Permission to Grow, Even When Life is Good

You’re happy in your life. You love your people, you’re satisfied in your work, you’re thriving in your routines. Why would you want more? Isn’t it enough? You don’t really want a change. But have you ever wondered if there was something that could make your life even more satisfying than it already is? 

Maybe wanting more doesn’t mean something is missing. Maybe it means that another part of you is waking up and looking around. Sure, times of crisis or transition are naturally times to re-evaluate and make a change. But you don’t have to be unhappy or dissatisfied to want more. More of what makes you feel the way your life feels now, but with a different intensity. I’m not talking about an Eat Pray Love, set fire to your life type of change–but a deeper, broader, bigger life that’s just within reach. A revision. A new draft. A revised next chapter. It might not mean a move across the country or opening a restaurant. It could simply be reconnecting with your creativity, reclaiming your weekends, or allowing yourself space to dream.

But just as you allow yourself to dream about what you might want, a new voice pops to the surface. 

“What will people think?” 

And this one little question could halt the whole process. Honestly I really feel that this is what holds a lot of people back from wanting more. When one of your friends takes a leap–or even just a little hop–you’re all over it! You’re talking with your other friends, wondering how she has the time in her busy schedule to take a dance class. Or you quietly judge her for taking time away from her family to travel on her own for a weekend getaway. 

But what is really happening when your friend tries something new or expands from what is expected? Her courage makes your comfort seem not so comfortable anymore. It forces you to look in the mirror. You’re wondering if it's something you could do too–but you haven’t. You are looking your own fear in the face. You would secretly love to have a solo weekend getaway, or take an art class, or start running, but you come up with excuses why you couldn’t possibly do what she’s doing–time, money, work, kids, husband–the list goes on. 

That little voice pops up to tell you that your needs and wants come last. Wanting more is selfish. How could you possibly want to do something for yourself when you have all of these other responsibilities? But what if you didn’t need to overhaul everything? What if you just picked up the pencil and revised one small part?

That’s the heart of life drafting—not escape, but expansion. It allows you to rework what’s already on the page. You don’t have to slash it up and rewrite it. You can add. You can take the parts that are already great and make them better. 

Let’s start with the end in mind–a vision. Sit down and brainstorm all the things you can think of that would make you feel the way you want to feel. Dream. Don’t edit or judge–just let it flow. Even if it feels a little silly, it’s a window into what you truly want. Then pick something. Flesh it out a little more. Maybe it's something for ten years from now. OK, but what can you do right now—this week, even—to move toward that ten-year vision? You won’t always be in the life season you’re in now. But how you show up in this one shapes the next. Dreaming ahead isn’t escaping—it’s choosing with future (and present) you in mind.

You are part of the narrative. You don’t need permission to matter, but if you’re looking for it–here it is. You get to have a say in how you spend your time and energy. You can choose to say “yes” to what brings you joy and “no” to what drains you. You can prioritize peace, or adventure, or fitness, or creativity! There are no rules. It’s not abandoning your responsibilities–it’s simply recognizing that you are important too.