Dreams, Paradox, & Perfect Timing
It was New Year’s Eve, 2018. I was sitting around a fire with loved ones, participating in a visualization exercise where we dreamed into the future.
In my mind’s eye, I saw myself leading a retreat in the jungle, surrounded by a circle of wonderful humans. It was vivid and powerful—a vision I hadn’t even considered until that moment. I anchored into it, felt its truth, and then… let it go. I didn’t obsess over the “how” or “when.” Life carried on, and while the thought occasionally resurfaced, a global pandemic and the twists and turns of life kept the dream tucked safely away.
Fast forward to February 2022. My husband and I were on our honeymoon, exploring the Baja Peninsula. We road-tripped through Todos Santos, La Paz, San José del Cabo, and Cabo Pulmo in our little rental car, falling in love with the golden light, the salty air, and the slower pace of life. Along the way, we met travelers who had driven down from the United States with their dogs in tow. It was one of those “aha” moments—we realized we could do that too. The seed was planted, and without attachment or urgency, we tucked that dream away as well.
Two dreams. Two seemingly unrelated threads woven into the tapestry of my life. And yet, they both stayed with me with a quiet trust that they’d bloom when the time was right.
In November 2024, I found myself in Tulum, Mexico, leading the Alive & Aligned Retreat. It wasn’t until I stepped into the yoga shala, with sunlight streaming through the tropical leaves, that it hit me: this was the vision. This was the moment I had seen around that fire in 2018. My eyes welled with tears as I took it all in—the space, the energy, the people that would soon be in circle there together—it was more beautiful and profound than I ever could have imagined. That retreat was a gift, not just for the incredible group of people who gathered, but for me too. It came during a season of deep personal recovery, and I left with my heart cracked open and filled to the brim.
As the retreat drew to a close, another dream was calling. My husband and I had been planning, preparing, and dreaming about our Baja road trip for nearly three years. And now, it was finally time. In December, we packed up our adventure vehicle, brought our dogs along, and drove south to Baja.
And now? I’m here. I’m in the dream—writing these words from the place we once only imagined. Every day feels like a surreal moment of gratitude, like I’m dreaming wide awake.
The tail end of 2024 was one of the hardest chapters of my life—full of challenge, grief, and relentless growth. And yet, woven into that same season were these two dreams coming to life in the most magical and unexpected ways.
Life is such a paradox. It’s hard and beautiful. It holds both grief and joy, destruction and rebirth. Sometimes, the dreams we carry take years to sprout, but when they do, they bloom in ways more perfect and profound than we ever could have planned.
If I’ve learned anything through this chapter, it’s to trust the timing of life. Hold your dreams gently, nurture them, and then release them into the world. They’ll find their way back to you—right on time.
