The Pretty Truth About Chasing a Dream

by Maria Williams

I launched my second book.

Even typing that still feels surreal. The response has been beautiful and affirming in ways I did not fully expect. But before the encouragement came the vulnerability. Pressing “publish” was not just a business decision or a creative milestone. It was an act of courage. Chasing a dream sounds inspiring when we talk about it out loud. Living it, however, feels exposed.

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to write a book. Not just fill journals or scribble ideas in the margins of my planner. I wanted to hold something in my hands and say, “I made this.” I wanted my words to stretch beyond my own circle. But wanting something and believing you are capable of it are two very different things. For years, I convinced myself I was not ready. I was not experienced enough. Not polished enough. Not confident enough. There was always some version of “not enough” standing between me and the page.

Looking back, it was never really about skill. It was about fear. Fear of judgment. Fear of failing publicly. Fear of someone quietly wondering, “Who does she think she is?” When you chase a dream, you risk being seen. And being seen means people get to have opinions. That level of exposure can feel terrifying, especially when you care deeply about what you are creating.

What finally shifted things for me was a simple but uncomfortable question: What is the worst thing that could actually happen? Someone might not like it. Someone might not buy it. Someone might not understand it. But then what? I would still be me. My family would still love me. My life would continue. The only truly devastating outcome would have been never trying at all.

The more interesting realization came when I started paying attention to the little voice in my head. The one that whispers when you get an idea. “Don’t do it.” “You’ll look silly.” “Other people are more qualified.” “Stay safe.” It sounds like your own voice, doesn’t it? But I began asking myself a different question: Whose voice is it really?

Is it the echo of a teacher who once criticized too harshly? A well-meaning parent who prioritized security over risk? A friend who feels uncomfortable watching someone else take a leap she never took? Or is it simply an older version of you who learned that playing small felt safer than standing out? Not every voice in your head belongs there. Some of those thoughts were planted long ago, shaped by other people’s fears and limitations. Over time, we accept them as truth.

If you are sitting on a dream right now — a book, a business idea, a creative project, or maybe a career shift — I want you to gently ask yourself what is truly stopping you. Write it down without editing it. Be honest. Are you afraid of failing? Of succeeding? Of being judged? Of being visible? Then ask yourself whether that fear is based on evidence or on an old story you have been rehearsing for years. Who taught you that it was safer to stay quiet? Who benefits from you staying comfortable?

The pretty truth is that vulnerability is not weakness. It is courage in motion. Launching my book did not eliminate fear. It simply taught me that I could feel fear and still move forward. And when the positive response came, it was not just validation of the book. It was confirmation that the risk was worth it.

When you go first, you give other people permission. Permission to try. Permission to speak up. Permission to create imperfectly. Chasing a dream is not about guaranteeing success. It is about building self-trust. Every time you choose courage over comfort, you strengthen that trust. And self-trust changes everything.

The pretty truth about vulnerability is that it feels terrifying right up until the moment you realize you survived it. The worst thing that usually happens is not failure. It is growth. It is learning. It is becoming braver than you were before.

So if there is something stirring in your heart, something you keep circling but never fully stepping into, I am rooting for you. Not because it will be easy, and not because it will be perfect. I am rooting for you because the dream is there for a reason. And the world does not need you smaller. It needs you brave.

Want More Pretty Truth in Your Life?

If this resonated with you, you will love my books, The Pretty Truth and The Pretty Truth About Education. Written for women who are ready to stop playing small and start living out loud.

✨ Click Buy the Book and it will take you to our Books page.

Always rooting for you,
Maria XO

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The Pretty Truth About Chasing a Dream

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