Why Dream Matter

Making your dreams come true or living the life you want takes work. In the past, I always thought my dream life would just come to me. I would wait for it, and it would never come. So I spent years chasing different jobs. I would move on to something new. Then, one evening after a long day of stocking shelves at Walmart, I found myself standing on the shelf, staring at cans of soup, feeling completely drained. I realized I could not remember the last time I felt genuinely happy or present in my own life. That moment was like a gentle wake-up call. It wasn’t until the last couple of years that I slowed down. I started to look for the things that made me happy. I found myself wanting to slow down and enjoy it.

I, Kristina Joy, no longer want to be on the rat wheel that people try to sell me. I want quality time with the people that matter. I want to cozy up on my couch with a good book. I want to find hobbies that make me happy. I want the career that I want, even if I have to build from the ground up. I want to disconnect from the world and love myself just a tiny bit more. I want to be in a riot with a cozy game on my Switch 2. P.S. Anyone playing Pokémon Pokéopia, let's be friends.

What I’ve learned is that these moments of rest and play are not just nice extras for my life, but essential for me as a writer. Reading books, diving into a new hobby, or escaping into a game gives my mind a chance to relax and wander, and so many of my best ideas have come to me not when I was sitting at my desk but when I was relaxed and doing something I loved. Taking time for myself actually fuels my creativity and helps me return to my writing feeling refreshed and inspired.

I'm learning to balance wearing my writer hat, my publisher hat, and being a woman living life. Someday, I will hear and struggle with things like trying to figure out why my formatting worked for Amazon but not IngramSpark. I'm struggling to turn on the writer part of my brain, so now I’m almost halfway through my second book. I struggle to avoid overworking myself so I still have enough energy to rest for the week. I'm struggling not to take that one day for myself and not to feel guilty about not getting other things done.

Taking small steps on my to-do list as a writer has helped me from feeling totally overwhelmed in my process. I make a quick list of what really needs my focus and what can wait. This small pause helps me reset and reminds me that it's okay not to do everything at once. On tougher days, I remind myself to celebrate small wins and breathe, even if that means stepping away to do the things I love. These little habits help me feel more grounded and less overwhelmed when life starts piling up.

Each step brings my dreams to life. For example, last week I struggled to put together my social media posts and get my final copy on Ingrmaspark, even though it was tempting to give up. I reached out to the people who can help me, or I keep trying to make it work. Finishing those takes, even if I’m struggling, felt like real progress and reminded me that small actions add up. Learning to slow down, connecting with myself, or putting in eight hours in writing my book—these moments matter. We need to dream big and small to have the life we want. The process of making those dreams happen is worth it, and they don't just happen. We have to work for them and make them happen.

I’m in the last step of making my dream come true. In just over a month, Where the Flames Took Her comes out. I have spent the last year dreaming this, and now it's coming true. As the launch date gets closer, I feel both excited and nervous. There are so many little worries—will people like the book, did I do enough? But I'm also deeply proud and grateful to be here. I keep reminding myself that every bit of effort, every doubt, and every setback was part of the journey. Even though it’s a little scary, it's also thrilling to watch a dream come to life. That does not mean I get to stop here. I’m in the middle of launch, but I’m still working behind the scenes, writing my second book. Shh…don’t tell anyone. You are first to know!

If you read this blog post go to Instagram @kritina_joy_writes joyful blog post about dreams and comment 🤐. I will send you the first chapter of Where the Flames Took Her for keeping my secret!