Is Plan B distracting you from living a life filled with Plan A?

From Plan B to Plan A and beyond

melmcveigh

--

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. Walt Disney

Ever since I was 16 and saw my first Almodovar film — Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, my dream has been to live in Madrid, Spain, be fluent in Spanish, be a full-time creative, artist and photographer and live the vida loca.

Yet, I am in my mid-forties and this dream has been the best, well-worn late night pub story I could tell without putting myself out there and taking actions to make it reality. I have in parts tried to make it real but I always gave up in the early stages. I studied Spanish at University but at the moment I am intermediate level at best. I went to Spain once in my 20s but I couldn’t work there at the time without a visa, so I left after a few weeks. I didn’t even try. I have never lived in Spain until now.

Because I have become the master of living, planning and over-achieving on Plan B.

For me, it has been better to keep it a dream that I could imagine with perfect outcomes rather than go through the rough and tumble of making it real. Recently, I have had the opportunity to once more explore this dream and I have been reminded by everyone I know from acquaintances to my childhood best friends that now is the time. Live the dream or let it go. No more pub stories.

The backstory of teenage dreams to now… I have always made other plans. I followed the path away from creativity in my 20s when I got into digital strategy & product management. It just seemed easier and was definitely more lucrative. For a variety of necessary reasons, I choose the faster & easier path. I stopped making art and taking photos altogether in my 30s. I moved to London to grow my digital career which has been beyond amazing.

I don’t regret any of those experiences, decisions, paths or opportunities. Because with the life I have had, I am the mother of an amazing son. I had a marriage that was totally awesome and amazing until it wasn’t and now I have an ex-husband who is one of my closest friends and we live a modern family life raising our son across two continents. I have…

--

--

melmcveigh

VP Product | Media Artist | Photographer | IG @melmcveighphoto