Dreams should feel like windows, not cages.

Sometimes I became so fixated on one dream that I forgot my heart has room for many.

You ever realize that the only reason you’re still holding on is because letting go would force you to admit that you were wrong?

I ask because I’ve come to this realization more often than I’d like to admit—and believe it or not, I might have finally learned my lesson.

Hi, my name is Michell, and I’m a dreamer. Always have been. I’ll never apologize for letting my imagination fuel me, because reality has disappointed me too many times.

Holding onto my dreams has allowed me to create a life that someone who relies on logic alone couldn’t fathom.

But, I must confess: sometimes I became so fixated on one dream that I forgot my heart has room for many.

Sometimes I worry that letting go of “the dream” would mean letting go of the version of myself that “the dream” was helping me to become.

Sometimes I worry that letting go of “the dream” would mean accepting that the story I had been telling myself was just that—a story, nothing more.

Sometimes I forgot that dreams should feel like windows, not cages.

---

What happens when you build your identity around a dream that no longer serves you?

Let me tell you something: the most dangerous dreams aren't the ones that you never materialize—they're the ones that shrink your imagination to the point that you can only see one path worth walking.

Before I understood the risk of holding onto outdated goals, I wore my unyielding commitment to dream chasing like a badge of honor.

And to be clear, the dream itself wasn't the problem. The problem was how I'd fused it with my identity—how I'd convinced myself that abandoning it meant failing the person I promised myself that I would become.

What happens when you build your identity around a dream that no longer serves you?

You keep forcing yourself through motions that drain rather than energize you.

You reject perfectly good opportunities because they don't align with your outdated vision.

You measure your worth against standards that no longer matter to the person you've become

Worst of all, you stay stuck in a toxic relationship with a version of yourself that no longer exists—one whose aspirations were formed before experience had a chance to teach you who you really are.

---

Are you treating your dreams like windows, or cages?

Windows frame possibilities without demanding that you chase them. They offer perspective while allowing you to move freely through different rooms of your life. Windows welcome light without requiring permanence.

Cages, no matter how beautiful, define the boundaries of where you're allowed to exist. They might feel like protection at first—a clear structure in an uncertain world—until one day you realize that they've become your prison.

The dreams that serve us best are the ones that we can hold with open hands, not clenched fists.

Dreams that evolve, as we do.

The dreams that accommodate the unexpected beauty that comes from living a life we couldn't possibly have planned in advance.

---

Some of my favorite recent Substack reads:

• “protecting your peace is making you apathetic (and boring)” by

  simi
  | Read

• “autism is not our enemy” by

  Robert the contemplative
  | Read

• “Joy Is A Gentle Reminder” by

  Alex Elle
  | Read

• “The Invisible Load” by

  Kier Gaines
  | Read

• “Notes on Faith” by

  Danté Stewart
  | Read

---

I’m available for events in Q2, Q3, and Q4 of 2025!

I write—but I also deliver keynotes, moderate panels, lead workshops, and perform poetry. I get fits off, too—free of charge. I’d love to learn more about how I can share my perspective, experience, and tools with your organization, community, or audience. Please reach out to partnerships [at] thecreativesummer [dot] com.

(Some of) my 2024 Events:

• Poetry Performance at Nike Black Voices Community Dinner (watch)

• Affirmations Panel at REC Philly Voter Activation Event

• Keynote Speech at Nate Evans’s “Get To Worthy” Summit

• Fireside Chat and Affirmation Workshop at Princeton University

Watch a snippet of me reading a piece from my book, Eyes On The Road, below.

michellcclark

A post shared by @michellcclark