top of page

When Did You Settle For Plan B? How To Re-Find Your Dream

  • Writer: Brainz Magazine
    Brainz Magazine
  • Apr 9, 2024
  • 3 min read

Updated: Jun 10, 2024

Director of Calm Confident Create, Angela specializes in empowering individuals to thrive by adopting a creative thinking mindset. She guides them to shed limiting beliefs, paving the way for remarkable personal and professional growth.

Executive Contributor Angela Cairns

Have you noticed that as kids we dream big, we imagine ourselves as astronauts, sports stars, princesses, and no-one tells us we are ridiculous?


A woman-middle-aged feeling the sun rays.

Dreams can change as we grow, but when do our dreams become small?


When do we settle for Plan B?


When do we stop working towards our dreams because they have been replaced by fears?Fears are born in the survival part of our brain fuelled by the fight, flight, freeze chemical, Adrenaline. This chemical, which when triggered allows us only to consider threats and therefore causes us to ignore many other possibilities. Fear stifles creativity and keep us small, often hiding our wonderful gifts and talents.


There is of course a place for fear and caution in avoiding clear and present danger, but many of the situations we find ourselves in are not life-threatening. We do not need to rely on survival strategies to navigate the situation. 


We get triggered by lack of confidence, worry, imposter syndrome, what other people may think, or other perceived responsibilities and duties. Many of which can be residual voices in our head from childhood, or the projected fears of others close to us. By limiting ourselves to a survival mode of thinking, we may shy away from opportunities only because they are challenging, or we don’t know where to start.


But there comes a time when we must look in the mirror and accept responsibility for the choices we make. It is ultimately up us to find the correct time to pursue our dreams.


Try this Powerful Exercise. Soften your gaze and focus your attention on the furthest away sound you can hear for a few seconds. Now focus on the closest sound you can hear, which is perhaps your own breathing. Put aside data-driven fears and worries - let the dream that is in your heart bubble-up like a well-spring and take form. Don't worry if nothing comes immediately, trust the well spring is there, and repeat the process gently over time.


You can also use this powerful exercise to allow plans to form and to enable you to make decisions about the small steps you will take every day to bring your dream closer.


Congratulations! 


You have just strengthened the neural pathways that allow you to look at the bigger picture. 


You have accessed the part of your brain that allows you to nourish yourself, think creatively, and follow your inner compass, the part of you that knows you are destined for more.If you know you're ready to work towards your dream and you'd like someone to travel the path beside you, I offer coaching to bring empowerment through change in a 1-2-1 or small group coaching sessions.


My website is currently under reconstruction, but you can easily reach me via Instagram or Facebook to set up a free discovery call. 


Director of Calm Confident Create, Angela specializes in empowering individuals to thrive by adopting a creative thinking mindset. She guides them to shed limiting beliefs, paving the way for remarkable personal and professional growth. Angela seamlessly integrates holistic healthcare knowledge with a fusion of positive intelligence coaching and creative expression which creates a unique coaching experience that transcends traditional boundaries. This distinctive approach enhances performance and cultivates lasting happiness, guiding individuals towards their full potential. Her clients not only manage the demands of a busy life but emerge stronger, more confident, and ready to live their truth.

 
 

This article is published in collaboration with Brainz Magazine’s network of global experts, carefully selected to share real, valuable insights.

Article Image

Fear vs. Intuition – How to Follow Your Inner Knowing

Have you ever looked back at a decision you made and thought, “I knew I should have chosen the other option?” Something within you tugged you toward the other choice, like a string attached to your heart...

Article Image

How to Stop Customers from Leaving Before They Decide to Go

Silent customer departures can be more costly than vocal complaints. Recognising early warning signs, such as declining engagement, helps you intervene before customers decide to go elsewhere...

Article Image

Why Anxiety Keeps Returning – 5 Myths About Triggers and What Real Resolution Actually Means

Anxiety is often approached as something to manage, soothe, or live around. For many people, this leads to years of coping strategies without resolving what activates it. What is rarely explained is...

Article Image

Branding vs. Marketing – How They Work Together for Business Success

One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is treating branding and marketing as if they are interchangeable. They are not the same, but they are inseparable. Branding and marketing are two sides...

Article Image

Why Financial Resolutions Fail and What to Do Instead in 2026

Every January, millions of people set financial resolutions with genuine intention. And almost every year, the outcome is the same. Around 80% of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by February...

Article Image

Why the Return of 2016 Is Quietly Reshaping How and Where We Choose to Live

Every few years, culture reaches backward to move forward. Right now, we are watching a subtle but powerful shift across media and social platforms. There is a collective pull toward 2016, not because...

Faith, Family, and the Cost of Never Pausing

Discipline Unleashed – The 42-Day Blueprint for Transforming Your Life

Understanding Anxiety in the Modern World

Why Imposter Syndrome Is a Sign You’re Growing

Can Mindfulness Improve Your Sex Life?

How Smart Investors Identify the Right Developer After Spotting the Wrong One

How to Stop Hitting Snooze on Your Career Transition Journey

5 Essential Areas to Stretch to Increase Your Breath Capacity

The Cyborg Psychologist – How Human-AI Partnerships Can Heal the Mental Health Crisis in Secondary Schools

bottom of page