whisper your dreams into existence
We’ve all heard the whispers in our hearts, the desires that flicker like distant stars. Maybe it’s a career we dream of, a place we want to visit someday, or a skill we wish to master. But these dreams can often feel short-lived and so out of reach, lost in the daily hustle.
This is where writing them down becomes a powerful act — like whispering our dreams into the universe. I believe it is a first step towards making them a reality.
Think of it this way. When we voice a thought, it transforms from a simple fleeting idea in our head into something that is tangible. Writing takes this concept a step further. By putting pen or pencil to paper, we solidify our dreams, engraving them into the physical world. It’s a commitment, a declaration of intent that whispers to the universe, “This is what I desire and it matters.”
For me, it all started in my third year of high school with a simple prompt from my biology teacher.
“Write your dream college and major on the extra board in the classroom. By writing it down, you’re solidifying your dreams and they now transform into goals instead.”
The class did exactly as she asked and we spent the day talking about how we are going to achieve our d̶r̶e̶a̶m̶s̶ goals after we finish high school.
Inspired, I wanted to write more of my dreams that cannot be written on the small class board. On a scrap of green origami paper I found scattered on my table, I pour out all my heart’s desires.
Target marks for the national exam, a university acceptance without entrance test, finishing university in 3.5 years with honors, an overseas exchange on the 3rd or 4th semester, a scholarship, and ultimately, a master’s degree from either a top university in Indonesia or overseas.
I stuck it on my cupboard with a flimsy piece of washi tape, and it became a beacon of light in the midst of my messy teenage room.
Every morning, before grabbing my clothes, I’d read that list. It became a ritual somehow, a way to hold myself accountable and most importantly, to remind myself that it won’t become a reality if I don’t work for it.
Did everything go exactly as planned? Not quite.
My national exam score weren’t perfect. My math score, especially, was simply laughable I still joke about it to this day. My GPA is pretty standard. It took me an extra year to finish my bachelor’s and so, I could not graduate cum laude. I also did not receive any scholarship at all.
Yet one by one, some dreams on that paper actually materialized. I received an invitation to the university and the major I wanted, bypassing entrance exam altogether. I was one of the student chosen to represent my major in a cultural exchange program to Singapore, and am now well on the finish line to finally getting my master’s degree from (arguably) one of the best universities in Indonesia.
Now that I have crossed everything off my list, I came into the realization that the power wasn’t in achieving every detail, but the act of writing itself.
The act of writing forces us to articulate our desires. Suddenly, vague aspirations become concrete goals, giving our mind something tangible to work towards. Putting pen to paper creates a sense of ownership. It’s no longer just a fleeting thought; it’s a declaration we can revisit and revise as we go. Physically writing down our dreams also plants the seeds of possibility on our subconscious.
It is like sending a message out there in the universe. True, the universe might not always deliver exactly what we wrote, but it puts us on a path to achieve it. It opens a door we might haven’t seen before, connects us with the right people, and urges us to take an action.
This is where the beauty of writing down our dreams lies: accessibility. Anyone can do this, regardless of background or resources. All we need is a pen or pencil, a piece of paper (or notebook, or napkin, or even scrap bungkus gorengan paper), and a splash of courage to write them down.
With the writing tools ready, write down your dreams and turn them into goals— all the short term ones and long term ones. Be as specific as possible. Write about your dream job, where you want to settle down with your family, the place(s) you want to visit on your nth birthday, or the concert(s) you want to watch. Write them down with believe and passion.
Don’t be afraid to sound silly or even worry about perfection. Just let the rawness of the act be your guide.
Stick the list somewhere you every day and read it often. And most importantly, believe.
Because sometimes the only thing standing between you and your dreams are just the courage to whisper them into existence.
P.S: This was an old draft from 2022 i managed to finish during Just Write #2 session by Journal Kita.
