18. Chasing Dreams and Pushing Through The Hard Stuff

Welcome back to Caffeinated Chaos where today we’re talking all about chasing your dreams—not the Pinterest-quote version, but the real, messy, exhausting, and sometimes discouraging way. We’ll be diving into what it truly looks like to go after your dreams, especially when life throws curveballs your way. Whether you're balancing parenthood with building a business, trying to hit a career goal that feels miles away, or even figuring out what dream to chase, I see you. I’ve been there, and today, we’re breaking down the steps to make it happen, even when it feels like everything is working against you.

In this episode, I share my own journey—how life didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet for me, and how even in the toughest moments, I pushed through. The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t isn’t talent—it’s persistence. And when you keep showing up, even on the hard days, you can achieve what you set out to do.

So, how do we actually keep going when we’re facing setbacks? I’m sharing practical tips that help me stay on track, including reframing struggles, finding your “why,” breaking down big goals into smaller steps, giving yourself permission to rest, and surrounding yourself with a supportive community. I’m here to remind you—your dreams are worth fighting for, and you’re capable of so much more than you think.

Key Takeaways:

• Reframe the Struggle: Setbacks aren’t signs you’re failing; they’re proof you’re showing up.
• Find Your Why: Stay connected to what drives you, especially on tough days.
• Break Down Goals: Focus on the next small step, not the entire mountain.
• Rest, But Don’t Quit: Burnout is real—taking breaks is necessary, but quitting is not an option.
• Surround Yourself with Support: A strong community can keep you motivated and help you stay on track.

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Episode 7: All About Burnout
• Sip and Share Segment (Submit your dreams or steps towards your goals anonymously!) Click here to submit

Remember, you are capable, strong, and your dreams ar

Cheers! Thank you for joining us for another episode. Have a chaotic moment, question, or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message or leave a review! If you loved this episode, share it with a friend who thrives in beautiful chaos too.

Let’s Connect:

• Connect with us via email at ccpodcast@aguonstudios.com
• Follow us on Instagram: @caffeinatedchaospodcast
• Join our email list: Click Here to Become a VIP
• Sip and Share: Click here to submit

Resources:

• Goal-Setting Template
• Podcasters Monthly Networking Meets
• Balancing Business Growth and Parenthood Workbook

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Transcript

0:35

All right. Welcome back to the podcast. Today, we are going to be talking about chasing dreams, not the Pinterest quote, you know, just believe in yourself and it'll all work out kind of way, but let's be real. Chasing dreams is messy, exhausting, and sometimes downright discouraging. But here's the thing. It's also worth it. It's way worth it. Maybe you're building a business while balancing parenthood. Maybe you're going after a career goal that just feels so far away that you question it's even possible. Maybe you're just trying to figure out what dream you even want to chase in the first place. No matter where you are, I see you. I've been there and I see you, friend. So today, we're breaking down what it really looks like to pursue your dreams, push through the tough stuff, and actually make it happen. Even when life throws curveballs your ways. Because I promise you, you are capable more than you think. Let's start with a story, okay? A while back, I had this dream. I wanted to build something meaningful. Something that not only supported my family, but also helped others. Guess what, life did not exactly roll out a red carpet for me. I had setbacks. I wanted to start this podcast way sooner than it actually happened, but my second pregnancy was so rough on me that I was resting most of the days I had to leave work to do so and I was in the hospital for more times than I had ever been for my first pregnancy. I had moments where I was just sitting there, staring at my laptop, thinking about what this podcast could be, wondering if I'm even cut out to talk about all the topics I'm talking about. And yeah, I had self doubt. I mean, if you've ever felt anything like that, you're trying so hard, but it's just not working. You're not alone, but here's something I've learned. The only difference between people who succeed and people who don't is not talent. It's persistence. Most people quit when things get hard, but the ones who keep showing up day after day, even on the days where you feel like you don't want to, those are the people who make it. Chasing Dreams isn't glamorous. You know what is glamorous? A full night's sleep, a hot coffee, and yet, here we are, choosing to wake up early, stay up late, working on the dream after our 9 to 5s, even when all of our streaming shows are calling our name, and we are so behind. Like, tell me why my brain works perfectly fine when I'm trying to avoid work, but the second I sit down to focus, it's like, let's think about every embarrassing thing that ever happened ever in life. Or how about you finally get to the motivation to work on your dreams and life is like, oh, feeling productive? That's cute. Here's a sick toddler. Here's a broken dishwasher. Or in my case, Here's a rough pregnancy, but you know what? We keep going, even if it's in small, messy, imperfect steps. Because at the end of the day, we're not chasing dreams for the aesthetic. We're doing it for something bigger. So how do you actually push through when it feels like everything is working against you? So Let's start this, okay? I'm gonna go over some things that help me and things I've also helped other people do one, I want you to reframe the struggle. Instead of seeing setbacks as proof that you're failing, see them as proof that you're in it. That you're showing up. Because no one chases a dream that's ever been easy. Every success story has had obstacles, so let's reframe how we see the struggle. Two, I want you to find your why. I know a lot of people talk about this, but I want you to find your why and remind yourself daily. Why are you doing this? What's driving you? When things get tough, you can go back on that why. Write it on a sticky note. Put it on your phone. Let it be. I want you to have it somewhere that you can easily reference it and keep you motivated when you feel like you need it. Okay? 3. Break down into small wins. Big goals can be overwhelming. Instead of focusing on a mountain, right? Let's use climbing a mountain as a metaphor. Instead of focusing on the entire mountain, focus on the next step, okay? You're gonna get to the first plateau, then the next, and then the next. It's one small step after another. One email, one post, one action. Momentum is built in small, consistent steps. Okay, step back from the mountain and go step by step. Four, give yourself permission to rest, but not to quit. This is important. Burnout is real. We've talked about this many times already. Episode 7 goes into burnout a lot. So go back and listen to that episode. But burnout is so real and pushing through exhaustion does not make you stronger. Take a break when you need it. It's not quitting. Okay, you're not gonna quit. That is not gonna be on the table. But what is going to be on the table is taking a break when you need it. Again, please go back and listen to episode 7 if you have not yet. It's all about burnout, okay? Number 5. I want you to surround yourself with people who get it. Find a community, whether it's going to be online or in person, who believes in you and pushes you forward. Because the people you surround yourself with truly matter. And this is something for parenthood as well. We had an episode on finding your village. This is something that relates to both parenthood and to business. Here's the thing I need you to hear today. If you hear nothing else, please hear this. You are capable, you are strong, and your dreams, they are worth fighting for, my friends. Okay? Even when it's hard. Even when things feel like it's taking forever. Keep going, because every step you take is a step closer to the life that you're building. And if no one's told you lately, You're doing a damn good job, all right? So tell me, what's one step that you're going to make this week towards your dream? I want to know your dreams. I want to know what step you're going to take. Come see me on social media. You can follow me on Instagram at podcast and just tell us. I mean, also if you want to stay anonymous, you can also submit it to the Sip and Share segment. The link is down in the show notes. So let's cheer each other on because this journey is so much better when you do it with others. All right, my friend, go chase those dreams and I will see you in the next episode. Until then, keep sipping your coffee and go chase those dreams. Alright everyone, have a great weekend. I will see you all on Monday. Bye.