It was 43 years ago when Blondie first told us dreaming is free. She was right. She’s still right.

And, yet, with everything under the sun increasing in price and seemingly nothing available for free anymore, we don’t dream.

Sure, we dream while we’re sleeping, whether or not we remember it.

But, that’s not what I’m talking about.

Remember that conscious, awake-but-lost-in-your-thoughts, gaze-at-the-stars or close-your eyes-and-lie-on-the-beach-listening-to-the-waves dreaming? Like when you were a kid and you wanted to be a firefighter or the president or a deep sea fisherman or you envisioned yourself walking down the aisle marrying the love of your life?

Did your dreams come true? Or did you stop dreaming them?

A few months ago, what I had referred to for the better part of 18 months as my dream job, came to an end. Instead of letting myself explore new dreams, I shifted into survival mode by once again deciding to go all-in on my coaching work. It was there waiting for me to breathe new life into it and, for a solid six weeks that’s exactly what I did with rebranding my digital presence and offering a free 31-day program and creating a new guidebook (if you haven’t downloaded your free copy, click HERE) and relaunching my weekly blog and newsletter series.

It felt incredible. But, it was also draining as heck. Re-engaging on social media quickly hit my mental health super hard. I ultimately deactivated Facebook and Instagram for a month. I’m slowly starting to use Instagram again, but I have no plans to return to Facebook.

I absolutely love coaching. But, I cannot stand trying to sell myself. I despise the intolerance and name-calling I’ve seen recently in alcohol-free social media spaces. It all just feels gross to me. And, having for no reason whatsoever been called a scammer three times in online communities over the last four years, I am done with it.

To be clear, I am not going anywhere. I will continue coaching, but I am no longer looking to make a living doing this work. It just doesn’t feel like a fit to me. I’ve never been into sales pitches and it is liberating to finally say it out loud. I am here for anyone who finds their way to me and feels I am the right coaching partner for them. I am not here to convince anyone that I offer something they cannot find anywhere else or that I am better than any other coach or program. I’m built for coaching, no doubt. I am absolutely not built for selling and defending myself to haters.

So, back to dreaming. In my former dream job what I didn’t realize is I was actually stuck, limiting my potential to make an impact. With my kiddos transitioning into young adulthood and needing me less and less on the daily, the time has come for me to uplevel and pursue Career 2.0. And, that’s where I get to dream. What does Career 2.0 look like? What kind of work do I want to do? What do I want my job to be?

It’s been an empowering process with lots of ups and downs and twists and turns. The highs have been way up there and the lows have at times felt rock bottom-ish. I’m getting clear on what my ideal life looks like now and 10 years from now. And, I have had some really big ideas, too.

For me, a super inspirational place to be the last few weeks has been LinkedIn. Day after day, I read posts by some of the most insightful and smart professionals who have dared to dream, who share lessons learned in the wake of layoffs, who acknowledge the feelings associated with losing a job, and who encourage other career folks to look out for their mental health.

And, while we’re talking about dreaming, I want to share a dream I have celebrated by way of my Instagram and Twitter bios for a few years now. The dream I have celebrated is not my own. It is my husband’s. And, he only became aware of the mention in my bios earlier this week. When he did, I realized how it might be misinterpreted by him and others … and I felt terrible.

My husband is more than a Zamboni driver. He is an award-winning financial services expert who works his a$$ off and has had an incredible career. I am beyond proud of his professional achievements. But, it’s his side gig as a Zamboni driver I love to celebrate. Why? Because he pursued one of those little kid dreams I referred to earlier in this post. Who doesn’t want to ride on or, better yet, drive a Zamboni?!

One day, just over nine years ago, he learned the rink manager where our son played hockey was looking for help. Without hesitation, he went for it and hasn’t looked back. I see him a little bit less during hockey season, but the job absolutely lights him up.

In fact, on Halloween, one of the trick-or-treaters who came to our door had a fanboy moment asking, “Hey, aren’t you the Zamboni driver?”

“Sure is. His name is Mr. Zamboni,” I said with a wink.

I am a Zamboni driver’s wife. And, I don’t know anyone else who can include that in their Instagram bio.

What’s your dream?