be able to get that treatment. They are literally fighting for their lives and the odds are against them in the biggest way ever.

Reading their update sent a jolt down my spine. It made me realize that chasing your dream is not a matter of survival. It is important, yes. It might be vital to your happiness, yes. It is often part of what makes life worth living. But even when you do manage to make your dream come true, everything can still change in the blink of an eye. 

Hearing this news put some things in perspective for me. It reminded me that my career as a writer and podcaster is not the only thing I want to invest in. I want to invest in my health. I want to invest in Muriel’s health, and my family’s and my friend’s. I want to enjoy my time with them now that they are still here, safe and sound. 

You know, when I just started writing and producing, my whole life became about being a creator. I looked at myself through this lens. I kept judging myself through this lens. I tied my self worth to my success as a creator. To be honest, I’m grateful Muriel put up with me throughout this phase, because I can’t have been very pleasant company. 

Luckily, I got less focused on this aspect of my self in the last years. I now see myself as part creator, part wife, part nutrition nerd, part auntie, part daughter, … And it’s been very good for me. After this morning’s news, I want to let go of even more expectations I have. I don’t think chasing my dream should come at the cost of what truly is life or death important: spending time with the people I love. 

I share this because you’re interested in my creative process. Maybe you’re a creator yourself. Maybe you’re thinking about becoming one. Maybe you have a different dream. I just want to let you know that it’s normal to get sucked up into chasing your dream. Self-expression and seeking fulfilment is fundamental after all. But at some point, we all have to face life on an even more basic level. 

Living our dream will never protect us from life’s challenges. Living our dream will never make life easy. Chasing your dream should never be the reason you put living *life* on hold.