I think, when it comes down to things, I wouldn't have anything to look forward to if it weren't for dreaming. I can go through some really bad days sometimes, and in my mind, all I have to look towards is certain dreams that I have set for myself.
By definition: to dream is to contemplate the possibility of doing something. Dreaming is what moves people forward and carries you throughout day by day.
Even if you think you don't have any dreams, if you didn't have one little thing to look forward to, you wouldn't wake up every morning.
I decided to ask people what their dreams were. I specifically asked, "What is your biggest, most ridiculous dream that you have?" Obviously, no dream is ever ridiculous or too big, but if everything in the world went right and all the stars aligned, what would be your end goal dream?
Here's what 21 people had to say:
1. I dream of: "Having good teeth when I'm old. Like I think taking care of your dental hygiene is so important, and older people end up suffering so much because of lack of attention and awareness. So I want to still have my teeth and have taken good enough care of them to use them!"
2. I dream: "to give my cat a good rest of his life. He's gotten pretty old and doesn't have much time left and I just want to make sure he's spoiled and knows that he's loved and treated like a king, even though he always is. I just don't want him to die feeling unloved."
3. I dream: "to actually keep my room clean. I know my mood and how I feel is reflected by how messy my room is. I want to clean it, organize it, and keep it that way and hopefully lead me to a better life."
4. I dream: "to meet the artists in my life who have helped me through their music and to thank them for what they have done for me. Some artists music has gotten me through some really tough times and I want to thank them for that."
5. I dream: "to grow old with my best friends and still send each other memes at 70 years old."
6. I dream: "to open up a flower shop. I don't want to go to school for business, but I want to own a flower shop, and sell used, half priced books, coffee, and have it all be a pay it forward business."
7. I dream: "that I could have musical talents and become a singer, and know how to play every instrument, and travel around the world performing for people who know all the words to all my songs."
8. I dream: "to make enough money to travel literally all over the world, then hopefully meet someone along the way and fall in love, settle down, and have a family."
9. I dream: "of a world where people take care of each other, especially our children, elderly, and vulnerable individuals who need our support. Everyone having access to food, water, and a safe place to sleep at night. Accepting people for who they are. The list never ends."
10. I dream: "to retire in Italy."
11. I dream: "to be content and at peace and having raised a boy into a good and decent man."
12. I dream: "to race supercars."
13. I dream: "to be a sniper in the military."
14. I dream: "to be an architect. But I want to be an advocate in domestic violence to women men and children who are exposed to it."
15. I dream: "to meet Taylor Swift. She's the one person who has inspired me to pursue my dreams and be happy. Her music has always been there through the ups and the downs and at the end of the day, if I met her, then my life would be complete knowing I met the person who helped shape me into who I am today."
16. I dream: "to open a nonprofit organization that gives therapy to homeless people and/or go work with the missions of charity in Kolkata, India serving the physically and spiritually poor."
17. I dream: "to have enough money when I retire to be able to do anything, especially to be able to go out to eat every day somewhere new and try every single food item possible."
18. I dream: "to create a vaccine for AIDS. Many people say it cannot be done because of the type of virus, but I still want to do it."
19. I dream: "to be a manager of a band that wins a Grammy."
20. I dream: "of worldwide vegetarianism, one person at a time. I want to continue to teach people about this in subtle ways, mainly by being vegetarian. Ultimately, I have an end goal to leave as small of a carbon print on earth as possible. I recycle, own and drive only one energy efficient car but walk and use public transportation as much as possible."
21. I dream: "to feel so comfortable with myself and my life and not care about what anybody else thinks of me, regardless of what I think of myself."
22. I dream: "to work at a publishing company editing and reading to my heart's content. Or work for a magazine company and eventually run my own magazine that talks about music and entrepreneurs and self-love and creativity and poetry."
At the end of it all, you can dream to your own heart's content. However big or small you feel, a dream is a dream.
Dreaming is what keeps you young and youthful and hopeful for more. I asked people ranging from 16 to 75, some in college, some who didn't go to college, some people who haven't even gone to college yet, and this is what I ended up with. You never run out of time to dream and you never run out of things to dream.
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them," – Walt Disney.