From the Deck to the Page #2 – Reflections on Hopes and Goals
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A vet? A dancer? A superhero?
Some dreams fade. Others evolve. And some—quietly, miraculously—find their way back to us.
This week’s Soul Bridges card, from the “Dream: Reflect on hopes and goals” category, asked a question that opened a door I didn’t even know was still waiting:
“If you could have any dream job, what would it be?”
Here’s what came up for me—and an invitation to explore what’s still alive in you.
I read the question and it stopped me.
Not because I didn’t know—but because I do know.
And yet, even in the knowing, there are layers.
Layers of old dreams, evolving purpose, and whispers from my younger self that still echo.
When I was younger, I had a few “dream jobs.” Some were shaped by movies I loved, and others by what I saw adults doing around me. I think, for a while, I wanted to be everything from a teacher to a performer to some kind of traveling healer—I just didn’t have those words yet.
Now, looking at the work I do today, I realize… I actually am living a version of my dream job. It’s not always glamorous, and it didn’t arrive in the way I imagined but it’s deeply aligned with my soul’s purpose. I regularly see transformation. I get to hold space. I am a guide, a listener, a translator of sorts for energy, emotion, and the unseen.
But here’s the thing: even dream jobs evolve.
That’s why this question is so powerful. It’s not just for kids or college essays. It’s for us right now, at this point in our lives.
So, I invite you to pause. Take a breath. Ask yourself:
“If I could do anything and be supported, what would I choose?”
Don’t judge what comes up. Don’t worry if it’s completely different from what you’re doing now. Just notice.
When I first saw the card’s question I thought of the one we’re all asked as kids. Were you asked: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” What were some of your answers?
I wanted to be a veterinarian because I loved animals. I always had pets around me growing up: cats, dogs, birds, fish… later, even guinea pigs. There was something about caring for them, understanding their silent language, which made me feel connected and needed. It felt pure. Important. Like I could help.
*Then I found out how long you must go to school and I said, “Well, there goes that.”
It was one of the first times I realized that dreams don’t always fit neatly into real-world expectations. Or maybe, more accurately, the path to them can feel daunting. So, we adapt. We choose something “more practical.” Or we put the dream on a shelf for later. Sometimes, we forget it altogether.
But what if we checked back in?
Funny thing is, I never stopped loving animals. I still have pets and over the years, I’ve found myself doing Reiki not only on my own cats and dogs, but on the beloved pets of others, too. It’s like that childhood dream found a new way to express itself, just… more energetically aligned. Literally.
I may not be wearing a white coat and stethoscope, but I am offering care, calmness, and healing. I am listening deeply—to bodies, to spirits, to what can’t always be said with words. That part of the dream was never lost—it just took a different shape.
And then there was the other dream—the one that lived in my body. I wanted to be a dancer. Or maybe a singer. Something expressive, vibrant, seen. I imagined being on stage, pouring emotion into movement or song, connecting with people through performance.
I even took tap classes as a kid. I loved the rhythm, the sound, the feeling of my feet keeping time with something bigger. But I had terrible stage fright. So bad, in fact, that I never made it to a single recital. Not one.
Stage fright didn’t just stop me at the tap recitals. I also dreamed of being a cheerleader but I could never bring myself to audition. I wanted to be part of something expressive, energetic, collaborative. I pictured the routines, the smiles, the spark of it all. But again, fear crept in. So, I watched from the sidelines.
Later, I considered going out for the dance team. That felt like a second chance. But just before tryouts, life shifted again. I moved to a new school—one that didn’t even have a dance team. Just like that, the door closed.
Or so I thought.
Because the truth is, those dreams didn’t really leave, they just waited for me to become someone who could carry them in new ways. Someone who could speak truth in a room full of strangers. Someone who could move energy through a body—mine or someone else’s. Someone who could perform healing, rather than choreography.
I danced anyway.
I danced on the sidelines along with everybody else.
And do you know what? That still counts.
It counted then.
It counts now.
Eventually, I realized I didn’t want the fear to run the show.
So, I took a speech class—to confront the stage fright head-on. It was awkward, uncomfortable, and at times terrifying. But it was a start. Later, I joined a local Rotary club and found myself leading multiple committees. Giving chair updates during meetings became a regular thing—and little by little, I found my voice.
Practice, practice, practice.
It didn’t make me a singer or a dancer on a stage. Truthfully, I couldn’t carry a tune, and I didn’t continue formal dance classes. Becoming a performer takes discipline, years of training, and sacrifice I wasn’t in a place to give.
But that’s okay.
Because I found other ways to express myself. Other ways to show up. And maybe that was the dream all along—not applause, not a spotlight—but courage. Presence. Connection.
Now it’s your turn.
If you could have any dream job, what would it be?
And what part of it is already whispering to you now, waiting to be reclaimed?
Even if your dream looks different today,
it’s never too late to say yes to the version that fits your soul.
Thanks for being here. If you enjoyed this post, there’s plenty more where that came from, everything from soulful healing tips to playful prompts and real conversations about life.
Find me and connect:
Website: www.flexiblebeing.com
Instagram:
@theresamartinezshapiro
@flexiblebeing
Email: theresa@flexiblebeing.com
Empowering Your Journey to Healing, Clarity, and Self-Discovery.
Theresa Martinez-Shapiro
Hello! I am Theresa Martinez-Shapiro; Wife to Robert. Founder of Flexible Being. A Master Reiki Therapist, Certified Oracle Guide, Spiritual Mentor/Guide, Intuitive Empath, Coach, and Educator. I am a fur mom to 3 cats and 1 dog – Sonny, Patches, Ryelee, and Winnie. We currently live and practice in Stockton, California. We operate three businesses – Shapiro Holistic Health and Chiropractic, Fusion Health APC, and Synergy Health MSO, where we seek to improve and change the lives of our patients and those we have the privilege of crossing paths with. My healing and mentoring journey began around 5 years old when I discovered that I was put on this planet to help others. I knew I was different, unique, and gifted. I did not see the world the same way everyone else did, and recognized I was meant to do so much more. I began to research, spending a lot of time reading & asking a lot of questions to anyone that wanted to share stories about their life experiences. I am a dreamer and had a unique relationship with the dream world. My very real, vivid & lucid dreams began turning into out-of-body experiences and unexplained occurrences. I began doing my own dream interpretations to look for patterns & a new way of deciphering life. Family members were part of many different religions, so I was educated in Catholicism, Buddhism, Metaphysics, and Native American culture & beliefs. Along the way, I took up multiple mentors that cultivated my growth and expansion of my gifts, allowing me to focus on my potential and purpose. As an adult, coworkers were unloading their life stories, internal secrets, and things that had not been shared or even spoken out loud. I began to share those experiences with my aunt & Reiki Master/Teacher, Carmen. In 2012, Carmen told me, “I think you are ready to walk the path I always knew you were meant to walk”. That saying began my obsessive journey into Reiki, Spirituality, Psychology, Intuition and Psychic gifts, Meditation and Mindfulness, Past Lives, Consciousness, Energy Medicine, Mysteries of the Universe, Moon and Sun cycles, Astrology, Numerology, Oracle Cards, Shamanism, & so much more. My journey has helped me to assist patients, clients, families, and friends discover who they have been, who they are, and who they want to become. I am expanding my reach and educating others by authoring Musings of a Flexible Being, and I look forward to sharing my journey with you. Thank you! Theresa Martinez-Shapiro Flexible Being Website: www.flexiblebeing.com Socials: Facebook: @flexiblebeingonline Instagram:@theresamartinezshapiro Instagram: @flexiblebeing
