I could cry. 

I now have a local coffee shop. 

A few weeks ago I sent my boyfriend a photo from a new coffee shop and he replied “I’m glad you like your local”. 

And it dawned on me in that moment – I have a local coffee shop. 

I’m living the dream. Or, at least, I’m living my dream. 

Let me explain. 

When I’ve pictured my ideal day or lifestyle, it’s tended to always include walking to my local neighbourhood café. 

If you’ve spent even a short amount of time with me here, you’ll get the significance of coffee for me (if not, go check out this post and this one too). 

I’ve had some sort of variation of the local café experience but I’ve not had one within walking distance of my home for seven years now. My favourite places are a little further afield (albeit completely worth the distance). 

Until now. A new little cosy spot opened a few months ago. 

What I really felt in that moment receiving my boyfriend’s text, was that dreams really do come true. 

I think too often we’re chasing the next thing, worrying about something else before we really take notice of what we already have in our lives. 

For me, in that moment, I was on the brink of chasing the next thing. The work in front of me. My schedule for that week. Concerns over future plans. 

Yet what took hold of me in that moment of texting exchange is that I had all that I wanted.  

And yes, a local coffee shop may not be that important to you. But to me it’s a metaphor for how I’m experiencing my life. A metaphor for all those times I’ve imagined what my ideal day would look like and feel like. A recognition that that feeling can happen anytime if I’m willing to take notice of it. 

Without my boyfriend’s response I don’t think I would have paused to take it all in. I would have just gone on with my day. 

Yet his words really invited me to fully feel it. And I couldn’t help but want to cry. 

Tears of joy. Tears of gratitude. Tears of appreciation. 

I believe that dreams really do come true. And I also believe you can have big dreams, small dreams and every dream in between. 

How you make them come true starts with you being willing to pause. To reflect. To take notice. 

You have to feel it to know it exists. 

How will you choose to feel your way through your life this year?