When It's Time to Let Go of a Dream

Dream

In my coaching sessions, I have clients who ask, “When it’s time to let go of a dream?” I always say, “When it leaves your heart.” We can’t force things to be right when they feel wrong. Your heart knows what is best for you. Trust it.

Sometimes we have dreams that yearn to be realized and as we live them, we learn they are not what we thought. Maybe they aren’t our happy ever-afters, but that doesn’t mean the dream was a failure.

Dreams are a lot like relationships. Some are meant to last a long time, while others are designed to be explored. Trying on your dreams is the best way to live a fulfilled life, but let go of expectations about the outcome.

Don’t be so hard on yourself if your dreams die. Changing your mind and moving from one dream to another is part of living a balanced life.

Even still, you may be wondering if it is time to let go of adream.

Here are three tried and true ways to find out:

1. When you no longer feel it in your heart.

Not all dreams are meant to last forever. When you feel the dream in your heart, it is time to act. Sometimes when we live out a desire, we learn more about the dream and ourselves, and we realize it is not what we want. If you don’t feel it in your heart, it is time to stop faking it and move on.

2. When it feels like a chore.

If a dream has exhausted you physically, emotionally and mentally you may feel as though it is too hard to make the desire work. And it might be time to let go. Before I left corporate several years ago, it was a constant uphill battle to make it into work. I hated my soul-sucking job and would cry on the way into work. It was a huge chore and I felt uncomfortable living it out. It was time to let go of that dream so I could open up to my new dream.

3. When you start daydreaming about the future.

One of the best signs it is time to move on? When you start to daydream about better ways of being. If you are living your dream but fantasying about a new direction in life, realize it might be time to say goodbye to what no longer works.

Many people feel reluctant to throw in the towel on their dreams because of the sinking feeling they’ve invested a great deal of time, money or energy into it. But when you can turn your attention to the lessons learned and the positive outcome of living out that dream, you will be able to see the bigger picture. Remember, everything is connected, so nothing is ever lost or wasted.

Sometimes letting go of a dream is the best thing you can do for yourself.