Carla Doria – Fiction Author

Looking back: The Daydreaming years

On 2013, more than ten years ago, I wrote a post titled Why daydreaming with open eyes is actually good… Looking back, it serves as a good example of how people can change over the time. This change isn’t about core values, which should remain steady in a person, but rather about one’s approach to life.

Back then in this post, I fully embraced the time that I spent daydreaming. I remember it very vividly when I used to daydream constantly. At that time, I had a job with a lot free time. My daily commute gave me plenty of moments to reflect. I had time to lie back, relax and just daydream.

I imagined endless possibilities: what if I had chosen a different career? What if I had been born in a richer family? What if I had the looks of a model? What if I had been born in a different country? What if I had had blue eyes? Then came the future what ifs: If I win the lottery, I would by this and that. If I traveled around the world, I would visit these places. If I had kids, I’d raised them like this. If I become a famous writer, I would do this and that. You get the idea.

I think most of us have gone through a phase like this at some point in our lives. I might indulge in daydreaming occasionally, but now it’s rare. I no longer see it as a good thing. I don’t need to reimagine the what ifs of the past because I understand I can’t change that past anymore. I don’t spend time imagining the what ifs of the future because I know that the only way to make those happen is to through action.

The Shift: From dreaming to Doing

I’ve changed a lot. I was a daydreamer but also a big procrastinator. Looking back, I would even call myself a lazy person back then. Those were the years in my life when I dreamed a lot but accomplished little. Now, I stay highly active. I no longer procrastinate and dedicate my time to multiple projects.

I organize a local WordPress community and participate in a Toastmaster club where I give speeches. I run four blogs and I’m currently taking at least two courses on Coursera. At any given time, I’m learning at least one new software. I manage two YouTube channels where I produce and create my own content, I’m studying German. Beyond that, I have a goal of reading at least three books per month and I try to dedicate some time to learning how to draw and paint.

Most importantly, I have one finished manuscript that I’m currently seeking for representation and I’m working on the translation of a previous one. It sounds like too many activities going on, but I feel happy because they lead me to where I want to be. I know I’m working on most of my goals.

A new Mindset: Action over Daydreaming

Do I have time to daydream? Barely. Do I think it is good? Not so much. Rather than aimless daydreaming, I think it is best to visualize your goals and dedicate time to do all the steps and tasks that you need to achieve them.

People change. They do a lot. A decade ago, I often felt sad and unmotivated. Now, I have a completely approach to life. People can improve and it’s not related to the people and circumstances that surround you. It comes from maturity and the drive to improve.