As an 11-year-old Jamaican girl, I stood by the stove frying sausages, which we call frankfurters, while dreaming of a life far beyond my own.
Little did I realize that these small, everyday moments would one day inspire my biggest dreams.
Add ketchup and season the sausages with onions, pepper, and salt to create a delicious yet simple meal. Cooking alongside the frying pan was a pot of fluffy white rice steaming in butter, its companion.
Hunger and affordability shaped what was once my favourite dish.
Reflections on Hard Times
But even in those challenging moments, dreams quietly took root, shaping the possibilities I would pursue later.
Those hard times taught me resilience, a skill I still use today.
I didn’t grow up poor, nor was my family wealthy.
We were the working class — the thread that bound humanity to its much-needed resources in healthcare, retail shopping, and police protection.
We had many tough times.
During those challenging times, you ate what was available and didn’t eat what you wanted.
These days, I eat what I want, when I want, how I want — even if sometimes, I shouldn’t have that ice cream at midnight.
Or knowing you shouldn’t spend any money on a takeaway item because of credit card bills, rent, and all the other adult responsibilities that come with financial freedom.
But you can do it now. That’s the point —there was a time when you couldn’t afford it.
Living Your Childhood Dreams
If you can relate to this experience, consider how we can cultivate more gratitude.
Why do we not recognize that we’re living the dreams we once had as children?
Our dreams were larger than our tiny frames.
Our imaginations were unencumbered by the harsh truths of reality; they ran wild, plotting a vibrant adult future.
Growing up as a Black girl with nappy ass hair, watching The Cosby Show was inspiring and seeing characters that looked like my family. They were well-educated and thriving, and I thought, “I could act one day. I could be on TV.”
Though those aspirations felt distant, I got to be an extra in the Bob Marley movie One Love last year, now available on Netflix. Walking on set, I was surrounded by the hustle of lights, cameras, and crew—a surreal reminder that the girl who would watch the big screen would be a character in it.
Even as an extra, standing there felt like a victory that my younger self would be proud of.
I was overwhelmed with emotions. The celebratory words, “You did it!” roared loudly in my mind while instructed to be quiet on set.
The Importance of Small Wins
We constantly overanalyze our every decision, planning for the next best thing instead of living in the present success.
We wonder: why haven’t we achieved that yet?
When we have achieved A LOT more.
If we keep hitting ourselves that hard, we’ll be knocked out of the Mayweather fight. (I know nothing about boxing, but that made sense.)
Have you ignored your minor successes and blindly chased the bigger prizes?
Exercise: Pause and Reflect - Stop and take a deep breath. Inhale and exhale, and think about your accomplishments and childhood dreams. Follow the thread of those wishes and goals — they may not look exactly as you imagined, but you’ve achieved an alternative version of them.
Tick it off the list; You Did it!
Breaking Barriers — Forget Comparisons
We keep forgetting to celebrate our wins because they don’t seem big enough, iconic enough, or massive compared to our peers and what we see on television and social media.
Forget all of that noise and celebrate yourself.
Give yourself credit for once.
The first time was at 12, when my travel lesson started in the Cayman Islands, then once more in college, but I didn’t travel by air again until I was 29.
When that realization hit, I questioned why I hadn’t done it before.
The excuse was that I didn’t have enough funds and needed to keep working. Until one day, I decided I had enough. Sitting in my office at my cushy managerial job, I decided I wouldn’t turn 30 without using my US visa.
I wrote up my resignation and quit my job, and I haven’t stopped travelling since.
The first step is taking the first step.
It is uncomfortable and nerve-racking, but making those mental images tangible is a requirement.
Celebrate the Small Stuff
Take weight loss as an example: You set a goal and step on the scale, but it seems the numbers didn’t get that memo— it’s discouraging.
But when it finally moves even one pound down, it feels like a triumph, a mountaintop moment. That’s the magic of celebration. It fuels determination and motivates bigger wins.
I once jumped out of a plane. Most people would laugh at the idea of willingly leaving the safety of an aircraft.
But I did it. And it wasn’t just about the skydive but about conquering fear and celebrating courage.
The world is the ultimate playground, filled with vast landscapes like a kiddie’s ball pit waiting for frolickers to dive in with countries to explore and wonders as fresh as a newborn’s first gaze.
It’s scary, and I want to experience it all — every single part.
Each small exploration is a victory worth celebrating.
My travels have taught me to appreciate every dream I’ve turned into reality.
Your small wins matter more than you think.
What small win will you celebrate today? Write it down, toast to it, and let it fuel your next dream. You owe it to yourself — and your inner child.
Until next time, lovers.
This is a cross-posting from my Medium.com writing portfolio.
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