“Welcome to Hollywood! What’s your dream? Everybody comes here… this is Hollywood, land of dreams.” — Pretty Woman (1990)
I first saw Pretty Woman when I was a kid, out of town for a baton competition. I remember sitting on the edge of a hotel bed with my mom and teammates and their moms, watching the movie on a tiny TV in the corner of the room. I probably wasn’t old enough to fully understand the story, but that line and that soundtrack stuck with me. So did not judging a book by its cover. “Big mistake. Big. HUGE.” But that’s another post for another day.
There was something about the glitter of Hollywood, the idea that almost everyone comes here chasing a dream, that made my young heart believe big things were possible.
Even then, I felt the pull of transformation. The idea that a single moment or a single choice could change everything.
And maybe that’s why it still speaks to me now, in this midlife season, when the noise gets louder, the routines get heavier, and the dreams we once had might start to feel buried beneath obligation.
Midlife Isn’t Too Late. It’s the Start of Something More Honest.
There’s a false narrative that says by your 40s, you should have it all figured out. But what if this is the exact time to begin again?
Maybe you’ve been in survival mode for years, raising kids, keeping up with work, caring for everyone but yourself.
Maybe you’ve put your own desires on the shelf for so long, you forgot they were even there.
Maybe you feel a nudge to slow down (meeee!!)… or maybe it’s to speed up… or pivot entirely.
Maybe you just want to feel inspired again.
You don’t need a 10-step plan or a full career overhaul (unless that’s what you want).
You just need one question:
“What’s my dream?”
This Is Your Power Pause
In yoga, we learn to link breath with movement, to flow, to feel, to reconnect. Each inhale invites us to expand. Each exhale invites us to let go.
And that’s what being in your 40’s can be.
Not a crisis, but a powerful transition into midlife , a moment to move with intention, to realign with what matters, and to trust your body and breath to guide you forward.
Just like in your practice, where breath leads and movement follows, you can move through this season with grace, one intentional breath, one conscious step at a time.
Breathe. Move. Feel Again.
One of the most powerful ways to reconnect with inspiration, especially when you feel stuck, is through movement linked with breath.
Not punishing workouts.
Not pushing harder.
But intentional, embodied movement.
A walk where you feel your feet on the ground.
A slow flow on your yoga mat with inhales guiding expansion and exhales inviting release.
Even dancing in your kitchen with deep, full breaths that remind you, you’re alive.
When we sync breath with movement, we create space.
Space for clarity.
Space for emotion.
Space for new ideas to rise.
It doesn’t have to be perfect.
It just has to be yours.
So if the dream feels far away, start by coming back to your body.
Inhale: possibility.
Exhale: resistance.
And move in a way that brings you back to you.
Your Dream Doesn’t Have to Be Big to Be Beautiful
Your dream might not be about writing a book or launching a business, though it totally can be.
Your dream might be:
- Starting your mornings with peace instead of panic
- Changing careers in your 40s or 50s without guilt
- Taking a solo trip, even if it’s just to a café around the corner
- Feeling confident in your skin, without explaining or apologizing
- Finally investing in your healing, creativity, or joy
The size of your dream doesn’t matter.
What matters is that it’s yours.
Journaling Prompts to Reignite Inspiration:
- What did I dream about when I was younger, and what parts of that still matter?
- What does “inspiration” feel like in my body? When did I last feel it?
- What areas of my life feel out of alignment and what’s one small change I could make?
- If I could try anything for 6 months, without fear of failure, what would it be?
- What would the younger me be proud of and what would she still want me to pursue?
So whether you’re pressing pause, pivoting careers, launching something new, or simply looking for your spark again, please remember this:
You are not behind.
You are not too old.
You are not silly for still dreaming.
In fact, dreaming now might be the most sacred, self-honoring thing you can do.
And maybe, just maybe, that girl sitting on the hotel bed watching Pretty Woman would be proud of the woman you’ve become, and the one you’re still becoming.
Because this isn’t just a movie line.
It’s your life.
It’s your season.
So, what’s your dream?
Nikki Lanigan
Nikki Lanigan is a yoga, HIIT, and Barre instructor, she is also a Holistic Health Coach through Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Nikki is trained in Yoga Shred, Yoga Psychology, meditation, chakra balancing, and EFT/Tapping. She has done trainings with Sadie Nardini and Ashley Turner. She got her 200 hour yoga teacher training in 2017 at the Carrie Treister School Of Yoga. Nikki takes a holistic view of health, helping her students and clients reach a place of self-love not just through movement, but with mindset and lifestyle guidance as well. Nikki is also show prep writer for The McVay Media Show Prep and host of the podcast Fit, Fun, and Frazzled. Connect with Nikki on Instagram. www.instagram.com/nikkilanigan.yogaandwellness www.instagram.com/fitfunandfrazzledpodcast
