Have you ever felt a little nudge deep inside—more like a pang of longing? Or maybe the weight of dreading every Monday morning, knowing that a deeply unsatisfying corporate job awaits? That was me for years. I’d hear the occasional whisper in my head suggesting it was time to shake things up, to make a change. But I ignored it. Stability, security, and doing what was expected seemed more important. I had responsibilities to others, and chasing a dream? That was for whimsical, artsy types or people born with a silver spoon, right?
Yet here I am, writing this from a place where I’ve said yes to that whisper. If you’ve been wondering whether it’s time to pursue your passion—whether part-time, or full-time if you’re ready—here are some signs I experienced and how I finally recognized it was time to follow mine.
1. I Felt Stuck and Unfulfilled
For me, it started as a vague sense of dissatisfaction. I had a good job in tech—a role many people would envy. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that life was passing me by, one monotonous workday at a time. Every day felt like running on a treadmill: I was moving, but I wasn’t going anywhere that mattered.
It wasn’t just work. That sense of “stuckness” seeped into other areas of my life, even though I had so many good things around me. It was like I was surrounded by abundance, yet something crucial was missing. I craved something creative, meaningful, and deeply aligned with who I truly am.
Did I find joy and purpose in what I was doing, or was I just going through the motions?
2. I Can’t Stop Thinking About My Passion
For me, baking was always an escape. I remember being in my early 20’s, looking forward to Saturdays when I could experiment with desserts. I’d lose hours perfecting recipes, and the process felt magical. Baking wasn’t just a task; it was a sensory delight—the smell of butter and sugar, the joy of watching batter transform in the oven, the pride of creating something from scratch.
Even when I wasn’t baking, I was watching videos, scrolling through recipes, or imagining what it would be like to run my own little café. I pictured experimenting with flavors, designing a cozy space, and creating pastries that brought people joy. The more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn’t just a hobby—it was calling me.
What activity made me lose track of time? Be in the flow? What brought me genuine joy, even when it was challenging at times?
3. I Kept Getting Signs from the Universe
Sometimes the universe doesn’t just whisper; it nudges. My nudge came when I was laid off from my tech job. It was a moment of upheaval, however, I saw it as the universe making space to welcome something better in my life. There have been multiple times like these in my life, when I’ve lost a relationship, a job, or a current situation I was too comfortable in. And at that time, the loss felt huge, but ultimately it became an opportunity for me to reassess my priorities, and to welcome something better.
The signs didn’t stop there: there were compliments from friends about my baking, articles about people pursuing their dreams (maybe, if you’re reading this, consider it your sign!), a book about a woman’s journey in the culinary world, youtube recommendations about bakeries… and that unshakable urge to do something bold.
Once I decided to entertain the idea, I felt this growing sense of excitement—a joy I hadn’t felt in years. It was a world of difference when I only had my tech job to look forward to day to day.
From then on, it was as if the universe was slowly smoothing my path so I could walk through, it was opening doors for me so I could have the momentum I needed to pursue this new adventure.
What were the patterns or coincidences in my life pointing me toward a new direction? Was I recognizing them when they came?
4. I Realize Life is Too Short to Wait
My turning point was a moment of clarity: one morning, I woke up and realized I’d been holding myself back. It was all that fear stopping me from making big moves. Moves that would bring me joy and fulfillment. There was fear of judgment, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of disappointing your loved ones…
I realized that I am not getting any younger. I’m at a point where I feel pain in my knees when I run. Where I feel disconnected from all that Gen Z slang. I saw myself in the future, lamenting at the end of my life that I wish I could have done all of the things I dreamt to do when I was a more agile, more energetic woman in my 30’s.
The fear never leaves, but it does get quieter because something else grows louder in my head. Ideas, visions of the future if I were successful, having fun pursuing my dream.
There never was going to be a perfect time. I could have kept postponing this but I didn’t want to anymore. The “perfect time” in my fear-addled brain may mean waiting forever.
Did I feel ready in a day after making up my mind? Oh no. It took took months of research, planning, and even then there were days that self-doubt would come and try to convince me to stay in my comfort zone.
But it was tiny little steps at first, from researching pastry schools, to looking at where to live, to now getting my student visa for France…
Those small steps snowballed into the adventure I’m on now, heading to Paris to study pastry arts.
On my deathbed, which would I regret more? Trying and failing, or never trying at all?
5. I’m Finally Ready to Say Yes to Myself
One of the hardest parts of pursuing a passion is giving myself permission to do it. For years, I’ve cajoled myself into thinking that my dream was frivolous, impractical, even selfish. But eventually, I realized that living authentically and pursuing what lights me up isn’t selfish- it’s necessary.
What’s more, taking the steps to run after this dream has made me be a better person. I’m noticing that I’m more joyful, more loving, more present, and more accepting–not just of me but of others around me too.
I’m realizing as I go through this journey that manifesting a dream means constantly saying “yes” to yourself, over and over again. It involves the universe constantly asking you “Do you still want to do this?”
“”Research pastry schools?” YES. “Pay this application fee?” YES.
“Schedule an interview with the school?” YES. “Apply for a student visa?” YES. “Look for places to live in?” YES. “Tell your family you’re taking this up?” YES. “Tell your manager you’re quitting in a couple of weeks ?” YES.
Over and over again, the universe asks me, and it’s still asking me everyday if I still want to do this. I persist and say YES each time. Most of the time I am confident and it’s a resounding YES. Sometimes, I go through days of fear and anxiety, and question whether I’m crazy. It helps to realize that this is quite normal for anyone to go through. I still say YES.
Am I ready to prioritize my happiness and take a leap of faith?
Yes.
The Wren's Journey 
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