When dreams come true

I was waiting to write this week's blog post and postponed my usual Sunday writing in hope of getting back my computer so I could type on a normal keyboard and avoid having to do on my phone for the third week... It seems it will not be repaired before the weekend so here I am, typing with one finger (I suck at using more than one!!), on the tiny keys of my device...

In fact, I just wanted to share how awesome it is to realize you are living the life you always dreamed of. I feel so blessed and I want to share for one reason. I want you to believe it is possible. Five years ago I was depressed, living in a country that I love but that has a weather I just cannot stand, not knowing what to do with myself, feeling useless and frankly fed up to be 'only' a wife and a mother... At that point, if anyone would've told me in five years I would be living by the sea, in a Muslim

country, where the sun (almost) always shine and that I would be painting every day, sell my artwork and teach my creative process to people coming from all over the world, I would have laugh real hard. It's unbelievable how things can change. And how your situation can suddenly become so much closer to what you thought would only remain a lifelong dream. Doors are opening for me all the time since the past two years al-hamdolillah and I certainly believe that all the closed doors I encountered in the previous 40 years were closed for a reason. And trust me, there were a LOT of them.

This morning, as I was teaching my very first group painting workshop, I realized all my life led me to this very moment where I was doing what I love and wished for since I was a tiny little girl: teaching and painting.

I never really believed people who were saying things like: "dreams do come true if you hold onto them". I thought some had it easier than others and that if you were 'lucky' enough, if you had the money or the power, you could really live the life you wanted. I'm so glad I was wrong. I'm not rich, nor powerful. I have faith and prayers. I believe God is helping me to get where I want to. I work hard. I try to avoid negativity. I focus on the good. I surround myself with beauty. There's still so much I want to accomplish, so many places I want to see, so many experiences I want to try but if I'm not able to do/have anything else than what I'm already doing/having today, I would still feel satisfied and grateful. I would still feel I realized my biggest dreams.

And please don't think it's sunshine and rainbows every minute of my life. The struggles are still there. Motherhood is really challenging for me. I have health issues. My family is far from me. But I'm holding on to the positive...

So if you're not living your dream life, I want you to believe it's possible. Take it from someone who didn't believe. Write down your dreams. Think about them. Pray for them to come true. Take some small steps towards them. Talk about them. And never think it's impossible. You never know. Dare to dream.