On The Habit of Dreaming: Navigating Uncertainty and Purpose through an Overused Rhetorical Trope
Dreams are sometimes used as a rhetorical device and even a scientific medium to reveal what lies deep within us. Sometimes it’s used as a trope throughout a story through which a prophetic vision of the future is revealed, and other times it’s a revelation of the reality of our own life and to what we pay most attention to. There are also those dreams we don’t remember once we wake up. And there are those which we write down on a notepad or a piece of napkin. Yet, in all the ways dreams are revealed and known, it’s noteworthy that they all come out of a conversation — a dialogue — with who we believe we are, and how we encounter in the world. So, yes, dreams are real, and they are necessary to our life story.
If you ever went to school in the U.S., there may have been a point in all those years, where you may have been asked, “So, what do you want to be when you grow up?”. I remember this question most infamously in my 8th grade yearbook where it had a section right underneath our graduation photos that listed what professions we aspired to go into — that is of course, eight years later after graduating college. Following my photo and name, was a lengthy list of professions I wanted to get into, including medicine and law.
Fast-forward to post-grad life with a degree in English, I can’t help but laugh at my answer to this question, namely, because so much has changed. I’ve changed. And in hindsight, those ambitions that I had as a young girl was really just the beginning of a journey towards self-awareness of what she was really passionate about. And now, two years into my 20’s, all the twists and turns become more like second-nature, because after all, we are all in pursuit to become who we were made to be.
The dreams I had when I was younger, are no longer a want of mine. In fact, I’ve found something quite better — a desire to share my unique abilities, gifts, talents, etc. with others. I’m learning that the old lesson of sharing in Kindergarten is not a cliche, and that generosity is a word to describe the habit of simple acts of kindness over time. Dreams were, and are, to me, but a signifier of the deep-rooted values to which you hold true. And if that’s true, then we all have a mission to live that out.
Living out our best life will always look different, and I assume that each of us in the CLOVO community are coming from entirely unique, and different backgrounds and dreams. When I began to write this blog, it felt more natural to share a slice of the twists and turns of my own story, and hope that it would encourage you to own yours. Which is why I wanted to write something that would somehow persuade you to get back to the inner child in you that dared to dream big — not just for yourself, but for your communities and the #girlbosses in your life.
At CLOVO we realize that there are real issues in our global community that require substantial change and action. It is no wonder that with all that is changing in the world, that most Gen-Z workers — who comprise most of the U.S. workforce — will be freelancing in the next few years. More than half of us are already doing so. I say this, not to alarm you, but rather to imply that this can be an opportune time to once again, explore what your dreams are, and to create a way in which you can make a positive impact in your communities. We want you to be a part of our growing CLOVO community who not only cares deeply about being generous by way of ethical and high-quality clothing, but also empowering each other to integrate all our passions and dreams through our own unique ways.
We hope to keep offering you inspiring content from CLOVO, ranging from practical sustainability tips, to entrepreneurship — anything that would inspire you to live out your dreams. So, if you haven’t already, please feel free to connect with us on social media! You can also find us on Youtube (@CLOVO Brand) where we provide up-to-date news on CLOVO and encourage you to live out your #girlboss goals!
Lastly, a huge thank you to all our CLOVO supporters thus far. You all make CLOVO what it is. We want to thank you, for spreading the word, and for especially supporting us on Kickstarter. Not only where we were able to raise well over our funding goals, but we also have raised approximately 2,000 purchases of our Evertights! Once your tights arrive, we’d love to know what you think of them! Feel free to tag us on Instagram @CLOVObrand.
Rather than asking what do you want to become, let’s ask, “Who are you becoming?”. Here’s to making female empowerment more about daring greatly through generosity. Here’s to more dreaming and a generous spirit.
The CLOVO Team
