If you want to create your dream life, the first step is to identify what will make you happy and what you truly want.
This involves taking the time to reflect on many things such as your passions, beliefs, purpose, and goals.
If you’re just starting out, it can be confusing to even imagine how you are going to create your dream life.
With the right mindset and tools, you can achieve the life of your dreams if you’re willing to take some steps.
Once you have a clear idea of your goals, you can start to take action toward achieving them.
By taking action toward your goals and staying focused on your vision, you can create a life that is fulfilling, rewarding, and truly your own.
If you’re ready to create the life of your dreams, read the following 3-step guide to help you achieve your goals, along with helpful tips to keep you motivated, and free, handy worksheets to download & print to make reaching your dreams easier.
1. Make a List of Your Biggest Dreams
The first step to creating your dream life is to make a list of your biggest dreams and wishes.
This might seem lofty, but you’re more likely to follow and stick to a dream that excites you than one that only piques your interest.
It may also seem like dreams are just a fantasy you created and will never turn into reality.
You might even be too scared or intimidated to follow your dreams because it looks out of reach or too difficult.
At one point in my life, I dreamed of being a doctor but stopped myself because it looked so hard. I don’t regret any of my choices in life but I still wonder how it would have turned out if I went after that dream.
If you’re pursuing your dreams and don’t know where to start, here are some questions you can answer.
Is there something that you always wished you did or had?
When you were a kid, do you remember saying you would be something seemingly out of reach like an astronaut?
What was it that you wanted to be as a kid?
Did you ever give up on a dream because it seemed out of reach and wished you had gone after it?
What would you do if time or money were not a factor?
What would your life be like if you did go after your dream?
Let’s take ourselves back to the present moment. Imagine for a second if your wildest dreams came true.
What would it feel like? How would your life be different? Would it be the same? What would you be doing?
Get a timer and set it to 5 minutes. Grab a piece of paper, your phone, or your computer, and write down your biggest dreams and wishes.
Don’t filter or judge what you write. You can go as slow or as fast as you want. Just don’t stop writing until the timer goes off.
When you’re done, look at everything you wrote. Did anything surprise you? Or was it just as you expected?
Pick one dream or wish that is most important to you and start there. If it feels intimidating, pick something that is easier.
It really doesn’t matter which thing you pick as long as you get started and get the momentum going.
If you had trouble coming up with a list, you can make a list of passions, try a passion project, or create a vision board.
Make a List of Passions
“Passion is the experience of strongly identifying with an activity, feeling motivated to engage in it, and experiencing positive affect when doing it.” Frontiers in Psychology, Chen et al
Your passion can be a hobby or interest that you truly enjoy such as sketching, playing guitar, or gardening.
It can also be a purpose, a calling, or a mission. Some examples are writing, practicing medicine, or mentoring others.
Making a list of passions can help you identify your dreams and the things you truly love and enjoy.
When you’re doing the thing you love, it can make life feel more satisfying, joyful, and meaningful.
Take some time to think about what truly excites you and brings you joy. Make a list of everything that comes to mind, no matter how big or small, because it will serve as a foundation for creating your dream life.
Passion Project Ideas
A passion project is something that you’re strongly drawn to and can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few years to complete.
When you start a passion project, you can potentially create a life of your dreams while learning a new skill, pursuing an idea, or exploring your creativity.
Make a list of passion project ideas by brainstorming what you would like to accomplish, learn, or create.
Think about what skills you would like to develop and what resources you need to gather to make your passion projects a reality.
Consider what you can do to turn your passion into a hobby, career, or even a business and bring them to life.
Create a Vision Board
A vision board is a visual representation of your goals and aspirations. To create a vision board, gather images and words that represent your biggest dreams and paste them onto a board.
You can use a classic board, an old tissue box, a water bottle, or anything that you can glue your inspirations onto.
Make your vision board as big or as small as you want. I personally use a piece of paper and glue images and words on it.
When you’re done, place your board somewhere you can see it every day and let it inspire you to take action towards your goals.
It can be a powerful tool for manifesting your dreams by helping you stay focused and moving forward.
2. Pick Your Most Important Dream to Work On
When it comes to creating your dream life, it is important to identify which dreams are the most important to you.
This will allow you to focus your time, energy, and resources on the dreams that matter the most.
It’s important to note that picking your most important dream doesn’t mean you have to give up on your other dreams.
It simply means that you’re choosing to focus on one dream at a time so that you can give it your full attention and effort.
Once you’ve identified your most important dream, break it down into smaller, achievable goals.
This will make it easier to work towards and track your progress. Celebrate each milestone you reach along the way, and don’t be afraid to adjust your goals if needed.
Remember, creating your dream life is a journey, not a destination. By picking your most important dream and taking consistent action toward it, you’ll be one step closer to living the life you’ve always wanted.
Once you have your list of dreams, pick one that is most important to you. The reason you want to work on just one thing at a time is that you’ll get to your goal faster.
I’m guilty of jumping from one dream to another when I get bored or frustrated and follow another one instead. It ends up slowing my progress and leads to disappointment and doubt.
It’s not bad to chase one dream and follow another. Sometimes the timing isn’t right or it’s just not feasible. Just know that it can slow you down and keep you distracted.
There are a couple of things to consider when you pick a dream that is most important to you.
The Importance of Values
One thing that can help you identify the most important dream to work on first is to identify your personal core values so your dreams align with your true self.
Values are important because they can help you become aware of the things that matter most to you.
They resonate with your core beliefs and help you make prioritize your most important tasks as well as make decisions.
Values are the guiding principles that can shape your life decisions and actions. To begin, take some time to reflect on what truly makes you happy.
What are the things that you want to achieve or experience in life? Which ones align with your values and bring you the most joy?
Here are some examples to get you started:
- Family
- Health
- Love
- Success
- Friendship
- Loyalty
- Ambition
- Creativity
Knowing your values can help you achieve your dreams faster by allowing you to set priorities because when you set priorities, you’re more likely to stay focused and accomplish your goals and less likely to get distracted.
While there’s nothing inherently wrong with distractions, they can get in the way of your progress if you indulge in them too much.
Another tool to help you prioritize the most important dream to work on first is to think about the impact your dream would have on your life if you were to achieve it.
What Would Have the Most Impact on Your Life
Take the time to think about what would have the most impact on your life when you are choosing a dream to work on.
What could potentially alter your life in a significant and positive way?
It’s essential to think about the most impactful dream to work so you can have a sense of inspiration and motivation while you’re chasing your dream.
It can help you make decisions, have more direction & focus, become more intentional in the way you live, and create a dream plan that works for you.
3. Create Your Dream Plan
Creating a plan is the third and final step towards achieving your dream life. It can help you turn your dream into a reality by keeping you focused, motivated, and on track.
It helps you clarify what you really want and gives you a roadmap to follow. Here are a few tips to help you create an effective dream list:
Be Specific
Instead of writing down vague goals like “be happy” or “have a better life”, be specific about what you want.
For example, if you want to travel, write down the specific place you want to visit and the amount of time you want to spend there:
“I want to spend 7 days vacationing on the Big Island of Hawaii at the beginning of summer next year.”
Have Realistic Expectations
While it’s important to have big dreams and aspirations, it’s also important to be realistic.
Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting goals that are impossible to achieve. Instead, set goals that are challenging but achievable because if you don’t achieve your dream goals, it can lead to disappointment and frustration.
Be honest with yourself about your abilities, strengths, limitations, and weaknesses. For example, if you have never run a marathon before, it may not be realistic to expect to run one in a few months.
Instead, you could set a goal to run a mile first and gradually work your way up to a marathon.
By having realistic expectations, you can enjoy the process of achieving your dreams because it will take some time, effort, and persistence.
Break Your Dream Down into Smaller Goals
Breaking down your goal into smaller, achievable goals is crucial. It makes your goal less overwhelming and more manageable.
For example, if your dream is to start a business, break it down into smaller, more manageable ones like:
- research the market
- create a business plan
- find investors
- launch my product.
Give Yourself Enough Time to Finish Your Goals
Giving yourself enough time to finish your goals is essential to achieving them. It helps you avoid rushing and making mistakes.
Set realistic timelines for each goal and work towards them consistently. Remember, achieving your dream life is a journey, not a race.
Include Different Areas of Your Life
You should be aware of different areas of your life, such as career, relationships, health, and personal growth when you’re creating your dream goals and plans.
This will help you create a well-rounded life that fulfills you in more than one area.
Assess Your Progress When You Accomplish Your Goals
Remember, your dream plan is not set in stone. It’s okay to revise it as you grow and change.
You can do this by assessing your progress while you go after your dreams. It can help you celebrate your achievements as well as identify areas for improvement so you can make adjustments to your plan if necessary.
Breaking down your dreams into smaller goals, giving yourself enough time to finish them, and assessing your progress when you accomplish them can help you achieve your dreams in a timely manner.
Things to Help You While You Go After Your Dreams
Don’t Expect to Get Everything You Want
Don’t expect to get everything you want if you’re following your dreams.
Life is unpredictable, and things don’t always go as planned. You’ll have mishaps and mistakes along the way.
Expecting to get everything you planned for is just unrealistic and can lead to frustration. Frustration can lead to doubt, which can lead to a downward spiral.
Though you can’t completely control the outcome and avoid the bad stuff, you can minimize the effect that negative situations and emotions can have on you while you’re pursuing your dreams.
Accept that some things may not turn out how you want them to, and that’s okay.
Reframe mistakes as learning opportunities so you gain insight and grow as a person on your journey.
Mistakes Are Learning Opportunities
Whether you have failures, mistakes, or setbacks, it’s how you learn from them that matters.
Remember that everyone makes mistakes and rather than seeing them as failures, use them to reflect on what went wrong and how you can do better next time.
Combined with an openness to learn and grow, learning from mistakes and moving on can help you achieve your dream life.
Don’t Attach to the Outcome
When it comes to manifesting your dreams, it’s important not to attach too much to the outcome.
This means that while it’s important to have a clear vision of what you want, you shouldn’t be overly attached to that vision.
If you’re too attached, you can end up creating resistance and blocking the very thing you want from coming into your life.
Instead, focus on the feeling behind the outcome. How would it feel to have your dream life? What emotions would you experience?
By focusing on the feeling, you can attract more of that into your life, rather than getting stuck on the specifics of what you want.
Dreams Take Time
Creating your dream life takes time. Don’t expect to achieve everything overnight. It takes hard work, dedication, and persistence.
Set realistic goals and work towards them every day. Celebrate small victories along the way, and don’t be discouraged by setbacks.
Remember that every step you take towards your dream life is progress.
Embrace Imperfections
Nobody is perfect, and mistakes are a natural part of the learning process. Embrace your imperfections and use them to your advantage.
Learn from your mistakes and use them as opportunities to grow and improve. Don’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t go as planned.
Get to Know Yourself Better
To create a dream life, it’s important to start with yourself. You have to know yourself well in order to identify what you truly want and what will make you happy. Here are some ways to get to know yourself better:
Become More Self-Aware
Becoming more self-aware is an ongoing process. It involves paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Self-awareness can help you identify patterns and make positive changes in your life. If you lack self-awareness, you can increase it by practicing mindfulness, journaling, or seeking feedback from others.
Figure Out Your Identity
Before you can create your dream life, you must find your identity and figure out who you are.
This involves taking a deep dive into things like your thoughts, behavior, actions, values, beliefs, and characteristics, where you’re from, and how you were brought up.
It’s important to identify who you are and understand how it affects the way you think and behave. This will help you make decisions that align with your dreams and desires.
Assess Your Personality
Understanding your personality can help you make better choices and improve your relationships with others.
Take a personality test or read about different personality types to gain insight into your own traits and tendencies to get to know yourself better.
Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can help you make better decisions and set realistic goals.
Make a list of your strengths and think about how you can use them to your advantage. Also, identify your weaknesses and think about how you can improve upon them.
Go on a Self-Discovery Journey
Going on a self-discovery journey can help you uncover hidden talents, passions, and interests.
This can involve trying new things, exploring different cultures, or taking up a new hobby.
You can gain new perspectives on your own life in a way that aligns with your beliefs and values so you can live a life that truly makes you happy.
Find Your Purpose
Your purpose in life is the reason why you do the things you do. Knowing what it is can help you set priorities, make decisions, and create a life that feels meaningful.
It can also help you through challenging times, bounce back from setbacks & failures quicker, and have more emotional resilience.
Live Authentically
When you know yourself well you can live more authentically if you choose to, and live a life you always dreamed of.
This means owning who you are, accepting yourself fully, embracing your flaws, being true to yourself, and not conforming to societal expectations or pressures.
Take Care of Yourself While Pursuing Your Dreams
Taking care of yourself is an essential component of creating a dream life.
It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life, but it is important to take care of yourself so you can enjoy your life.
Here are a few tips on how to take care of yourself:
Exercise Regularly
Engaging in physical activity can improve overall health and well-being. It can also help reduce stress and anxiety, increase energy levels, and improve sleep quality. Find an exercise routine that works for you and stick to it.
Create Healthy Eating Habits
Healthy eating habits can improve physical and mental health. Incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats into your diet. Avoid processed and sugary foods as much as possible.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is crucial for physical and mental health. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Establish a regular sleep schedule and create a relaxing bedtime routine to help improve sleep quality.
Practice mindfulness
The goal of mindfulness is to help you be present & aware while building compassion for yourself and others.
Mindfulness practices such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing can help reduce stress and improve mental clarity.
Incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine to help improve overall well-being.
Create an Easy Self-Care Routine
Taking care of yourself is vital for living a happy and fulfilling life. Creating a basic self-care routine can be simple and effective.
You can start with small steps such as setting aside time for a relaxing bath, meditating, or reading a book.
You can even try a healthy morning routine to help you prioritize your self-care before you start the day.
It is important to prioritize self-care and schedule it into your daily routine. This can help reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
Learn How to Glow Up
Glowing up is about feeling confident and comfortable in your own skin. It involves taking care of yourself physically, spiritually, and mentally.
This can include eating a healthy diet, staying hydrated, and engaging in regular exercise. It is also important to take care of your mental health by practicing self-love and self-acceptance.
Learning how to glow up can help boost self-esteem and improve overall happiness.
Practice Gratitude
Practicing gratitude involves focusing on the positive aspects of life and being thankful for them. It can help improve your mental health and overall outlook on life.
you can practice gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal, expressing gratitude to loved ones, or simply taking a moment to appreciate the good things in life.
Practicing gratitude can help cultivate a positive mindset and improve overall well-being.
Self-Affirmations
Self-affirmations are a great way to improve your mindset, performance, overall health, and well-being.
They must be done in the present tense and with a positive tone. Here’s an example:
I am open to receiving abundance and wealth every day.
By taking care of yourself, you can improve your overall health & well-being, reduce stress & anxiety, and increase your energy levels.
Incorporate these tips into your daily routine so you can create your dream life and enjoy it too.
The Law of Attraction
The Law of Attraction is a principle that states that you attract into your life what you focus on. In simpler terms, if you focus on positive thoughts and feelings, you will attract positive experiences and outcomes.
On the other hand, if you focus on negative thoughts and feelings, you will attract negative experiences and outcomes.
This is not based on science but many people have found success in using the Law of Attraction to get what they want in life and I’ve experienced it in my own life, good and bad.
Visualizing your dream life can help you stay motivated and focused. It’s a visual representation of an ideal life, which you can use to help you focus on what you want to attract into your life.
Another way to use the Law of Attraction is to practice gratitude.
By focusing on what you are grateful for, you are sending out positive energy into the universe, which can help attract more positivity into your life.
You can practice gratitude by keeping a gratitude journal, where you write down things you are thankful for each day.
It’s important to note that the Law of Attraction is not a magic formula for success. It requires effort and action on your part to make your dreams a reality.
You cannot simply sit back and expect things to happen without putting in any work. However, by using the Law of Attraction as a tool to help you focus on your goals and desires, you can increase your chances of success and create the life you’ve always dreamed of.
The Law of Attraction works best when you have a positive mindset and believe that achieving your dreams is possible.
So, take some time to examine your thoughts and beliefs, and work on shifting them to be more positive and empowering.
Just remember not to be too attached to the outcome, and trust that the universe will bring you what you need at the right time.
Manifesting Your Dreams
Manifesting your dreams is all about bringing your thoughts and desires into reality. It’s about creating the life you want to live and making your dreams come true. Here are some tips to help you manifest your dreams:
Believe
When you believe in yourself, you are more likely to take action toward achieving your goals.
It is important to have faith in yourself and trust that you have the ability to make your dreams a reality.
Believing in your dreams is crucial to keeping a positive attitude and not allowing self-doubt or negative thoughts to get in the way of achieving them.
Let Go
It is important to let go of any limiting beliefs, fears, or doubts that may be holding you back from achieving your goals.
Letting go also means surrendering to the universe and trusting that everything will work out as it is meant to. It is important to detach from the outcome and focus on the present moment.
By following these tips, you can manifest your dreams and create the life you want to live.
More Ways to Create Your Dream Life
Creating a dream life is something that many people aspire to achieve, but don’t know how to get there, or stop themselves before they even try.
It is not always easy, and it often requires stepping out of your comfort zone and taking risks.
However, it’s worthwhile to pursue your dreams and desires because if you did achieve them, they could make your life happier, more meaningful, and more satisfying.
If you want to learn more about goal setting, check out this guide on creating life goals to achieve success.
If you’re feeling stuck and need a life reboot, learn 9 ways to reset your life and start over.
Lastly, if you’re interested in learning more about manifestation and the law of attraction, read my list of 7 best books on manifestation and the law of attraction.
I hope you found this guide to creating your dream life helpful. Please let me know what you think in the comments!
