“I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.”

~ Vincent Van Gogh

When I stop wishing on stars, is when I stop dreaming.

Silence can be menacing at night. Alone with your thoughts. Unable to escape. I crave these precious hours, where my thoughts take flight and I escape into my imagination.

I am a moonlighter.

I work on my “passion” projects after hours. Off the side of my desk at lunch time. And into the wee hours.

I think we should all have dreams. Ideas that take us from ordinary to radiant.

Moonlighters inspire me, as much as I hope to inspire them. They succeed through their own dedication, hard work and obvious talent. Moonlighters get each other. It’s not a wild concept to think we are putting our energy into something that may or may not succeed. There is no guarantee. But in life nothing is guaranteed.

We understand risks, challenges and most of all, perseverance. Just because our heads may appear high up in the clouds, we still know when to let the dream go. Release it back to the stars.

We have just one life to find what makes us happy. What memories do we want to share with generations to come? I will not chain myself to the same office chair for the next thirty years. To some that is living but to me it is not.

I crave adventure. And to my mom’s dismay, the unknown. But to me, the unknown, means endless possibilities. Seeing the world through bright, optimistic eyes.

I don’t want my life mapped out. I want it to rise and fall with every chance I take.

I have failed as much as I have succeeded. I have hated the universe as much as I have praised it. But at the end of the day, when the sun sets and the moon shines bright, that’s when you reflect. What did I do today that brought a smile to my face and satisfaction to my soul?

And what can I do tomorrow to shine my light brighter?

I will always chase the feeling of following my dreams. Regardless if I achieve my goal, it is the feeling I crave. That feeling of excitement deep in your soul, that makes your eyelids flutter with excitement and your cheeks flush bright. Any small move towards your goal is a milestone. A victory. And the closer you get, the clearer your path appears. That’s what I chase.

I have always worked multiple jobs, volunteer work and most recently my own side business with my twin sister. Some would say it is a hobby. Can we  live off of this hobby, casting seashells into beautifully, unique jewelry? Not yet. But my optimistic self knows that as long as we continue to hustle, these seashells will provide past our wildest dreams.

And so I continue to moonlight.

I have no ego when it comes to my time. I owe it to myself to fill my time with things that simply make me happy. And not everyone will understand but at the end of the day, it isn’t about the money, it is about the feeling and passion behind what I do with my time.

I find what makes me come alive and I go after it.

It takes courage to step to the side. Pause. Reflect. And move in a different direction.

Last year I was laid off for the second time in two years. I made a bold decision over sushi with a friend, to move to my happy place. I packed up my car and two weeks later I embarked on the most cherished eight months of my life. My soul filled up again. I did exactly what I was craving. And I learned a lot about sacrifice and the power of  now.

We all need to be scared out of our everyday trances from time to time.

If we over think what we should do, when we should do it and weigh the pros and cons until we have talked ourselves in circles; we will never make a sound decision.

Why not do more now? Try and figure out what it is that makes us come alive? Use those silent hours at night to dig deep and let yourself dream big.

Let your imagination run free and never limit yourself to any possibility.

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Editor: Bryonie Wise

Photo: Flickr